Breast Pain
- What is Breast Pain?
- Why Do Women Have Breast Pain?
- What Can I Do About Breast Pain?
- Average caffeine content of common foods, beverages and medications
What is Breast Pain?
Breast symptoms unrelated to cancer are estimated to affect as many as 50% to 70% of American women. The most common complaints are premenstrual breast discomfort and lumpy breasts. These complaints have been frequently ascribed to a fibrocystic condition. The term “fibrocystic” is not well defined but is used to describe lumpy and painful breasts. It is important to note that fibrocystic breast tissue is not a disease and is not associated with an increased risk for the development of breast cancer.
Symptoms range from mild, annoying generalized discomfort to tingling, stinging, or sharp pain throughout the breast. The breasts may feel full or heavy, and it may be uncomfortable to sleep on your stomach or wear a bra. The breasts may simply feel lumpy. Symptoms of tenderness, swelling and lumpiness vary with the menstrual cycle and are usually more severe just before menstruation.
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Why Do Women Have Breast Pain?
Normal breasts are affected by changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. Premenstrual, increasing levels if estrogen and progesterone cause the breast to feel more lumpy and/or swollen. In many women, the lumpiness and/or pain becomes more pronounced as they get older, perhaps as a result of increased sensitivity to normal hormones. The breasts usually feel most tender during the week before menstruation. Sometimes, the breasts are painful through most of the cycle.
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What Can I Do About Breast Pain?
Treatment for breast discomfort includes mechanical, dietary, pharmacological and psychological measures.
- A well-fitted support bra, (e.g. sports bra) worn 24 hours a day when the breasts are most sensitive may help relieve pain associated with movement. Changing to a larger bra size may be helpful if breast swelling occurs.
- Heat, in the form of a heating pad, warm compresses, or a bath can provide relief. For some women, using an icepack or cold compress may be more effective.
- For women who are overweight, weight loss and ideal weight maintenance may reduce breast pain.
- Eating more fruits and vegetables and lowering fat consumption may reduce breast pain.
- Reducing salt in the diet and increasing caffeine-free fluids
(8 to 10 glasses a day) may decrease the tendency for the breast to swell. - Eliminate methyxanthines (caffeine theophylline, theobromine) from the diet. These are found in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate and some medications (see chart). Eliminate caffeine from the diet for at least 3 to 4 months to truly assess improvement in symptoms.
- Taking adequate calcium (1,000mg premenstrual; 1,500mg postmenstrual) and Vitamin E (800 I.U.), daily may be helpful.
- Aspirin or Tylenol™ may help to reduce discomfort.
Stress can affect breast pain indirectly, because emotions can influence hormone levels which in turn affect the breasts. Stress-relieving measures such as regular physical exercise, relaxation techniques and massage may be effective.
There is no guaranteed remedy for cyclical breast discomfort. However, the good news is that it is not a sign of breast cancer, and usually disappears with the onset of menopause.
Persistent, localized breast pain is an infrequent danger sign, but should not be ignored. See your doctor for a complete breast examination and mammogram if appropriate.
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
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