Why do the mammary glands hurt? What could be the causes of chest discomfort? Causes of discomfort in the chest

An aching chest is usually not something to worry about. Pain can occur for many reasons, from sports training to medications. Here's what you need to know before seeing a doctor, writes Health.

What causes chest pain?

As soon as a woman feels pain in her chest, the thought immediately arises - “CANCER!” However, breast pain is very rarely associated with breast cancer.

“Chest pain is very rare, rarely associated with cancer,” says Monique Swain, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Henry Ford Medical Center in Detroit.

There are two types of breast pain: Cyclic pain, which is associated with the menstrual cycle, most often affects both breasts. Non-cyclical pain occurs for any other reason and does not follow a monthly pattern. It may cover one or both breasts, the entire breast, or just part of it.

Most often, chest pain goes away on its own. However, talk to your doctor if the pain does not go away after a week or two, or if it interferes with your normal activities. You should also see your doctor if you have other symptoms, including those related to your menstrual cycle, nipple discharge, or signs of infection such as redness, swelling and burning.

Here are several causes of chest pain.

1 A certain period of the menstrual cycle.

Two-thirds of breast pain is caused by the release of estrogen and progesterone throughout the menstrual cycle.

“Hormonal breast pain can happen to any woman who is approaching her period,” says Dr. Swain. "It doesn't matter whether you're 14 or 44, if you're menstruating, you're at risk for periodic breast pain."

Usually you feel pain in the chest, which is associated with the arrival of menstruation, which can be either external or internal. Most people describe the pain as pulling rather than sharp.

For some women, simply knowing that the pain will go away, usually within a week or 10 days, is enough. Other women seek relief from over-the-counter pain medications. There is one FDA-approved prescription drug for chest pain called danazol, but it (like other prescription pain medications) can have serious side effects.

Diet also plays a role in reducing menstrual breast pain: Eating more flaxseed may reduce the pain, as can eating a low-fat diet rich in complex carbohydrates, Dr. Swain points out.

2 You are pregnant

The first trimester of pregnancy brings a whirlwind of hormones that can cause not only mood changes, food cravings, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, but also chest pain.

Pain is associated with “acute hormonal changes,” including human chorionic gonadotropin, according to Jennifer Wu, MD, an OB/GYN at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

The pain is usually temporary. In the second and third trimester, there will be less pain or no pain at all.

3 You are breastfeeding

Breastfeeding your baby is completely natural, but it can also cause discomfort and pain. You may feel pain when your baby starts to suckle or if his or her mouth is not positioned correctly on the nipple. The first pain gradually goes away, and the second can be removed by changing the position of the child.

Your baby's wet lips may also cause nipple soreness due to microcracks. Talk to your doctor or lactation consultant about how to manage these symptoms, as they can lead to infections.

Your breasts can also be damaged while breastfeeding if you have an infection in your milk ducts. In this case “the milk ducts are very swollen”, says Dr. Wu. "They can get clogged". Contact your doctor if breast pain with feeding lasts more than a couple of days.

4 You are taking certain medications

Any type of medication that contains hormones - birth control, hormonal, fertility treatments - can also cause breast pain, as when natural hormones surge during the menstrual period.

But other types of medications can also have an effect. For example, antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can cause chest pain, and chlorpromazine, an antipsychotic, can cause severe pain. The reasons for this are not entirely clear today. Some heart medications may also cause chest pain.

Talk to your doctor if your medication causes pain and you may be offered an alternative treatment.

5 You have a cyst

Cysts are common in women 35 years of age and older. “A cyst is a clogged breast gland with fluid accumulation,” says Teresa Bevers, MD, director of the Cancer Prevention Center at the University of Texas at Houston.

Cysts are usually harmless, but they can be painful. “If [the fluid] stretches the walls of that canal, the tissue, it can become sensitive and very painful.”, says Dr. Bevers.

Treatment depends on your age, how large the cysts are, and how painful they are. You may decide to do nothing, or your doctor may remove the fluid to relieve the pain.

6 You had surgery

Any injury to the chest can cause pain. This could be surgery, a biopsy, a seat belt injury, or even a simple blow.

Immediately after the injury, sometimes up to two years, tissue necrosis may occur, which manifests itself as thickening or lumps in the chest. By this time, you may not always remember the original injury, but fortunately it is not dangerous and does not require treatment.

7 You have shingles

Shingles is a later manifestation of the varicella zoster virus. Anyone who had chickenpox as a child may develop shingles as an adult, but the chest is only considered damaged by the infection if a rash appears on it.

This rash can be very painful, with itchy blisters that may burst. You may also have a fever, headaches, and sensitivity to light.

Shingles usually lasts two to six weeks. There is no drug treatment for it. Antiviral drugs can speed up treatment. Your doctor may also prescribe pain relievers, antidepressants, and birth control, which may help relieve pain.

