5. Breast and Neck Pain

5. Breast and Neck Pain

Zeng Jing Yong You: Mother, 62 years old, has had pain in the left and right sides of her breasts for seven years. Even a bumpy car ride makes it painful. Ultrasound and mammography show breast hyperplasia. This year, the left side of her neck also started hurting, with fluctuating symptoms. Recently, an examination concluded that the breast and neck pain are neuralgia—the breast pain is intercostal neuralgia, and the neck pain is nerve pain. They told her to go home and take painkillers. Could Mr. Pei please examine her and tell us what's going on?

Answer: If there are no obvious organic lesions in the breast, intercostal neuralgia should be considered. Intercostal neuralgia is the same as neuralgia in other parts of the body, such as trigeminal neuralgia or sciatica. Taking vitamin B₁₂, B₁, and methylcobalamin is effective. TCM herbal formulas like Fuyuan Huoxue Tang, Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang, Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Tang, Guizhi Fuzi Tang, and Xuefu Zhuyu Tang are all effective when used according to syndrome differentiation.

---