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Breast pain
Alternative Names
Mastalgia, Mastodynia, Breast tendernessWhat is Breast pain
Breast pain is a chronic tenderness, sharp burning or tightness in the breast tissue. The breast pain may be constant or it may happens only occasionally. It is a frequent complaint among women. Breast pain occurs at about the same point of your menstrual cycle every month. Breast pain is a signal of a noncancerous (benign) breast condition and rarely of a breast cancer.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of breast pain include:
- Pain in the upper, outer area of the breasts
- Pain that extends from the breasts to the armpits
- Tender breasts with some swelling and lumpiness
Possible complications
Swelling and tenderness just before your menstrual period is normal. Breast pain in one or both breasts does not mean that you have a cancer.
What causes
The main causes of breast pain are:
- Menopause (unless a woman is taking hormone replacement therapy)
- Menstruation and premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Pregnancy
- Puberty in both girls and boys
Prevention
There are no ways to prevent breast pain but wearing a well-fitting bra for support may help in many cases.
Treatment
To treat breast pain you may be recommended to:
- Wear a bra with extra support
- Use a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
- Take an oral contraceptive
- Reduce the dose of menopausal hormone therapy
- Take a prescription medication (e.g. Danazol)