8 You overextended your muscles

An injury to your muscles after a tough workout may feel like chest pain, although the injury is actually located elsewhere. Heat and over-the-counter pain relievers are usually sufficient to relieve muscle pain; your doctor may recommend something stronger if the pain is more severe.

Muscle problems are just one type of pain that originates outside but is felt in the chest. Other causes include pneumonia, heartburn, spinal problems, gallbladder disease, heart disease and neck arthritis.

Of course, be aware of any chest pain, which could be a sign of a heart attack. Other heart attack symptoms in women may include pressure, heaviness in the middle of the chest; shortness of breath; pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Call 911 right away if you think you are having a heart attack.

9 You have large breast size

Large breast size can cause enough stress to stretch the pectoral ligaments and tissues. This can cause pain not only in the chest, but also possibly in the back, neck and shoulders.

“Women with larger breasts have breast pain, but usually these women also have other problems such as back pain and shoulder pain.”, says Dr. Swain.

Finding the right, supportive bra can go a long way in relieving this type of pain. You can also try over-the-counter pain relievers. For severe pain, you may consider prescription treatments such as tamoxifen or danazol, but the side effects of using them can be serious.

In extreme cases, some women choose breast reduction surgery.

10 You're Wearing the Wrong Bra

The wrong bra can cause pain, even if you have small breasts. “Most of the time, women wear bras that are too big.”, says Dr. Swain, and a bra that is too large will not support your breasts.

A bra that is too small is not much better as it compresses the breasts. Dr. Swain says if your bra is causing breast pain, you should choose a larger size.

11 You're approaching menopause

Women approaching menopause may experience painful fullness in the breasts, called ductal ectasia. This causes fluid to accumulate. “This process can cause pain in the nipples and areolas,” says Dr. Swain.

Other symptoms may include nipple discharge.

This condition can be reduced with warm compresses. However, if the pain does not go away, your doctor may recommend surgery or medication.

12 You May Have Inflammatory Breast Cancer

This is one of the few cases where breast cancer can actually involve pain. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive form of the disease that accounts for 1 to 5% of all breast cancer cases.

In people with inflammatory breast cancer, cancer cells obstruct the lymphatic vessels in the skin of the breast, causing redness, swelling and inflammation in about a third of the breast. The skin may also appear ulcerated due to the accumulation of lymph fluid. Sometimes you may feel a lump, but this is usually not the case.

Inflammatory breast cancer is more common in younger women, African-American women, and obese women—and is usually treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation. Targeted treatments are also sometimes used.

The appearance of discomfort in the mammary gland can affect a woman at any age. They often cause panic. Discomfort in the chest indicates the development of pathology, but sometimes it is also a consequence of hormonal changes in the body. It is important to identify what caused the discomfort, what is the etiology of heaviness and pain in the tissue structures.

The female breast is a paired organ with a complex structure. The mammary gland consists of various tissues. Under the influence of certain negative factors, tissues may undergo certain pathological changes. Cystic, benign or malignant formations can develop in the thickness of the breast. They change the structure of the gland and cause some discomfort when pressed.

The appearance of heaviness and fullness in the middle of the chest sometimes indicates an imbalance of hormonal substances. Women's breasts become heavier during pregnancy, lactation, before menstruation and menopause. The approaching menstruation causes fluctuations in progesterone. The condition of the glandular tissue depends on its action. Increased production of certain hormones causes discomfort. Women's breasts react sharply to any disruptions in the body.

A woman may feel a cold or hot flush in the mammary gland. Discomfort can occur in both the right and left breasts. Often, with the development of pathology, a man is also exposed to unpleasant sensations. There is a feeling of enlargement of the side of the breast on the right or left, nipple pain in the middle, the tissues may become unpleasantly numb or cold. On this basis, mild neurosis often develops. In some cases, it becomes heavy and difficult to breathe.

The cause of heaviness is the onset of pregnancy. After conception, progesterone begins to be actively produced. The hormone affects the condition of the breast.

Unpleasant sensations in the nipples often occur during milk flow. During lactation, the tissues of the alveoli are activated, and signals are sent to the brain that it is time to feed the baby. A woman feels a burning sensation, tingling, heaviness, and a cold flow in her chest. The nipple may become painful and sensitive if injured or cracked.

The cause of discomfort is often a woman's excess weight. Fat is deposited in the breast tissue and interferes with the normal functioning of the glandular tissue. Its deposits compress the glandular structures of the breast and cause discomfort.

It is important to always analyze what exactly may be causing breast pain. Unpleasant sensations require consultation with a doctor and a thorough diagnosis.

