4 Things That Pain in Your Left Boob Might Mean

If your child has chest pain that doesn’t go away, call your doctor or go to a hospital emergency room. Chest pain rarely is serious in kids. But sometimes it can be the sign of an emergency that needs medical care right away.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis (kos-tuh-kon-DRY-tis) is a painful swelling of the cartilage that attaches the ribs to the breastbone (sternum). It’s one of the most common causes of chest pain in kids and teens, and happens more often in girls than boys.

Costochondritis — also called chest wall pain or costosternal syndrome — can cause a sharp, stabbing pain. Usually, it’s harmless and goes away on its own after 2 or 3 days.

What Causes Costochondritis?

Doctors often can’t pinpoint the exact cause of costochondritis. But sometimes it’s linked to:

• an injury to the ribs or breastbone
• physical strain due to heavy lifting or strenuous exercise
• repeated coughing (as can happen with some infections)

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Costochondritis?

The main symptoms of costochondritis are pain and soreness in the chest. A sharp pain is usually felt on the left side of the breastbone, but can be on both sides.

The pain can get worse when a child:

• takes deep breaths
• coughs
• moves the upper body
• presses on the affected area

Pain may ease a little when the child stops moving or takes shallower breaths.

A heart attack is rarely the cause of chest pain in young people. Still, it helps to know how costochondritis pain differs from heart attack pain:

• Heart attack pain is usually more widespread and felt in other body parts, like the arms and neck. It also feels as if it’s coming from under the breastbone.
• Costochondritis pain usually is felt only in a small area of the chest and feels as if it’s coming directly from where the breastbone meets the ribs.

How Is Costochondritis Diagnosed?

To diagnose costochondritis, the doctor will:

• ask about the symptoms
• feel for tenderness along the area where the breastbone meets the ribs

The breastbone and ribs are connected by rubbery at points called costosternal joints. It’s in one or more of these joints that the pain is felt.

Costochondritis can’t be seen on a chest X-ray, but the doctor may order one to rule out other possible causes of chest pain, such as pneumonia.

How Is Costochondritis Treated?

Costochondritis usually goes away on its own without any treatment within a few days. Sometimes, it lasts longer — from several weeks to months. If you’re concerned about pain that’s not going away, talk to your doctor.

In the meantime, the doctor will probably recommend giving your child over-the-counter pain medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen to help ease symptoms. Applying a warm compress or a heating pad (set on low) to the sore area also may give some relief.

Until feeling better, your child should get plenty of rest and avoid activities that make the pain worse.

Can Costochondritis Be Prevented?

It’s not always clear what causes costochondritis, so you can’t completely prevent it. But many cases are caused by heavy lifting, like carrying an overstuffed backpack — especially on one shoulder, which many kids do. So if your child has to carry lots of books, buy a supportive backpack that spreads weight evenly over both shoulders and make sure it’s worn over both shoulders.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

If your child has chest pain that doesn’t go away, call your doctor or go to a hospital emergency room. Chest pain rarely is serious in kids. But sometimes it can be the sign of an emergency that needs medical care right away.

4 Things That Pain in Your Left Boob Might Mean

From nothing to something, random pain in your left breast can mean several things. Learn about four of the most common causes.

Aug 31, 2021
Jun 12, 2024
Medically Reviewed

Have you ever felt quick, stabbing pain in your left breast? A pain that comes on fast, but leaves just as quickly? You’re not alone, so we decided to scope out the possible reasons why.

Here are four possible causes of this mysterious pain.

Pleurisy

Pleurisy is a condition that causes sharp, stabbing pain under your breast that can be made worse by breathing in deeply. Pleurisy is caused by inflammation of the thin membranes that surround the outside of your lungs and the inside of your chest cavity, called pleura. When these membranes become inflamed (usually because of a viral or bacterial infection), they can rub against each other, which is what causes the sharp pain you feel. Pleurisy itself is not usually serious and typically goes away on its own, but it can be symptomatic of other more serious conditions and diseases, so it should be discussed with your healthcare provider (HCP).

Precordial catch syndrome

Precordial catch syndrome causes intense, sharp, knife-like pain under the left breast area, often right under the left nipple. Like pleurisy, it can also be made worse by breathing, and you may find yourself taking very shallow breaths in order to avoid making the pain worse. While the pain itself is intense, precordial catch syndrome is harmless and its exact causes aren’t known. It’s not related to your heart and lungs and goes away on its own with time. This condition is mainly found among children, teens and young adults, but can also be found in older adults as well. While it can be painful, precordial catch syndrome is nothing to worry about.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is the result of inflammation of the pericardium, which is basically a sac that surrounds your heart in order to keep it in place and help it function. When the pericardium membranes become inflamed, it can lead to chest pain, specifically under the left breast. It may feel like a stabbing pain in your heart or under your breast bone. While it is most often found in people assigned male at birth, it can also be found in people assigned female at birth. Its exact cause isn’t often known, but it may be the result of a viral infection. Pericarditis is usually harmless and resolves itself with time, but in rare cases can cause serious complications and can become chronic.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis is another form of inflammation, this time of the cartilage where the ribs go into the sternum. It’s actually a musculoskeletal pain that doesn’t come from the breast at all, but because of its location, the pain can seem like it’s coming from your breast. Like most of these other conditions, it usually goes away on its own but it can last several weeks or more. The pain can be treated with medicine or physical therapy, but if you suspect you have this condition, you should definitely talk to your HCP to find out for sure, and they can determine the best course of treatment for you.

Because of the way your body is put together and where your internal organs are, the left side of your body is often affected more than the right by some of these conditions. While a fleeting pain in your left breast is usually nothing to worry about, rarely it can point to something serious. That’s why it’s always a good idea to talk to your HCP to rule out any health conditions that might need to be treated.

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