Development of the breast takes place due to an increase in the release of the hormones called estrogen. These hormones are released during puberty. Also, during the time of the menstrual cycle, various hormones cause changes in the breast size and the tissues. This can lead to pain and discomfort in the breast for some women. This may be the reason that you may feel pain in your breast when you press it. While others may not feel the typical pain, occasionally you may feel it during the time of puberty when the breast is in the developing stage and the pain becomes common. If you or anyone you know is going through the underlying symptoms of breast pain, it can be a sign of breast cancer.
What can cause breast pain?
Medically, breast pain refers to mastalgia. It can vary in intensity and can be sharp or achy with mild tingling. Some women may experience tenderness and may feel like their chest becomes full of food along with heaviness in their breast size. There can be a variety of reasons for breast pain. The two most common reasons for breast pain include hormone fluctuation and fibrocystic breasts or lumpy breasts.
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Hormone fluctuations
There comes a stage in a woman’s life when she starts menstruating and when she stops menstruating. Both of these stages cause hormone fluctuation. Also, at the time of pregnancy, many hormones are released. This fluctuation causes an increase or decrease in the level of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones can make your breast feel swollen, lumpy, and sometimes painful.
If the primary cause of breast pain is hormone fluctuation, you may notice pain that may get worse with time before you start with your periods. Sometimes, it may continue till you complete the monthly cycle. To determine whether or not the pain is because of the menstrual cycle, you may require to note down the changes in your body. This may help you clear your doubts. You may have painful breasts and the menstrual cycle along with these symptoms:
- puberty
- pregnancy
- menopause
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Breast cysts
As soon as the age increases, you may induce many changes in your body. This may concern the changes regarding your ovulation and involution. The stage comes in life when the breast tissues are replaced with fat tissues. This may induce side effects also. It can cause the development of cysts and more fibrous tissues. This is one of the medical conditions that is called fibrocystic changes or fibrocystic breast tissues. This is the primary reason you may feel pain in your breast when you press it. It is not so common to feel pain with fibrocystic breasts. It usually concerns the changes in the breast size and the inner anatomy. Breast Cyst can make you feel lumpy from the inside along with tenderness. The lumps may increase in size when you are having your menstrual flow.
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Breastfeeding
It is one of the natural conditions that you may require to fight alone. At the time of pregnancy, the breast gets filled with a nutritious fluid called milk. It can cause certain pain and difficulties. You can experience pain while you are breastfeeding your child. It may also come up for many unknown reasons.
What are the different types of breast pain that you may feel during different conditions?
Breast pain or mastalgia can be differentiated into cyclic or noncyclic pain. If one type associates a menstrual cycle then the other one is related to any kind of injury. Sometimes, you may feel pain in your muscles that can make you feel like the pain is coming from your breasts. There are different types of breast pain. You can identify your type.
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Cyclical Breast Pain
This comes with the reproductive cycle. It comes when you have the following signs:
- The pain feels achy, itchy and gives you a heavy feeling
- Your breasts swell or feel lumpy
- Both of your breasts may feel the pain. It may affect your chest area and may also radiate through your armpits.
- If you are in your childbearing years like between the 20s or 30s or approaching your menopause.
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Noncyclical Breast Pain
There can also be many reasons for breast pain other than hormone fluctuation. This may be linked to any of the following signs:
- You may feel tightness
- Constant discomfort
- Pain seems to affect only one breast and the particular area
- If you have passed the menopause stage
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Extramammary Breast Pain
This type of pain radiates from chest pain. The closure of the organs often causes you to feel the pain coming from your breast. Most of the time, this type of pain gets better with rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and taking cortisone injections. If you are feeling strain beneath or around your breasts, it can become the source of breast pain. This can occur because of lifting, raking, and shoveling.
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Infection
There can be bad clothing styles that may irritate your nipples and radiate pain. This can become the reason for promoting bacterial infection. There is one common medical condition, that is, Thrush. It is a yeast infection that irritates nipples and breasts. It can create stabbing, shooting, and burning nipples. Also, it can produce redness, flaky skin, dryness, and dullness in the skin of the breast.
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Injury
Trauma is often the cause of pain in the breasts. It can be the result of any kind of injury, surgery, or getting implants. Sometimes, injury can cause your breast vein to swell and form blood clots. It can become painful.
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Skin Conditions
If you have any underlying serious skin disease, it can cause rash and swelling in your breast area. There is a term, that is, dermatitis. This includes eczema and contact dermatitis. If you are having any skin disease, you can connect with your doctor. Only your physician can help you in this condition.
Conclusion
Sometimes women with large and heavy breasts often feel pain. This is because of the stretching ligaments and the enlarged tissues. It can hurt your breast and can also impact your shoulders, neck, and back area. This can be the reason that you may have pain in your breast when you press it. The sites become painful when you become completely unable to manage your breast size. In such a case, you may require to have supportive lingerie. You may also require to perform certain exercises and change your lifestyle.
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