Nature of discomfort

Each woman's discomfort is different. Some people are bothered by nagging, aching pain in the thickness of the mammary gland, while others suffer from distension. Unpleasant sensations are often expressed in tingling and heaviness. Observed:

Pain inside the chest
Sensation of tension in glandular structures
Tingling
Burning
Heaviness
Foreign body sensation

Such manifestations are not one-time occurrences, they are felt periodically. Usually discomfort is accompanied by other signs of pathology

Cyclic and non-cyclical chest pain

Pain that appears spontaneously and suddenly in the thickness of the mammary gland can be cyclical or non-cyclical. The first is often a sign of physiological mastodynia. Cyclic mastalgia is characterized by breast tenderness and menstrual irregularities. May occur before the onset of monthly bleeding. The discomfort with it is insignificant - there is a feeling of fullness in the chest. It begins shortly before the expected day of menstruation. The breast and nipple become sensitive and swollen on palpation.

Non-cyclical pain is not caused by the female cycle. Most often they indicate a dangerous pathological process or the onset of pregnancy. After conception, a woman's breasts change their size to a larger one and begin to prepare for feeding the baby. The pain is especially pronounced in the first weeks of pregnancy. This is due to increased amounts of progesterone and hormonal changes early in pregnancy. By the end of the first trimester, the pain begins to gradually subside. The soreness may reappear later in pregnancy.

In other cases, pain indicates the development of pathology. A woman needs to be examined if the discomfort does not go away and is accompanied by other symptoms of pathology.

Difficulties in diagnosis

It is important to come to the medical office in a timely manner for medical help. The doctor should be informed of all the features of the discomfort experienced. It is important to indicate to the specialist the nature of the pain and its frequency. The pain may radiate to the armpit or shoulder blade, and the chest may be compressed. An attack of compression of the entire chest indicates angina pectoris and requires relief.

When pressing, the doctor can detect the presence of lumps in the thickness of the mammary gland. This indicates:

Development of cysts - capsules filled with fluid.
The presence of fibroadenoma - a benign tumor.
The appearance of a lactocele - a capsule filled with milk.
Lactostasis is stagnation of milk in the breast.
Internal hematoma due to trauma.

Among the diagnostic measures to identify pathology, ultrasound, mammography, and tomography are prescribed. If cancer is suspected, a biopsy and cystological examination is required. A woman needs to be examined for tumor markers to identify the presence of a tumor and tested for prolactin and thyroid hormones.

What signs indicate that a woman should immediately consult a doctor?

You need to pay attention and come to the hospital in situations where:

The pain is not associated with menstruation.
The pain is constantly getting worse.
The pain is severe in a certain area of the chest.
Discomfort is accompanied by other symptoms and fever.
The pain does not go away and prevents you from doing your usual work.

All signs require close attention. If the pain lasts more than a week or two and interferes with your usual activities, you should not ignore it and delay your visit to the doctor.

What diseases are accompanied by pain in the mammary glands?

The most commonly diagnosed pathology is mastopathy. The disease is expressed in the appearance of fibrocystic growths. The balance of hormones in the body is disrupted, pathological changes occur in the glandular tissue and epithelium. Mastopathy develops after abortion, during menopause, and endocrine disorders.

The cause of pain is also an inflammatory-infectious process. It is accompanied by an increase in temperature. The pain often radiates to the armpit, to the area of the heart on the left. Infection can enter the mammary gland during breastfeeding if there are cracks in the nipples.

Breast cancer is a dangerous pathology, which is characterized by a large accumulation of atypical cellular structures. The tumor does not manifest itself in any way at the beginning, but later causes great discomfort in the armpit and pain. The papilla of the breast may also be affected.

What conditions and diseases of women also cause pain in the mammary glands?

Discomfort can also be caused by:

Hormonal therapy for infertility
Large breast size
Wearing the wrong bra
Use of oral contraceptives
Spine ailments
Chest trauma
Heart diseases
Fat cyst
Neuralgia
Lymph node pathology
Furuncle

Symptoms accompanying chest pain

Among the unpleasant sensations, not only pain of varying intensity is possible, but also other symptoms characteristic of the pathology. The disease may be accompanied by high fever, heaviness and swelling of the mammary glands. Often they are accompanied by discharge from the nipple, peeling and redness of the skin and the area around the nipple.

Upon palpation, various compactions in the thickness of the gland and deformation of the mammary glands are detected. There is an “orange peel” around the nipples, stretching or hiding of the nipple. All these symptoms indicate that a disease is developing in the mammary gland. If the discomfort is not associated with bearing a child, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner to clarify the diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

How to get rid of discomfort in the thoracic region

Therapy depends on the established diagnosis. In most cases, complex treatment is carried out. To eliminate pain and discomfort, special anti-inflammatory and analgesic ointments are applied to problem areas. Their components help eliminate discomfort.

Various anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents are used internally. Folk remedies are used. An integrated approach to eliminating pathology eliminates tingling, itching and pain. As reviews indicate, timely treatment allows you to prevent the development of complications and quickly get on the path to recovery.

