BREAST PAIN

Breast pain is a common problem in younger women who are still having periods (menstrual cycles). It is less common in older women. The pain can be in one breast or in both. It may come and go each month, or it may last for several weeks, or even months.

What causes breast pain?

Many things can cause pain or tenderness in your breasts. Here are some of them:
Hormone changes during your period
Water retention, which may happen during your period
Injury to your breast
Pregnancy
Breast-feeding (nursing)
An infection in the breast
Breast cancer (not a usual cause of breast pain)

If you have breast pain that lasts for a long time or keeps coming back, it’s probably a good idea to talk to your doctor about it.

How can my doctor find the cause of my breast pain?

Your doctor will ask you questions to find the cause of your pain and decide if you need treatment. He or she may ask you to describe the pain and where in your breast area you feel it. Your doctor will also check to see if you have lumps in your breasts.

If you’re younger than 35 years of age and don’t have a breast lump, your doctor might decide that you don’t need any tests. If you’re older than 35 years of age and don’t have a breast lump, your doctor may still want you to get a mammogram. A mammogram is a special x-ray of the breasts.
If you do have a lump (or several lumps) in your breast, your doctor might decide that you need one or more of these tests:

A mammogram
A breast sonogram. This painless test uses sound waves to make a picture of the lump.
A breast biopsy. For this test, some tissue is taken out of your breast and looked at under a microscope.

How is breast pain treated?

There are different treatments for breast pain depending on what is causing it. You and your doctor can talk about these treatments and choose one or more that might work for you. Here are some possible treatments for breast pain:
Wearing a support bra
Taking an over-the-counter pain medicine
Taking danazol (for severe pain)
Other treatments for breast pain are sometimes used. However, there is no proof that these treatments work:
Avoiding caffeine
Using less salt
Taking vitamin E or vitamin B6
Taking a “water-pill” (a diuretic)
Most of the time, breast pain goes away on its own after a few months.

TIPS ON BREAST PAIN RELIEF

Having breast pain does not mean that a woman has breast cancer. A woman with unexplained breast pain should be screened to rule out cancer though.The medical term for breast pain is mastalgia.

Breast pain can be caused by things like the menstrual cycle, cysts or infections. It can be conquered with the use of simple things like changing your diet, vitamins or massage.

Nutrition

Start taking vitamin E supplements. This can help ease reoccurring breast pain. It may take four to six weeks before the benefits are noticed. B6 can help prevent breast pain. It is a natural diuretic that helps release fluid from tissues. This will help with swollen painful breasts.

A fat-filled diet can cause breast pain. Reducing fat intake will help ease the pain. When pain flares up, reduce your intake of cheeseburgers and potato chips. During flare ups, do not indulge in caffeine. This includes coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate that should be cut out of the diet. Limit salt intake. Salt helps the body store fluid and fluid retention has been linked to breast pain.

Other Tips

Daily breast massages can help ease breast pain. Massage increases your circulation which is beneficial for the body. Wear a well-fitting bra to bed. This should be one that does not pinch, squeeze, or pull on the breasts or around the middle. This should be one that holds the breasts in a proper position. Think support not sexy when choosing a bra to wear to bed. Smoking can cause cysts in the breasts so stop smoking. Evening primrose oil may help as well. This herbal supplement can be found in health food stores. Give the herb three months to be effective.

Medical

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen can ease breast pain. NSAIDs reduce swelling due to inflammation and pain. Check which ever over-the-counter medication you choose to make sure that they do not contain caffeine if taking them for breast pain. Hormonal oral contraceptives can also help

They help regulate the menstrual cycle and the effects of that cycle on the body. Be aware that

hormone replacement therapy can cause breast pain if the dosage of estrogen is too strong

Consult your care provider if this may be the case. They can adjust the hormone dosage to give breast pain relief.