Breast Pain
Women frequently complain about breast pain (mastalgia). But what is causing it?
Most commonly, breast pain is related to the menstrual cycle and hormone level fluctuations or with use of hormone replacement therapy. If symptoms include pain with lumpiness, cysts or thickened areas, we generally refer to this as fibrocystic change.
Breast pain can (in many, but not all cases) be caused by
- birth control pills
- breastfeeding
- breast infection/mastitis
- breast injury
- costochondritis (an arthritic pain occurring in the middle of the chest, but may feel like a burning sensation in the breast)
- hormone changes during your period
- hormone replacement therapy
- ill-fitting bras
- inflammatory breast cancer
- physical activity
- pregnancy
- thrush (an overgrowth of yeast)
- tumors
- weight gain
Your health care practitioner will ask questions to rule out the above causes. If the doctor diagnoses mastitis, antibiotics are usually prescribed. Mastitis is a breast infection occurring in the milk ducts.
Symptoms of Mastitis
- breast enlargement (one side only)
- breast pain
- enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit
- fever
- flu-like symptoms
- itching
- lump
- nipple discharge
- redness
- swelling
Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer are similar to those of mastitis; however, fever is not generally a sign of inflammatory breast cancer.
Tests may be ordered to help with the diagnosis and include mammogram, sonogram, and/or biopsy. Remember, you do not have to have a lump to have breast cancer and a mammogram may not detect inflammatory breast cancer.
If You Are Breastfeeding
Mastitis can occur when you are not breastfeeding; however it is more likely in a breastfeeding mother. In most cases, doctors agree that nursing should continue, because stopping may worsen symptoms of mastitis and delay healing. If antibiotics do not clear up your symptoms, you may not have mastitis, and you may require further testing. Although screening mammograms are not generally performed, a diagnostic mammogram read by an experienced radiologist and/or a biopsy can help in the diagnosis of breastfeeding women.
We need to emphasize that any breast changes such as pain, swelling, dimpling, redness, or thickening of the skin need to be brought to the attention of your heath care practitioner.
Resources
- Imaginis.com Fact Sheet on Breast Pain http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/breast_pain.asp
- Information from Medline on Breast Pain http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003152.htm
- Information from Medline on Breast Infections http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001490.htm
- For information on treating mastitis while breastfeeding http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/mastitis.html
- Information on Breast Health, Breast Cancer, Biopsy http://www.lalecheleague.org/ba/May01.html
- Information on Thrush and Breastfeeding http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/thrush.html
Information submitted by Debbie McKinney, LLL Leader and Breastfeeding Counselor North Carolina