Chest discomfort can be very frightening for a person. Many people associate this phenomenon with heart pathologies, so if chest pain occurs, some simply panic. In fact, there can be many reasons for such troubles. These are not only pathologies of the heart muscle and circulatory disorders, but also problems with the lungs and esophagus. Therefore, if a person has an unpleasant sensation in the chest, first it is necessary to determine its nature, and also pay attention to the accompanying symptoms. Based on this data, a preliminary diagnosis can be made, which will help in eliminating the problem.

The pain that may occur in the chest is divided into several types: burning, bursting, pressing, aching and sharp. Depending on what type of discomfort a person experiences, the presence of a particular problem is judged.

Symptoms accompanying chest pain

The discomfort that a person may experience with certain problems can vary significantly in nature. The pain is often intense and accompanied by a cough. In this case, we can say for sure that discomfort in the chest area is associated with diseases of the respiratory system. This includes pneumonia, bronchitis, and other diseases. A severe cough leads to increased chest discomfort. Chest pain that occurs with respiratory diseases can be identified immediately. This problem is familiar to many, and its symptoms are very different from the discomfort that occurs during a heart attack or gastrointestinal diseases.

You can determine that an unpleasant feeling in the chest is associated with the heart by such signs as acute and unbearable pain radiating to the arm or neck. This is a clear symptom of coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction. If the pain is very severe, but does not radiate to the arm, but to the back, it may be an aortic dissection in the thoracic region.

When the discomfort in the chest is burning, this is a sign of problems with the stomach or intestines. Most often, this phenomenon indicates the presence of GERD. Reflux disease is also accompanied by such troubles as frequent heartburn, increased stomach acidity and abdominal pain. The acid that causes discomfort in the chest area is thrown into the esophagus and then corrodes its walls. The result is severe pain that is burning in nature. You can quickly escape from such a problem. To do this, just take a Rennie or Gaviscon tablet. However, it must be taken into account that with frequent manifestations of the disease, the disease can become chronic. In such a situation, the patient will have to take pills constantly.

Discomfort that increases during movement may be associated with pneumonia or pulmonary embolism. These diseases are additionally accompanied by severe shortness of breath and cough.

When a person experiences acute but quickly passing pain in the chest, there is no need to worry, as this is not a sign of a serious pathology. This may be due to stress or physical strain. Some spinal pathologies can cause minor discomfort in the chest area.

Most often, such troubles arise due to the development of GERD, peptic ulcers and osteochondrosis. These are not dangerous diseases, but it is still worth consulting a doctor to eliminate discomfort. The most serious causes of chest discomfort are myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism.

Difficulties in diagnosis

Experts say that most often, discomfort in the chest area is not a sign of a terrible disease. For most people, problems arise due to nervous tension or physical activity. It is enough just to calm down and normalize your breathing, after which the discomfort will go away.

However, if the pain is somewhat unusual and quite severe, it all greatly worries the person. Many in such cases begin to panic, which further aggravates the situation.

When visiting a doctor with complaints of discomfort in the chest area, the patient must inform the specialist about all accompanying symptoms and describe in detail the nature of the pain. The thing is that chest pain indicates several diseases. Diagnosis can be complicated, and this is dangerous, especially when emergency help is needed.

For example, if you have problems with the cardiovascular system, an unpleasant feeling in the thoracic region can be a sign of 4 dangerous ailments. If the discomfort is increasing in nature, and the chest seems to be compressing, this indicates angina pectoris. An attack can occur both when a person is at rest and after physical exertion. Angina pectoris is relieved by taking nitroglycerin.

Intense pain indicates a heart attack. In this case, unpleasant sensations will be in the left side of the chest, arm or neck. Additionally, the patient may feel nausea, dizziness and general weakness. Taking medications for heart pain during myocardial infarction will not give the desired effect; urgent qualified medical care is needed.

Arterial thrombosis causes discomfort that is very similar to the symptoms of a heart attack. In such a situation, diagnostic difficulties often arise, so the doctor must pay attention to additional symptoms, namely the presence of shortness of breath. At a later stage in the development of the problem, a wet cough will occur, which will produce sputum with blood.

Intense pain during aortic dissection is concentrated in the middle of the chest. Patients rarely provide specialists with accurate information about the location of the discomfort, which makes it difficult to make a correct diagnosis.

Unlike heart pathologies, problems with the lungs and stomach can be identified immediately. In the first case, the pain will not be constant. It is quite strong, but mainly occurs after the patient coughs. Gastrointestinal diseases that cause discomfort in the chest area are always accompanied by characteristic additional symptoms. We are talking about severe heartburn, a feeling of acidity in the mouth and abdominal pain. Nausea and severe vomiting may occur after eating.

Breast pain is considered a fairly common complaint among women of any age.

