Breast Pain

What Does Breast Pain Feel Like?

Breast pain may range from mild to severe in intensity, and from an overall ache to a sharp or tingling pain. The breasts may feel full or heavy, and it may be uncomfortable to sleep on your stomach or wear a bra. Tenderness, swelling and lumpiness may come and go with the menstrual cycle. These symptoms are usually felt strongest just before menstruation and improve during or immediately after the cycle

Why Do Women Have Breast Pain?

As many as 50% to 70% of women experience breast pain. The most common complaints are premenstrual breast discomfort and lumpy breasts. These are often related to fibrocystic tissue in the breast. This does not increase your risk for developing breast cancer and no treatment is required.

Breasts are affected by changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle and sometimes during emotional stress. Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels can cause the breasts to feel more lumpy, painful and/or swollen. Lumpiness and/or pain increases in many women as they get older. This may be because women become more sensitive to normal female hormones as they age.

Breast pain may also be caused by cysts, or small pockets of fluid in the breast. Cysts can usually be seen on a mammogram or ultrasound. Most women with lumpy or painful breasts do not have cysts. Their mammograms and ultrasound examinations are usually normal.

What Can Be Done About Breast Pain?

Some women find that making certain lifestyle changes can relieve breast pain. Here are some tips:

• Wear a supportive bra, such as a sports bra, 24 hours a day, or when the breasts are most sensitive. This may relieve pain caused by movement of your breasts. Change to a larger bra size if you have breast swelling.


• Heat, such as from a heating pad, warm compress or a bath can provide relief. For some women, using an icepack or cold compress may help.


• Maintain a healthy weight.


• Eat more fruits and vegetables and follow a low-fat diet.


• Reduce the amount of salt you eat, and drink 8 to 10 glasses of caffeine-free fluids a day. This may reduce swelling in your breasts.


• One of the best ways to relieve breast pain is to reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet (see chart). Eliminate caffeine from the diet for at least 3 to 4 months to see if pain improves.


• Take daily calcium (1,000mg to 1,500mg) and vitamin E (800 I.U.) supplements.


• Take aspirin or Tylenol™.


• Try stress-relieving measures such as regular physical exercise, relaxation techniques and massage.

There is no proven remedy for cyclical breast discomfort. However, the good news is that it is not a sign of breast cancer and usually disappears when menopause begins.

Breast pain that occurs in one particular area and does not change throughout the month can be a danger sign and should not be ignored. Check with your doctor to see if a complete breast examination and mammogram are necessary.

Average Caffeine content of common foods, beverages and medications

Coffee	mg/cup
Brewed ground	135
Decaffeinated	5
Drip	164
Instant	95
Percolated	134

Tea	mg/5 oz
Herbal	0
1-min brew	21-33
3-min brew	35-46
5-min brew	39-50

Soft drinks	mg/12oz
Barqs Root Beer	22
Coke Classic	34.5
Diet Coke	46.6
Dr. Pepper reg/diet	42
Fanta	0
Fresca	0
Mountain Dew	55
Mr. Pibb	41
Mug Root Beer	0
Pepsi Cola	37.5
Pepsi (sugar free)	36
Sprite	0
7-Up reg/diet	0
Sunkist Orange	42
Tab	45

Drugs	mg/tab
Actifed	0
Anacin	64
Aspirin (generic)	0
Bufferin	0
Contac	0
Dristan	30
Excedrin	130
Midol	64
NoDoz	200
Triaminicin	30
Tylenol	0
Sudafed	0
Vanquish	66
Vivarin	200

Chocolate, cocoa, carob	mg/oz
Baking chocolate	35
Bittersweet chocolate	25
Carob	0
Chocolate milk	6
Cocoa mix drink	1
Ovaltine	1
Sweet/Dark Chocolate	20

Adapted from Levy M, Management of Painful Breasts, Breast Diseases, 1988; 1:65-69
Love S, Lumpy Breasts, The Medical Forum, Nov 1984, PP 3-5
McGinn A, Keeping Abreast, Bull Publishing, 1987