A lump in the chest - what could it be?

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Any lump in the chest requires medical attention. Some of them are not malignant and do not require treatment, as they dissolve on their own. In other cases, serious therapy is required, including surgery. Sometimes the reasons are trivial, for example, taking hormonal drugs, and sometimes more serious ones - oncology.

Lump in the chest: why does the chest hurt?

Many factors affect the health of the mammary glands - ecology, bad habits, unhealthy diet, medication, etc. Why do malignant and benign seals appear and how to get rid of them?

Surely many of the fair sex have noticed that the condition of the mammary glands sometimes depends on the monthly cycle. A slight compaction is often observed in the same place before each menstruation, and after it disappears without a trace

In this case, the reasons are hidden in the change in hormonal levels and are not a cause for concern.

A lump in your chest can be a cyst - a small cavity filled with fluid. Such formations are hard to the touch, smooth and mobile on palpation. And when you press on them, painful sensations arise. Cysts can range in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters

Often they occur against the background of hormonal disorders caused by taking contraceptive drugs. In addition, genetic predisposition plays a role. A cyst in the absence of adequate treatment can progress to purulent mastitis.

The cause of the lump can be thrombophlebitis and mastopathy. It is worth noting that these diagnoses are very often given to women from 30 to 50 years old. Disruption of the menstrual cycle, gynecological disease, hormonal and metabolic disorders, heredity, frequent stress and abortion can provoke their development

With mastopathy and thrombophlebitis, the formations are in size from a pea to a walnut. In this case, discharge from the chest is observed. If the latter have blood clots or a brownish tint, then the risk of developing oncology is high.

Thrombophlebitis is an inflammation of the vein wall, accompanied by the formation of a blood clot. The disease is accompanied by redness at the site of inflammation, chills and fever. It can be provoked by an infection, a blood clotting disorder or a change in its composition. With the timely detection of thrombophlebitis, they resort to conservative methods of treatment. At later stages, surgical intervention is indicated.

Particular importance should be paid to the following indicators:

1. The bump is very dense and motionless;
2. Blood leaks from the nipple;
3. The nipple is deviated more than usual or retracted;
4. Regional lymph nodes are enlarged.

The listed conditions are a reason for an immediate visit to a doctor, since the likelihood of the development of oncological pathology is high.

In addition, the neoplasm may be a breast adenoma or a fatty tumor.

Lump in the breast: pain when breastfeeding

In this case, we are talking about lactostasis - stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary gland. The disease is accompanied by hardening, the formation of seals, redness, and a local increase in temperature. In some cases, symptoms, in addition to compaction, are absent.

1. Often milk stagnation occurs when feeding a baby on a regimen, with long breaks, wearing uncomfortable underwear.
2. Lactostasis can develop against a background of severe stress, fatigue. More often, the disease occurs during feeding in the first 3 months of lactation. In the future, the body adapts to this function and produces as much milk as the baby needs.

The lump can dissolve on its own with frequent attachment of the baby to the breast. It is recommended to express milk for a few minutes before feeding. If the lump is under the breast, then the child is applied so that his upper or lower jaw is closest to the place of stagnation.

After complete emptying, the temperature drops. But if tissue edema is observed, then intense straining can aggravate the situation.

• If the mammary gland is very sore, it is recommended to apply something cold after emptying for 5 minutes.
• Between feedings, you can use a variety of ointments, such as arnica. Folk remedies include applying slightly crumpled cabbage leaves.
• It is recommended to limit your drinking, especially tea and lactogonetic agents.

Lactostasis can progress to mastitis, an inflammation of the breast tissue. The reasons can be hidden in general diseases of the body, abrasions and cracks in the nipples, through which infection penetrates, hypothermia and a decrease in immunity.

If, with lactostasis, only a local increase in temperature is noted, then with mastitis it is common. The state of health is much worse than in the first case. Headache often occurs.

How to treat?

1. Treatment often involves taking antibiotics. There are a number of medications that can be used during lactation. This will prevent weaning of the breastfed baby. But with purulent mastitis, you will need to temporarily stop feeding, express milk yourself.
2. A lump above or below the breast, as well as in the armpit area with mastitis, requires the use of anti-inflammatory and absorbable ointments. Heat exposure (shower, compress) is contraindicated.
3. It is better to use cold compresses, which will reduce pain and restore the work of blood vessels.
4. From folk remedies, it is recommended to apply cabbage leaves and smear with honey.

Lump between breasts

We can talk about a malignant, benign tumor, induration, deformation of the ribs.

Such a defect is the reason for an urgent visit to a doctor. It is necessary to examine it for malignancy and perform an operation when confirming the diagnosis.

It should be noted that in the overwhelming majority of cases, such seals are benign, but they also require adequate therapy.

Causes of induration in the chest area

• If there are no traumatic injuries, then most likely it is calcification of the cartilage tissue. For example, this occurs with osteochondrosis, arthrosis, when a lot of calcium salts are deposited in this area. The growth may stick out to the side. In this case, it is caused by false ribs (congenital anomaly). Also, a lump can occur when the growth layer of the bone grows. In children, a neoplasm sometimes indicates a previous rickets.
• Seals often form in areas of bone fracture. In this case, bumps are formed from fibrous tissue, which are slightly displaced on palpation and are rather soft in comparison with bone formations.
• A lump under the rib cage may indicate an inflammation of the rib - periostitis (damage to the periosteum) or perichondritis (damage to the cartilage). Such bumps cause severe pain on palpation, and in the chronic course of the inflammatory process, cyanosis of the skin occurs in this place.
• Another reason for the formation of a lump in the chest area is neurinoma. The neoplasm is localized in the intercostal space, looks like a ball, very painful on palpation. With this disease, the sensitivity of the chest wall around its circumference is disturbed.

Benign tumors

Lumps in the chest area can be benign growths:

1. Atheroma is a cyst of the sebaceous gland. Localized on the right, left, in the middle of the chest. Leads to suppuration and abscess. With a prolonged course, a lump forms in the chest area due to the destruction of bone tissue. The earlier the atheroma is removed, the more favorable the prognosis;
2. Lipoma, or wen, is a lump formed as a result of the growth of adipose tissue. Often occurs against the background of hormonal imbalance. The neoplasm is displaced on palpation and is rather soft to the touch. The subcutaneous fat has a round or lobular shape and is troublesome only with a strong increase in size;
3. Papilloma - looks like a wart, but has a thin stem. Its development is directly related to the human papillomavirus.

If any seals appear, even if they do not cause inconvenience, you need to see a doctor. In some cases, this may turn out to be a banal defect with constant fluctuations in the hormonal background against the background of menstruation. Even with benign neoplasms, conservative treatment or dynamic control is needed.

If the neoplasm belongs to oncological pathologies, then an early appeal to a specialist can help to avoid negative consequences in the future.