Pain (discomfort or pain in the chest) has various causes and does not always indicate the presence of a disease or pathological disorder in the mammary gland. Often this symptom manifests itself during hormonal changes in the body (during puberty), increased production of hormones or high tissue sensitivity to them (PMS, postmenopause) and temporary dishormonal changes in the body.

Less commonly, the cause of pain in the chest area is inflammatory and/or sclerotic processes of glandular tissue, neoplasms, consequences of injuries and operations. Therefore, it is important to know the causes of pain and when it is necessary to consult a specialist.

Types of breast pain

Chest pain is divided into:

According to the nature of the pain syndrome:

aching or aching-pulling;
dull;
piercing;
pulsating;
cutting;
burning;
shooting.

By localization:

double-sided;
one-sided;
in the upper quarters of the gland;
in the lower quarters;
total encircling.

By intensity:

acute strong;
medium intensity;
discomfort or severe discomfort in the mammary gland.

Depending on the period of occurrence:

cyclical pain (mastodynia) – pain syndrome is associated with the menstrual cycle or hormonal imbalance;
acyclic mastalgia - chest pain is associated with the presence of pathological processes in the gland or nearby organs and occurs regardless of the woman’s monthly cycle.

Distinctive features of periodic or cyclical chest pain are:

discomfort or pain in the mammary gland occurs at a certain period of the menstrual cycle (usually in the second half, after ovulation or a week before the onset of menstruation, less often a few days before the onset of menstruation and during menstruation);
the pain is characterized as aching or dull and is localized in the upper quarters of the mammary glands or throughout the entire gland (total girdle) and radiates to the armpits;
pain always occurs in both mammary glands;
the breasts swell and increase in size, sometimes multiple nodules appear, disappearing in the first phase of the cycle (after menstruation);
Mastodynia is often accompanied by irritability, headaches, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, psycho-emotional instability;
Cyclic pain is more common in women of childbearing age, adolescence, or premenopause.

Non-cyclic pain in the mammary gland is different:

lack of connection with the menstrual cycle;
varying intensity and nature of pain (usually in the form of burning, squeezing or bursting) and localization in a specific area of the mammary gland;
in most cases one breast is affected;

In addition to pain, other symptoms and signs are observed:

areas of inflammation or mass formations in the chest;
changes in the skin and its structure, the presence of pathological discharge from the nipple;
there is an increase in regional lymph nodes;
there is general weakness, lethargy, fever, nausea, loss of appetite;
pain is more common in women over 30 years of age or after menopause.

Why do the mammary glands hurt?

Mastodynia or cyclic mastalgia occurs as a result of the influence of female sex hormones on a woman’s body. The release of hormones by the endocrine glands and organs of the reproductive system (estrogens, progesterone and prolactin) in a certain phase of the cycle (usually after ovulation) provokes an increase in the chemical activity of prelactation compounds and proliferation of epithelial cells of the mammary gland. This causes an increase in the size of the gland ducts, hypertrophy of the lining cells and fluid retention in the tissues of the mammary glands. In this case, there is an increase in breast size, swelling and irritation of the nerve endings in the glandular tissue. In this case, persistent discomfort and pain are noted in the second (luteal) phase of the menstrual cycle. After the start of menstruation, the pain decreases significantly and disappears completely.

The causes of cyclic mastalgia are:

functional changes in hormonal levels in different phases of the menstrual cycle (pain in the mammary gland before menstruation);
temporary dishormonal changes in a woman’s body (mastopathy);
gynecological diseases (polyps, endometriosis, ovarian cysts), causing changes in the release of female sex hormones;
menopause (changes in the production of sex hormones and the sensitivity of mammary gland cells to them);
long-term use of oral contraceptives or infertility treatment;

use of antidepressants;

stress, psycho-emotional overstrain, neurosis, chronic fatigue syndrome can increase the manifestation of PMS and changes in the production of sex hormones;
imbalance of fatty acids in breast tissue and local increase in the sensitivity of gland cells to female sex hormones (with metabolic disorders, obesity or rapid weight loss).

Non-cyclic mastalgia occurs as a result of non-hormonal changes occurring in the mammary gland:

inflammation;
stagnation of milk;
sclerosis of glandular tissue;
the appearance of benign and malignant neoplasms;
injuries;
surgical interventions;
malformations of the ducts and milky lobules;
wearing tight underwear;
large breast sizes.

These are anatomical changes in tissues that provoke vascular spasm, compression of nerves, the appearance of inflammatory infiltrates, tissue proliferation with the formation of conglomerates and cysts, hematomas, adhesions, and overstretching of the ducts. All these changes cause pain in the mammary gland.

Causes of pain

The causes of pain in the mammary gland are different, so it is necessary to know their distinctive signs for various functional changes, pathological processes or diseases.
Pain in the mammary gland before menstruation is caused by physiological changes in hormonal levels and an increase in the production of active substances (mediators) in the glandular tissue.

