Breast pain in one breast

Breast pain and breast tenderness are among the most common problems that women often have to deal with, and even though it may also occur in men due to certain reasons, it is very rare as compared to its frequency of appearance in women. Women may experience pain just in one breast or in both breasts at the same time. The medical name for the breast pain is mastalgia and it is often defined as a chronic feeling of tenderness and pain, as well as a burning sensation and tightness in the breasts, which may be felt all the time or just occasionally.

Breast pain in one breast

Breast pain can be of two types and while some women suffer from cyclic breast pain, there are also those who experience non-cyclic breast pain. It is estimated that about 75% of women experience cycle breast pain, which is associated to the menstrual cycle, but also with the changed hormonal levels and exposure to stress. This pain is usually dull and heavy and the women experience it in both breasts. On the other side, non-cyclic breast pain is not as common as cyclic breast pain, and it is not associated with the menstrual cycle. Women experience this pain as a sharp one, accompanied by a burning sensation and present just in one breast.

Causes of breast pain in one breast

While there are cases where the cause of the pain in one breast cannot be established, there are also some of the possible reasons behind it, such as an injury or the biopsy of the breast, after which the pain may appear.

When a pregnant woman experiences pain in one breast, which is accompanied by flu-like symptoms, it is often due to a breast infection called nonlactational mastitis. Furthermore, the breastfeeding mothers may experience pain in one breast when milk ducts are plugged so that the milk stays blocked in the breast. Pain in one breast may also be due to fluid-filled cysts formed in the breast and when this occurs, the pain is accompanied by redness and swelling of the breast. Sometimes, the pain from some other area surrounding the breast may be spread to the breast or the breast can be so large and heavy that it also causes pain.

Treatment for breast pain in one breast

Breast pain usually goes away without any treatment and it is observed that only in 15% of the cases it needs some kind of treatment, like treatment with anti-inflammatory medicines, for instance. Many women are afraid of breast cancer when they experience breast pain, but it is rarely the first symptom of this serious disease and when it indicates the breast cancer, it is always accompanied by some other breast cancer symptoms.