DEAR DR. GOTT:
Your practical approach to treatment has been very attractive and helpful. Keep up the good work.
I’ve worked as a mammography technician since before it became a specialty, so I’ve had numerous opportunities to address issues and concerns. Recently a reader wrote concerning pain behind the breast. This is a common complaint, so common we no longer discuss it at conferences. One theory is that arthritis develops in the intercostal spaces and the pain radiates into the breast.
Many women seem to take comfort in this possibility and enjoy the peace of mind the knowledge brings when other possibilities have been ruled out.
DEAR READER:
Breast pain is common and affects as many as seven in ten women at some point in their lives. Symptoms are most common in pre-menopausal rather than in post-menopausal women. Alone, they rarely signify breast cancer, but the fear is always first and foremost on a woman’s mind, whether within the breast tissue or behind the breast.
Initial discomfort might be treated with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory over-the-counter drug, 1000 mg capsules of evening primrose three times a day, 400 IU of vitamin E up to three times a day, or hot or cold compresses. Any discomfort or unusual symptoms should always be brought to the attention of a physician or gynecologist who can perform an exam, schedule a mammogram, ultrasound, or biopsy and rule out abnormalities. While not to be taken lightly, the fact that the discomfort could be arthritis is extremely reassuring to most women.
Keep up the good work and thank you for your articulate letter and the information it contained.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Breast Cancer and Disorders”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
About Dr. Gott