Discomfort or nagging, dull and/or bursting pain during PMS appears in both mammary glands 7-10 before the onset of menstruation and decreases after its onset with a gradual disappearance in the first phase of the cycle. With stress, neuroses, fatigue, physical or psycho-emotional stress, the symptoms of mastodynia intensify. There are changes in the woman's general well-being and behavior - lethargy, headaches, irritability and imbalance.

Typically, pain and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome go away on their own and do not require treatment. But if persistent pain appears with increasing intensity, breast swelling for more than 2 weeks, no reduction in these symptoms after menstruation, menstrual irregularities and other pathological signs, you should consult a specialist. The causes of mastalgia can be gynecological diseases, neuroendocrine pathology, mastopathy, long-term use of contraceptives or antidepressants. All these conditions require medication correction, physiotherapeutic procedures, homeopathic medicines, and herbal medicine.

Probable diseases

Diseases that can cause breast pain include:

and abscess - an inflammatory or purulent-inflammatory process in the chest;
benign breast tumors (fibroadenoma, cysts);
malignant tumors (cancer, lymphosarcoma,);
breast injuries with the formation of hematomas, tissue ruptures, ducts and milk lobules);
postoperative complications (inflammation or compression of nerves due to implant failure,
postoperative scars);
sclerotic changes in the mammary gland (sclerosing adenosis, reactive sclerosis of connective tissue);
intercostal neuralgia;
osteochondrosis;
inflammatory diseases of the chest organs;
myositis;

Pain in a nursing mother

Quite often, pain in the mammary glands occurs in nursing mothers:

at ;
at ;
with lactation abscess;
with lactocele.

The most common cause of pain in the mammary gland in nursing women is lactostasis (milk stagnation).

Both of these pathologies develop in the first month after birth and are associated with an unsteady feeding rhythm or disturbances in feeding technique.

Lactostasis occurs with increased milk production, sluggish sucking, infrequent breastfeeding, large mammary glands, and improper feeding technique.

All these factors lead to stagnation of breast milk in the milk lobules and ducts, their overfilling and overstretching, the formation of painful areas in one or two glands.

Lactostasis manifests itself:

pain in a certain area of the mammary gland;
, slight redness and increased local temperature;
light massage and expressing milk are painful, but bring significant relief;
weakness and an increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels are noted.

Lack of treatment and elimination of the causes of this pathological process can lead to the development of lactation mastitis and its complication - mammary abscess.

Lactation mastitis

Lactation mastitis is an inflammatory process of the milk lobule or lobules, caused by prolonged stagnation of milk and the entry of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora into the ducts and lobules, causing the development of inflammation.

Mastitis is manifested by the occurrence of persistent acute pain in a certain area of the chest with irradiation of pain to other areas or to the armpit, skin hyperemia, swelling and a significant increase in local temperature, weakness, lethargy, headaches and an increase in body temperature to febrile levels. Expressing milk is extremely painful and does not bring relief.

If these symptoms appear in a nursing mother, you should immediately contact a specialist (gynecologist or surgeon) to prescribe treatment.

If a nursing mother with signs of lactation mastitis does not go to a medical facility in a timely manner, the disease becomes complicated and an abscess (a cavity filled with pus) forms at the site of the inflammatory focus.

Symptoms of transformation of mastitis into an abscess include:

acute local pain in a specific place of the gland, bluish tint of the skin and identification of the area of fluctuation (softening);
persistent increase in temperature to 39.5 - 40 degrees;
a pronounced change in general health - weakness, headache, lack of appetite, dizziness, fatigue and drowsiness.

Treatment of an abscess is only surgical - opening the abscess and draining it, introducing disinfectants and antibacterial drugs into the cavity.

Lactocele

Lactocele is a special type of lactostasis that occurs in a nursing woman after an injury, against the background of a congenital anomaly of the ducts or milk lobules, scar changes after surgery or inflammation. All these factors interfere with normal lactation, so a cyst filled with breast milk forms in a certain area of the gland. Gradually, as the milk arrives, the cyst increases in volume, causing a feeling of fullness and persistent discomfort. On palpation, it is determined as a soft, mobile formation that does not decrease with expression.

If similar symptoms appear, especially in the presence of predisposing and provoking factors (trauma, surgery, congenital anomaly), you should contact a surgeon. The diagnosis can be clarified by puncture of the cyst followed by its removal.

Pain due to breast mastopathy

is a collective concept in gynecology, including all pathological processes in the mammary glands, which are characterized by the presence of:

lumps and/or mass formations in the breast;
pain in the mammary gland;
pathological discharge from the nipple.

Most common. In most cases, this is not considered a disease, but a special condition of the female breast that occurs against the background of temporary or permanent dyshormonal changes in the woman’s body (excess of estrogen and prolactin). Mastopathy is characterized by a uniform proliferation of glandular and/or fibrous tissue.

