Painful breasts

Although many women fret from it, pain in the breasts is not very likely to be a sign of any serious underlying condition, and it happens to the every woman at some point in their lives.

What is breast pain usually related to?

The most common reason for breast pain is the menstrual cycle. Aching, oversensitive and bloated breasts that are preceding a period are perfectly normal symptoms in the menstrual cycle. These feelings are really unpleasant and can cause some discomfort, but the good thing is that they are completely harmless. They affect both breasts and can sometimes spread to the armpits and upper arms. The more extreme cases of this kind of breast pain can be so uncomfortable that the person feels almost constant pain and the breasts have to be protected with a bra at all times, even at night. This problem does not necessarily have to be permanent, in fact, it has no strict time limitations, as it can remain present for a very long amount of time, even until menopause, or it can manifest itself only temporarily.

There are other reasons for breast pain as well and they all depend on the intensity of the pain and whether it affects both breasts or just one, and if the latter is the case, which is the breast in question. Once they start experiencing any kind of breast pain, many women become increasingly worried that it is a sign of cancer, but this possibility is highly unlikely, as this happens in less than 5 percent of cases and the pain which characterizes it is extremely severe.

What can cause breast pain?

Recurring breast pain usually happens due to some hormone changes in the body. The reasons for this are the numerous glands that are located in the breasts and used for producing milk. They are surrounded with certain tissue which typically consists of fat. These glands respond to hormone changes in the body and sometimes they can be so sensitive to it that they result in breast pain.

How to deal with breast pain?

Unfortunately, there is no magic solution to make the breast pain go away, but there are ways to prevent unnecessary additional pain which occurs because of the sensitivity in the breasts.

Having a good bra can be quite helpful. That includes picking a bra that is the size which fits the breasts perfectly because that is the kind of bra which will provide the most protection. Also, having a comfortable one to sleep in will be very useful during the night. Avoiding strenuous physical exercise is also a good idea in the periods when breast pain is present.