Published on: 5/21/2025
In females, right side chest pain above the breast can come from chest wall issues like strained muscles or costochondritis, breast-related conditions including complications from implants, or lung and pleural problems.
There are several possible reasons why you might feel pain on the right side of your chest above the breast. One common cause is a problem with the chest wall. This means that the muscles or cartilage connecting your ribs and breastbone might be strained or inflamed, which is known as costochondritis. Breast conditions can also be a reason for the pain. For example, if you have breast implants, sometimes pain can occur because of implants shifting or irritation around them. In addition, lung conditions such as pleurisy—when the lining around your lungs gets irritated—can create pain in this area, especially when you breathe deeply. Sometimes, other non-cardiac issues (problems not related to the heart) may cause this discomfort too. Although heart issues are less likely when pain is focused on the right side above the breast they can still occur and it is still important to have any new or ongoing chest pain evaluated by a doctor. They can ask questions about your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and order tests if needed, which will help them decide the best steps to keep you feeling well.
(References)
Hardegree EL, Bell MR. 84-year-old woman with chest pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012 Jul;87(7):700-3. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.03.015. PMID: 22766089; PMCID: PMC3498388.
Azis KA, Al-Chalabi MMM, Mat Johar SFN, Wan Sulaiman WA. Atypical Chest Pain in a Patient With Breast Implant. Cureus. 2023 Apr 18;15(4):e37751. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37751. PMID: 37214021; PMCID: PMC10193515.
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