Pain in the mammary gland manifests itself in the form of nagging pain in the upper outer parts of the glands, the process is often bilateral and is directly related to the menstrual cycle (increased pain in the second phase of the cycle and decreases after menstruation). Also noted are engorgement and swelling of the mammary glands, multiple nodular elements, and less often, clear, straw-colored discharge from the nipple.

Breast cyst pain

- These are pathological cavities in the glandular tissue of the mammary gland, filled with fluid. Almost every woman has one or more small cysts. These formations occur normally during the menstrual cycle. Only large cysts that cause discomfort or pain are considered pathological.

Typically, the cause of cysts is dishormonal disorders and after a thorough examination (puncture, histological examination of a biopsy specimen and cytological analysis of discharge from the nipple), provided there are no atypical cells and threats, small cysts are not removed.

Pain from breast fibroadenoma

It is a benign neoplasm of the mammary gland. This pathological process in breast tissue in most cases is a round, painless tumor that arises as a result of the proliferation of glandular and connective tissue of the mammary gland.

For a long time, the disease can be asymptomatic and can be detected during routine examinations, ultrasound examination or radiography. Mastalgia occurs when the tumor is large, actively growing, or has a certain localization of the tumor.

The main cause of fibroadenomas is persistent hormonal fluctuations in young women of childbearing age.

These neoplasms, under the influence of unfavorable factors, can transform into cancer, therefore, when they are detected, a biopsy is required (sampling of cells from the tumor and studying them under a microscope).
Due to the high risk of transformation of fibroadenoma into a malignant neoplasm, this pathological process (unlike cysts and mastopathy) must be removed.

What to do if there is pain in the mammary gland

If you are concerned about pain in the mammary gland, you should consult a specialist.

When to see a gynecologist or mammologist:

pain appears every day for two weeks, there is an increase in its intensity and a change in the nature of mastalgia;
the pain syndrome is localized in a certain area of the mammary gland, radiates to the axillary region and interferes with everyday life;
a mass formation, an area of inflammation, cords are palpated in the chest);
the appearance of other symptoms is noted (fever, lethargy, redness of the skin, discharge from the nipple, asymmetry of the mammary gland).

If the pain in the mammary gland is severe (acute)

If severe (acute) pain appears in the chest, you must immediately contact a medical facility to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe timely treatment.

Diagnostics

The main methods for determining the cause or clarifying the diagnosis when mastalgia occurs are:

interview, history taking and palpation of the mammary glands;
Ultrasound of the breast and axillary lymph nodes;
consultations with specialists (gynecologist, endocrinologist, surgeon, neurologist, therapist);
laboratory research;
, ductography;
thermography;
pneumocystography.

Treatment of breast pain

Treatment for breast pain depends on the source and cause of the pain. Therefore, treatment is prescribed only after the diagnosis has been clarified or the presence of a pathological process has been excluded.

If there are functional disorders in the mammary gland associated with temporary dyshormonal changes, a mild correction of the malfunction is prescribed:

phytotherapy;
vitamin and mineral complexes;
anti-stress and sedative medications;
enzymes (for metabolic disorders);
mild immunostimulating drugs;
medications to normalize the synthesis of sex hormones.

An important point is to exclude coffee, alcohol, chocolate, Coca-Cola, and products containing preservatives and taste stabilizers from the diet.

Less commonly, oral contraceptives and antiprolactin drugs are used to normalize hormonal levels.

The main methods of treating mastopathy are:

normalization of hormonal levels;
physiotherapeutic procedures;
phytotherapy;
Spa treatment.

When cysts are diagnosed, drug correction of hormonal levels and treatment of pathological changes that cause endocrine disruptions are prescribed.

If cystic formations cause severe pain: an inflammatory infiltrate is determined, they are large or actively growing, changes are noted during cytological and histological examination - they must be removed.

For mastalgia not associated with breast diseases, treatment is carried out for the underlying disease that caused the appearance of this symptom (intercostal neuralgia, herpes zoster, osteochondrosis, myositis).

Surgical intervention is used for fibroadenoma, malignant neoplasms, abscesses, the presence of lactocele, postoperative complications and injuries.

Prevention

Preventive measures for mastalgia:

Caring for women's health and preventing dyshormonal disorders:
avoid stress, anxiety, physical and nervous strain;
have sex regularly;
balanced diet;
physical activity;
systematic strengthening of the immune system;
absence of abortions;

Treat all gynecological diseases in a timely manner, correct metabolic and endocrine disruptions.
Undergo an annual preventive examination with a gynecologist and mammologist.

Although most women are used to having painful sensations in their mammary glands once a month, sometimes breast pain in women can cause concern: is it cancer? Such thoughts appear especially often among those over 40.

All female chest pain (mastalgia) can be divided into two types: cyclical and non-cyclical. Having figured out what type of problem your problem is, you can understand how terrible it is. This also determines what methods should be used to “treat” it.

