Common Causes of Breast Pain

Women’s’ breasts develop and expand due to an increase in estrogens during puberty. During the menstrual cycle, various hormones do cause the changes in breast tissue that can lead to pain and some kind of discomfort in some women. Breast pain is also called as mastalgia which is the most common breast related complaint among women. Nearly 70% of women all around the world come across breast pain at some point in their lives. Breast pain may occur in one or both breasts or in the axillary region (underarm) of the body. The extremity of breast pain varies from woman to woman and approximately 15% of women require the serious treatment and medication. However, not all breast pain are associated with breast cancer or tumour.

A sudden or continuous sharp pain can happen randomly throughout the day. Breast pain is primarily divided into two types first- the pain which is associated with menstrual cycle is called cyclical breast pain and the other which is not linked with menstrual cycle is non-cyclical breast pain. But, sometimes, it’s not possible to identify the accurate causes of breast pain.

Here are the following common causes that lead to breast tenderness and pain.

(a) Fibrocystic breasts

It is also a common reason behind breast pain and is normal to have fibrocystic breasts but it is also associated with breast pain and lumpiness in the outer region of the bosom.

(b) Breast cysts

It is related with fluid filled sacs within the breasts that are not cancerous in nature. A cyst in the breast can make you feel like a lump, that may be small or harmless sac filled with fluid, and they can appear as one or many cysts which are round or oval lumps on the edges associated with uncomfortable and painful.

(c) Costochondritis

It is one kind of inflammation in the rib junction extending to the breastbone. Costochondritis causes more pain or less depending upon the inflammation. It’s quite common among people with fibromyalgia and is an inflammation of the cartilage that is associated with your ribs to your breast bone which is one the strong causes of breast pain. The pain can vary from being mild to awfully painful.

(d) Water retention

Women who experience pain because of water retention has nothing to do with their menstrual cycle. This specific breast pain is caused due to environmental or nutritional issues according to the researchers.

(e) Hormonal changes

Most of the women do experience breast tenderness. Breast tenderness is quite normal that leads to uneasiness with little pain and happens due to hormonal changes and imbalances. Some kind of hormonal changes are due to menopause, menstruation and premenstrual syndrome, lack of sexual activity, pregnancy and puberty. This involves certain amount of swelling and tenderness which is quite common before the periods.

(f) Breast structure

Non-cyclic breast pain often leads to affecting the structure of the breast, such as breast cysts, breast trauma, prior breast surgery or other factors centralized to the breast. Breast pain may also initiate in outside of the breast, in the chest wall, muscles, joints or heart, and radiate to the breast causing pain. Hence, breast structure can be considered as one of the causes of brain pain.

(g) Medication use

Some hormonal medications that include some infertility treatments and oral birth control pills, may also be associated with breast pain and breast tenderness that are the possible side effects of estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy.

(h) Strenuous workout

Strenuous workouts like push ups, crunches, stretches might also cause breast pain making you feel discomfort that actually affects the stem from the muscles that are the pectoral muscles under the breast tissue tightening and relaxing is actually the source of this tenderness.

(i) Wrong Bra size

A wrong pair of lingerie can lead to pretty serious consequences for your chest. If your bra is too tight or your bra cup is too small, the underwire may be pushing against your breast that may lead to breast tenderness.

(j) Mastitis

It’s a condition in which a woman’s breast tissues becomes abnormally swollen or inflamed and is usually caused by an infection of the breast ducts. It occurs mostly in breastfeeding women. According to the WHO, mastitis can occur with or without the presence of infection leading to the formation of a breast abscess with severe pain.

(k) Breast Cancer

Cancer is the result of mutations in genes that regulate cell growth. The mutations let the cells divide and multiply in an uncontrolled and chaotic way. The cells keep multiplying and producing progressively more abnormal copies rather than regressing towards being healthy cells. This eventually forms a tumour in most cases that is one of the crucial causes of breast pain.

Recommended: 11 Early Signs Of Breast Cancer One Should Know

(l) Intraductal Papilloma

Intraductal papilloma is a small, noncancerous tumour emerging in a milk duct of the breast causing pain. These tumours are usually composed of gland and fibrous tissue, as well as blood vessels which is mostly seen in women between the ages of 35 and 55.

(m) Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome is a condition that affects a woman’s emotion, physical health, and behaviour before her menstrual period causing breast tenderness and typically goes away once menstruation begins.

(n) Fat cells accumulation

Accumulation of loose fat connective tissues that is adipose tissue in the axillary region (underarm) may give rise to lump causing pain and tenderness in breast.