Phantom breast pain is feeling pain in the breast that has been removed. Phantom breast pain can happen after mastectomy for the same reasons phantom pains happen after limb amputations. The brain continues to send signals to nerves in the breast area that were cut during surgery, even though the breast is no longer there. You're more likely to have phantom breast pain if you had breast pain before you had a mastectomy.
Symptoms of phantom breast pain include the following sensations where the breast used to be:
- pain and discomfort
- itching
- pins and needles sensation
- tingling
- pressure
- burning
- throbbing
If there is intense pain associated with the phantom breast sensation, talk to your doctor about pain medication that can help.
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