I know that I am responding to quite an old thread but I hope that someone reads and responds.
I am experiencing many of the sypmtoms described by Little Mischief (with the possible exception of sensitivity to fabric.)
I have had a mammogram and seen a breast cancer surgeon twice in the last month who has said he can't detect signs of inflammatory breast cancer. He can't give an explanation for the tingling, prickly, sharp pains, dull ache, feeling of fullness etc in my right breast which I have been experiencing for quite a while now and just says that breast pains are a funny thing and come and go with no noticeable triggers. The discomfort (it's not really pain - just a really uncomfortable feeling) seems to move around the breast as well - one minute its at the top then the bottom, then about 2 inches above the breast!!!!!! (I am now starting to experience similar feelings in the left breast it's probably sympathy twinges!)
Whilst I am still concerned about the IBC thing I was wondering if anyone else on this forum had any definitive answers regarding possible breast shingles or some sort of neuropathy?
I am currently undergoing an intensive course of physiotherapy because the right side of my neck has been really painful and I have experienced pins and needles down the ourside of my right arm into the "pinky" finger. I am also expereincning a lot of discomfort in my right shoulder blade towards the bottom and across to my side.
I am extremely stressed due to work and financial commitments and the physio thinks that this could be playing a role in the problems I am experiencing.
I wonder if it's possible for pain from the neck region to be "referred" to the breast as well?
I trust someone will pick up this thread and answer.
P.S. I live in South Africa!

http://www.apparelyzed.com/dermatome.html
this isnt the best dermatome i have seen, but it is the best i can find at the moment......you will see that the area in question is supplied by the upper thoracic nerves....see if your physio can check that out for you, i would also think about trigger points....and stress, of course can play a part......yoga, pilates, at what ever level you can do may prove helpful as well.

I unknowingly had 5 or so outbreaks on the same little USA nickle-sized spot on my upper inner right arm. Now I have Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN), which is pain from nerves damaged by the Shingles virus, even when the outbreak is healed. The T1, C5-C8 nerves are inflamed as a result. That means my upper arm area (especially bicep), under arm, shoulder, and right Brachial Plexus (includes area above/on top of breast) can be very painful.

This unfortunately means the top part of my right breast also hurts!

The damaged nerves extend to my right hand, so using my right hand can trigger the pain and of course, I am right-handed!

I tried gabapentin/Neurontin, Lyrica, and Flexeril for pain but had too many side effects. These drugs do work for many. When my arm really hurts I apply a Lidoderm patch or use an electrical pulse TENs unit to relieve the pain.

For the shoulder, Brachial Plexus, under arm area, I have used ice packs and warm baths. I have also used opioids and am going to try Tramadol, but basically there is no Western Medicine "cure." Nerve pain caused by Shingles can last for years or even for the rest of your life.

On the advice of my neurologist, I have just started Acupuncture. How often does a Western Medicine specialist tell you to try Eastern medicine??? I'm keeping my fingers crossed. ;-)

The biggest concern I have now, besides having pain that is not necessarily "curable" is how am I going to stand having a mammogram? I have been trying to find out alternatives with no response yet from the medical community. I have a high risk condition, so I guess I may just need really drug up and have a friend take me to mammogram torture chamber ;-)

I have suffered from this condition twice. Both times it lasted several months. Ibrufen gave some relief. Warmth and rest (Sunshione?) gave the most relief. Sadly I have to work so complete rest was not possible. Some muscle wastage occured which has recovered but final relief came from one single Lyrica tablet -[ maybe I was lucky but relief came and I slept for 10 hours (first time in months) and awoke to be mcuh better-pain subsidied over the next week and hasnt returned. Brachail Neuritits is without doubt the mosty thing I have experienced and many consultants wrongly diagnosed for conditions that required exercise or manipulation-both of which making it much worse. Sleeprest and warmth with large doses ibruprofen the only things that worked Neil Sjoberg Essex UK

I wanted to add my 2013 experience to this thread in case others come here looking for help or have advice to give.

I'm in my 60s and got shingles in early September 2013 in my upper back, underarm and left breast. I had already gotten the vaccine and was put on an antiviral meds immediately. I had a rash but it never blistered at all. (I wonder whether this was because of those antivirals.)

Still, I had a very uncomfortable several months. I needed to apply creams and ice packs front and back to sleep at all--there was burning, stinging everywhere, and an itching on my back that drove me nuts. Still, I never had the excruciating pain I've seen others describe. Because of the breast discomfort, I wore loose tops and no bra.

After about two months the rash gradually disappeared and the discomfort lessened enough so that I felt almost normal. And the itching in my back finally stopped after my dermatologist gave me a prescription steroid that could be used only on my back.

However my breast discomfort has never disappeared. If anything it is MORE sensitive to fabric now in December than it was during earlier phases, so I assume that I have post herpatic neuralgia. I'm hoping it will disappear soon.

The information on this thread has been helpful to me. What I do now is to wear a silicone nipple cover constantly (Joanne's Fabric carries them) which makes a huge difference in terms of nipple sensitivity. And after reading this thread I've started tying a very soft, silklike scarf around my chest in such a way that it's slightly tight above my left breast and then loosely covers the whole thing. That seems to reduce the pain signals, and I can wear a bra over it.

I think that I wouldn't mind this discomfort half as much if it were, say, on my calf-- it's just so close to my head that I always notice it. I've found that the best thing to do is to be active; as long as I'm very busy I don't notice it as much.

I'd appreciate any other advice folks have for waiting this out!

marytw