Chest pain is always a cause for concern, since the heart is one of the pieces of the human body we all really need working at its best like, all the time. For women, this type of concerning pain can sometimes appear in the form of a short, sharp stab to the left breast area that comes quickly and leaves in the same way.
Ouch! And also, what in the heck?
For answers, look no further than this viral TikTok by @chaoskenobi –
@chaoskenobi #stitch with @hope.dx Speaking about pleurisy! Please help spread the word as I have a very tiny following! #health #pain #womenshealth #FYP
Her video explains why it happens and whether or not you should be concerned, all in just a couple of minutes.
She says that her doctor told her it might be pleurisy, which happens when the thin tissue that separates your lungs from your chest wall becomes inflamed.
What results is a sharp, painful sensation that can worsen when you suck in a deep breath.
Image Credit: TikTok
The commenters on her video suggested it could also be something called precordial catch syndrome, a sharp stabbing pain that usually occurs around the left nipple. It can also worsen if the person experiencing it takes deeper breaths.
Buzzfeed reached out to Lauren, who made the original video, and she wanted to make sure people aren’t trying to diagnose themselves on TikTok (or anywhere else on the internet for that matter).
“There’s three or four conditions that match the symptoms I was describing, so it’s important for people to not self-diagnose and to speak with a doctor, because not all the conditions are non-life threatening.
I’m shocked how many people even have these symptoms, and now that I know, I’m even more shocked that all my doctors had no idea what it could be.
I’m just glad that people now have a better vocabulary to present to their doctors to advocate for themselves.”
You have to advocate for yourself, people, and it seems like a lot of people have experienced this symptom at one time or another – so don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for answers, too.
@chaoskenobi Anything I’ve spoken about can happen to any human not just female presenting ones! #precordialcatchsyndrome #health #FYP #MACscaraface
OB-GYN Fahimeh Sasan weighed in on the matter with Buzzfeed, as well.
“It is imperative that if a woman is having recurring breast pain of any kind that she see her gynecologist and have a breast exam.
Based on her exam and family history, her physician may further recommend breast imaging, such as breast ultrasound and/or mammogram.
About 1 in 8 US women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
As such, breast pain, masses, and lumps should never be ignored or presumed to be musculoskeletal or a ‘phenomenon’ until a full evaluation is done by a provider.”
Basically, even if you learn on TikTok that something seems to be common, or just a thing that happens, you should still talk to your doctor, because it could be something more serious.
The more you know!
