Many women experience tenderness or pain in their breasts at some point in their lives. The trouble with this annoying symptom is that it doesn t give out any clue regarding your health or well-being at the onset. The nature of your pain can be ascertained only by your doctor upon a physical or medical examination, however it s better to know the causes that gives rise to this symptom and be safe than sorry.
Breast pain is broadly classified into two categories Cyclic and non-cyclic.
Cyclic breast pain
Here are few of the causes of cyclic breast pain that occurs due to hormonal fluctuations:
1. Breast pain during puberty: While breast development takes shape due to hormonal changes in girls, breast pain also becomes inevitable. This is just a part of the growing up process and harmless. Read to know how coffee affects puberty.
2. Breast pain during menstruation: The fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone during this period can give rise to some discomfort around the breasts like soreness, tenderness and pain. The pain might be more prominent just before the start of your period and gradually taper down as you near the end of your period. Here are some home remedies to beat menstrual pains.
3. Breast pain during pregnancy: The hormonal changes that make your breasts look firm and big when you are pregnant are actually preparing them for lactation post-delivery. These changes usually make your breasts become sore, heavy and painful. Your breast might also become tender and sensitive. But these symptoms will settle once you deliver your baby and start breastfeeding. Here are six changes that take place in your breasts during pregnancy.
4. Breast pain after delivery: After the stress of pregnancy and labour your body goes through other physiological changes and some of them are quite painful. Postpartum stress, lack of rest and the breastfeeding demands of your new born can give rise to some amount of discomfort in the breasts like pain and increased sensitivity. These issues usually settle on their own without any medical help.
5. Breast pain during breastfeeding: The most common cause for pain during breastfeeding is breast engorgement or mastitis. This happens when the mother is unable to drain excess milk from her breasts, which makes the tissues and ducts around the areola swell. One way to deal with this problem is to feed your baby every two hours and avoid engorgement. If this doesn't resolve the problem, contact a lactation expert. Here are four common breastfeeding troubles and ways to dodge them.
6. Breast pain during menopause: This happens due to the hormonal fluctuations that give rise to other unpleasant symptoms of menopause. However, a dip in estrogen during menopause is responsible for post and pre-menopausal pains. Increased levels of progesterone makes the breasts swell in size and lead to other physical discomforts like pain, soreness and tenderness. Here are 11 other symptoms of menopause that you should be aware off.
Non-cyclic breast pain
7. Cysts: Benign cysts in the breasts can at times give rise to intolerable pain. These are non-cancerous, harmless lumps usually filled with fluids. These cysts tend to become tender around the menstrual periods and lead to soreness and pain. The pain could be persistent on both the breasts or a one-sided pain depending on the severity and presence of the cysts.
8. Medication: Oral contraceptive pills, diuretics, hormone regulating tablets, and some other medicines which alter the hormonal balance can give rise to pain and soreness in the breasts.
9. Weight gain: Excess fat does no good to your body and is bad for your breasts too. Too much fat on your chest can stretch the tender skin of your breasts and lead to pain.
10. Physical exertion: Too much of exercise, especially while working on your upper body and exerting pressure on your pectoral muscles can give rise to breast pain later.
11. Hormone replacement therapy: Many women undergo hormone replacement therapy after menopause to fight symptoms like heat flashes, mood swings etc. These 'induced' hormonal fluctuations can at times take a toll on the breasts making them tender and painful.
12. Infections: If you notice that your pain is persistent along with a lump on one side or either sides of the breasts; there are signs of infection like redness, pus or fever, your pain doesn t stop even after your periods are over, there is blood or other clear discharge coming out of the nipple, its time you meet your doctor for a better evaluation.
13. Treatment and procedures: Sometimes certain medical procedures and examinations could give rise to pain in the breasts. A breast biopsy or transplantation can most likely give rise to some kind of trauma or pain after the procedure.
14. Stress: Of the other things that stress can do to you, it alters hormonal balance which in turn can lead to breast pain.
15. Tumors: Sometimes breast pain could be due to a malignant tumor indicative of breast cancer.
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