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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Pain In The Left Rib Cage?

Hi,For 3 weeks I have been having a pain in my left rib just on the side of my left breast, there is one spot on that side where the pain radiates to my whole left breast area and all the way on my left back side almost to my spine. I can t hardly cough, sneeze, sniff, move breathe pick up anything at all. Today I bent over and I felt something almost like a pop in my back around muscle lower shoulder blade area and it felt as if someone were stabbing me straight through to the front with an ice pick. It has now burning under my arm almost feels like a razor burn. I had rib xray and nothing showed up. I also have a port on my left side due to having had breast cancer on right side 5 yrs ago. My regular doctor is out until Tuesday and my oncologist was off today. I m not sure if it is muscle, nerve or cracked rib or what, I just had my port flushed last week, but I went longer than normal by a couple of weeks getting it done. I just don t know who to talk to about it. I didn t know I had to pay to have question answered. My husband is completely disabled and I am recently unemployed so sorry to bother you as I cannot afford to pay.
Mon, 3 Jun 2019
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General Surgeon 's  Response
Hi,

Noted your history related to left breast cancer with port and severe pain in the rib area along with details as you have mentioned including the X_ray of rib being normal/
The radiation of the pain, history of caner indicate that the spine or cord or the nerve root is affected.
Hence I would advise you the following:
Consult a Neurosurgeon for clinical evaluation.
MRI of the spine can tell if the vertebrae have been affected compressing on the nerve roots causing the classical pain as you have mentioned.
If this is present then you need further evaluation by PET scan, further management as per the cause found and thus get a proper care.
Get this done asap to avoid further complications.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant,
ENT & General Surgeon
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What Causes Pain In The Left Rib Cage?

Hi, Noted your history related to left breast cancer with port and severe pain in the rib area along with details as you have mentioned including the X_ray of rib being normal/ The radiation of the pain, history of caner indicate that the spine or cord or the nerve root is affected. Hence I would advise you the following: Consult a Neurosurgeon for clinical evaluation. MRI of the spine can tell if the vertebrae have been affected compressing on the nerve roots causing the classical pain as you have mentioned. If this is present then you need further evaluation by PET scan, further management as per the cause found and thus get a proper care. Get this done asap to avoid further complications. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. T Chandrakant, ENT & General Surgeon