Hi there

Im 19 yrs old and i've got a lump on my sternum.

Basically its a hard solid lump on the right side of my sternum, about 1/2inch from my right breast and 1inch from the bottom of the sternum. Im unsure whether it is the rib or the sternum. There is no pain and it doesn't move.

I've had it for about 2yrs but the doctors say its nothing to worry about. However recently it's started to show through my chest. I've not lost weight or anything.

I've never broken my bones or damaged my chest, although recently i've had costocondritits, although the lump was present before then.

I really really need some light shed on this, i've been desperately searching for info but have not come up with anything.

Please help me, thanks

Ilex

Hi Ilex, have the doctor ordered any xrays for you of your sternum? If you haven't got the Xray, perhaps you should. You said that it seems to start showing through your chest... it might be growing and that's something to take into consideration. No one knows what is growing in there until the doctors do some test/investigation. Hope you find some answers! :angel:

Hi there

I saw four seperate doctors in my surgery. When I told them I had a lump in my chest they seemed interested until they realised it was the sternum area (thinking it was my breast, i guess). They all looked. One said that the sternum is naturally bony, one pressed on it and asked if it hurt - it didn't but when i left it did. They all showed no concern, and because i've been four times with no real help, I'm scared to go back, like they think im fussing over nothing. Maybe I am, but I don't know that for sure do i?

Should I go back?

Hi Ilex, you might want to discuss this with someone else too - someone that's close to you - whether you should go for another consultation. Btw, you haven't mention if you had the Xray. Get one if you haven't.

The lump hurt after you left the office could be due to the doctor pressing on it. If the lump is getting very obvious and you can see that there's a lump there even without touching it, then maybe u want to check it out again. I'm sure the doctors that you have seen before were orthopedics?

If the lump have started to hurt badly, it's another sign to make you go back to the doctor. However, if you are generally in good health, eat well, exercise well, no significant weight lost, no pain... perhaps you can just watch that lump and see if any new symptoms develop. However, it's really up to you to decide how determine you want to get to the bottom of this. Look for doctors that have more experience in lumps/tumors and maybe they can help you more? Good luck and let me know how things go. :angel:

Hi there

No, I havn't had an xray - one was never suggested to me. Im considering asking for one however.

The doctors I went to see were just general GPs, not specialists.

I have talked with my mum who doesn't seem overly bothered, but my boyfriend is quite keen for me to get to the bottom of it. Ill have to ask for the xray, i think.

Oh, yea, I am in generally good health - there doesn't appear to be other side effects (well, not that are likely to be related, any way).

Thanks :)

Hi again :)

It would be good if you can get an Xray. There are some things that doctors can't see if they don't order extra tests. General GPs might not have experience or enough knowledge to due with bone problems, so going to a specialist(orthopedic doctor/surgeon) would be better. They know more than GPs about bone disorders.

Well, if everything comes back negative or normal at the end of the day, at least you can have a peace of mind that the lump is nothing serious. So all the best on your new appointment with a specialist! :angel:

Well, I went back to the doctor

Apparently I have somehow pushed my rib so it has slipped, hence the lump.To be honest, I have no idea how that happened - as I said in my first post, I have never damaged my chest before.

He says there is nothing to worry about, and refused to send me for an xray.

He also said if I was fat I wouldn't notice it any way.

This hasn't put my mind at rest. Just wound me up.

Im sick of doctors.

Do you need a referral to see an orthopedic specialist? If not, I would call and make my own appt. They would do an xray right there in their office and then read it right then. This would put yours and your BF's mind to rest. Even if it's a slipped rib - don't they want to do something to help?
And I don't like the doctor's attitude towards you. It might be time to switch docs - I've done it before. When you find the right doc - you won't mind asking for things and won't mind going. Sometimes it takes seeing the right one. I've had some issues for some time and when I couldn't get into my doc, they put me in with a NP. She said it was not time to give me a referral to a neuro - that they require the PCP to do several treatment options before sending a referral. Well saw my doc today and he was upset that I had been put off and got me my referral without pause. Hate to see what happens to the NP today, but she needs to listen to her patients more.
Post back and let us know what happens.

Hi Ilex,

did you ever get that bump sorted out, because i have the same one, right on my sternum. my ma didnt really didnt seem to worry over it, but my brother the other day noticed it and asked what it was. about a yr ago, my lil sister also noticed it in a picture and wanted to know what it was. i never went to get it checked. it does hurt when you press on it, otherwise its fine. feels like chest cavity is caving in or somethin.