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I have an aching pain under my breast by my rib cage.


I am 25 weeks along and have recently started to experience pain under my breats around my rib cage. I don't believe it is my daughter, as some have suggests. Plus the pain goes to my back as well around the same spot that the pain is at on the front side. Any ideas as to what this could be or any relief for it?

Posted: 09/06/2007 by

Mom Answers

I'm 38 weeks along today, and know exactly how you feel. The pain starts off feeling like it might be the underwire of your bra - but persists when you take your bra off. If you lift your breasts you'd expect to see some form of bruising, but there's nothing there! Yes, I know exactly how you feel. My dr. said that there isn't any room left in there since the baby is occupying a lot of space. Can you only imagine what has been pushed up around your ribs since your little one has been growing? What has helped me has been just to lie down and relax. Extra strength tylenol, heating pads, and warm baths have been miracles. And I know it sounds hard to do, but try to ignore it. Easier said than done, I know, but there's not much else you can do. Hope this helped...
posted 05/15/2008 by alilbunintheoven
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Hi there, I got the "rib pain" at 28weeks. I spoke to my gynae/Ob about it and she says it's perfectly normal....Our ribs shift to make room for our little ones and space for our internal organs....while this happens, our muscles inbetween those ribs get stretched....AAAWWW...this is worse than any whiplash I have experienced. But with the guidance of an experienced biokineticist simple exercises seem to ease the pain. I also have used a microwaveable heat pack and it does wonders to the aches. Your posture is very important now, including sitting upright to allow space for your body and finding a comfortable driving position... Don't get too stressed if you've spoken to your gynae you'll know it's just a bit of muscle pain...and can be healed... I have had it for over two weeks now and have just learnt to manage it better.......GOOD luck to all you other rib pain sufferers.
posted 01/07/2008 by Deborahdavies
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I have had pain under my right rib cage for the last 3 weeks that included some burning sensations under my breastbone, and sometimes pain under my right shoulder blade. It feels like it should look bruised, but no visible signs from the outside. After reading some posts that suggested it could be problems with my gallbladder I went to my OBGYN. He wanted to rule out gallstones or other gallbladder problems so he sent me for an ultrasound. They discovered a tiny mass in the right side of my liver, a liver hemangioma which is a non-cancerous tumor. Turns out it is actually quite common in pregnant women because of our increased estrogen levels but isn't usually found until a test for something else is performed. Don't ever let anyone tell you the pain you feel is "nothing" or "perfectly normal" until every possible test has been run. Everyone is different and what may be muscles stretching for one woman can be gallstones for another, and a liver hemangioma for another.
posted 07/30/2010 by geminierin
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i am 24 weeks too and i have the same thing.. it is very painful.feels almost like bruised and its very hard to breathe at times. its not the baby.i know this because he spends the majority of his days using my bladder as a soccer ball or kicking me as low as he possibly can!(sometimes i really think hes trying to escape!!) i dont know what it is. ive tried to buy different bras because at first i thought it was the underwire. but its not because it hurts even when im braless.. i cant take much more of it though!! sometimes its even really itchy in the area under my breasts. its so painful but if u put a heating pad under your breasts it does wonders while its there!! any other tips would be much apprieciated!!!
posted 09/16/2007 by bhunter627
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I posted yesterday (19 wks pregnant)but after I saw my OBGYN today, he is sending me for an ultrasound as he says I'm a text book case for Gallbladder disease. Pain on my righ upper rib cage that wrapps around to my back, worsens after I eat and is a sharp pain that gets worse as the day goes on. He didn't feel any gallstones but I may have to have the gallbladder removed! I told him that my family Dr said it was my bra, so not the case! I'm so glad that I got a second opion as this is very painful.
posted 12/05/2007 by Draggonfly
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Oh yeah I forgot this part. I'm the one that said my doctor said that it could be a gall bladder problem. He said to especially monitor eating fatty or greasy foods which can make it worse.
posted 10/09/2007 by a BabyCenter Member
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I get this same type of thing on my right side under my breast when I sleep on that side. I wake up with a sharp shooting pain there. I'm pretty short waisted, so I figured it was because of what was mentioned above, all my insides pushing up :) Today I tried putting that cooling Aloe Vera gel for sunburns (mine's blue) on the area because it feels like a hot spot and that's helping!
posted 01/07/2012 by jenbilski
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I had a HORRIBLE pain right under my breasts. It started to get so bad I had to ice it several times a day. It felt like someone hit me with a metal bar and I was bruised all along my ribcage. No one could tell me what it was, they were all like, "oh, it's probably just growing pains." Turns out it was my bra! I was normally a 34 or 36 B. I measured at 38 D. I got new bras and the pain is GONE!
posted 08/12/2008 by BethanyBean
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ive had the same thing that everyone else it talking about in these posts, feels like a burning sensation and sharp pains at times, with or without bras. ive had it for at least a month and my doc said it was my ribs expanding and all to make room but now im getting concerned because my skin is numb at certain places around the hurting area. anybody else experience numbness with this??
posted 02/03/2013 by marybethbadder
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Definitely sound like gallbladder/kidney stones. Definitely check with your doctor to see if it could be pain from your gallbladder because of stones. I had the pain for almost 3 months. When I was 37 weeks I got nausea and diarrhea bad and my doctor had me go to the Emergency room. Two days later they induced me because I had Preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome -- a very severe sickness. Thank heaven my little girl was born with no problems. Read up on HELLP and Preeclampsia and Gallbladder. I am now having my gallbladder removed weeks after I delivered. I was very ill days before and after the pregnancy with all the symptoms of Preeclampsia and HELLPS. Other than the pain under my right rib cage, my pregnancy was perfect. So please don't let your doctor dismiss the pain on your right side!!!!! Pain meds & muscle relaxers didn't work for me. My doctor said it was just musculoskelital since the pain wasn't associated with eating. Many babies are born premature with these. Don't wait! --
posted 03/08/2008 by melinda_glover
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