Cyclic pain is associated with the menstrual cycle. Their occurrence in its second half is a natural phenomenon. A few days before the start of menstruation, they may intensify. For some women, the pain is so severe that it interferes with normal functioning and causes anxiety. In this case, it makes sense to consult a doctor who will recommend an adequate remedy for pain.
Non-cyclical pain has nothing to do with the menstrual cycle and, accordingly, is caused by other reasons: diseases, injuries or something else.

Pain in the mammary glands often occurs during PMS

In most cases (two out of three), pain in the mammary glands is explained by hormonal reasons and is caused by changes in the body during menstruation. Non-cyclical pain is quite rare, but how dangerous they are - read on.

Chest pain in women: causes

But first, let's dot the i's with menstrual pain. Here, the reasons are absolutely clear: hormones live by their own rules, and the fact that they cause inconvenience to us does not bother them. So if the unpleasant sensations intensify, there is no need to worry - this is not a disease, but you just need to deal with it somehow. Fight pain the usual way - with paracetamol or ibuprofen. You can also use an ointment for external use with an analgesic effect.

If these over-the-counter remedies do not help, you should consult a doctor. He will recommend special drugs that reduce the level of estrogen (female sex hormone) in the blood - tamoxifen, danazol, bromocreptine or others. They need to be taken on an ongoing basis, and not just when pain occurs.

Taking oral contraceptives, antidepressants, or blood pressure-lowering medications may worsen breast pain before your period. A gynecologist will help regulate their effect on the body.

Pregnancy, according to doctors, is the most common cause of discomfort. Take the test before visiting the doctor!

But the causes of non-cyclical pain are more varied, and are in no way connected with hormonal phenomena on the eve of menstruation. Most often women over 40 years old complain about them. They can be called:

Mastopathy (formation of benign tumors in the tissues of the female breast - a consequence of hormonal changes).
Infection, inflammatory processes (in particular mastitis).
Shingles.
Rare structural changes in the chest.
Chest muscle strains.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Retention of fluid in the body, especially during menstruation.
Breast cancer.

Please note: the worst thing - breast cancer - is in last place on this list. Cases where it is accompanied by pain are very, very rare. It can appear in its later stages, but it begins generally painlessly.

As for mastopathy, its main symptom is lumps in the breast, not pain. Sometimes overgrown tissue blocks the ducts in the mammary glands and disrupts lymph flow, which also causes mastalgia.

In any case, if the slightest concern appears, it is better not to think and guess, but to visit a female doctor. After forty there are no options at all. The examination and examination will definitely show whether there is anything unnecessary in this part of the body.

At the doctor

When going to the doctor, be prepared for him to ask you the following questions:

When was your last menstruation?
Are there any cycle irregularities?
How long have you had chest pain?
Which area of the chest hurts the most?
Does it hurt in one breast or both?
Is there any discharge from the nipples?
What medications are you currently taking?

After this, the gynecologist will conduct a manual examination of the mammary glands and lymph nodes in the armpits. If it finds nothing, its further actions depend on your age. He will send women over 40 years of age additionally for mammography. If it shows the presence of neoplasms, you will need to undergo a biopsy to determine the nature of the tumor - malignant or benign.

Manual inspection is the first and most important verification method

The most reliable diagnostic method that will give accurate advice is mammography.

Further treatment depends entirely on the cause of the pain. The doctor's prescription may only consist of a recommendation to wear a more comfortable bra, and not the one that caused your chest compression - and subsequent pain.

He will recommend eating less salt if excess fluid accumulates in your body. Taking vitamins E or B6 will help correct the neuro-emotional background - and thereby eliminate the consequences of the stress experienced when your chest took the blow.

It happens that pain appears only in the right or only in the left breast. This is not a symptom of some special, separate disease. For example, premenstrual mastalgia can manifest itself in this selective way - and this is normal. This may also be a consequence of compression of the pectoral muscle by a heavy bag that you always carry on your right (or left) shoulder.

Pain may occur only in a certain area of the mammary glands

Stop doing this and everything will return to normal. And one of the mammary glands (as well as both at once) can become ill during breastfeeding. Bacteria from the baby's mouth or the environment enter through the nipple and cause inflammation - mastitis. It is accompanied by fever and redness of the skin.

If your left and right breasts are different sizes, your mastalgia may be caused by the fact that one of them (the larger one) has started a protest against discrimination by bras. Her “partner” is in comfortable conditions, but he puts shameless pressure on her. Choose a bra that is a larger size or a different model (very good - with wide straps).

A visit to your doctor may also reveal (or confirm) that you are in an interesting situation. And chest pain often appears during pregnancy (also due to hormones).

Not only treatment, but also prevention will help you forget about chest pain: an active sex life, a normal work and rest schedule, wearing comfortable underwear, constant monitoring of the condition of your body and regular monitoring by a gynecologist.