Why does a person have chest pain? Side chest pain: causes and symptoms. Therapeutic and prophylactic actions for painful sensations in the chest

In most cases, this question arises for women of childbearing age who do not have problems with the menstrual cycle. At the same time, breast tenderness rarely occurs in women who have experienced menopause.

Painful sensations can affect both one breast, and both at once. They can be regular, returning every month. They are also permanent, forcing a woman to take painkillers for weeks.

Quite often, chest pains can appear during PMS. During this period, the mammary glands can harden, swell, which interferes with a comfortable sleep on the stomach, the underwear becomes tighter. In addition, thoughts may come that this is a sign of a possible cancer.

However, it's not all bad. The most common cause of chest pain is mastopathy. But it should be remembered that only a mammologist is able to make the correct diagnosis. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a specialist in order to get an accurate diagnosis.

All breast diseases are divided into 2 large groups:

Inflammatory diseases or mastitis. Most often they occur during lactation - the time of breastfeeding.
This group is called "mastopathy", "fibrocystic breast disease" or "dyshormonal hyperplasia".

Mastopathy is a benign disease that occurs in the mammary gland. About 75-80% of women, whose age is in the range of 20-45 years, have such a disease as "mastopathy".

The urgency of this disease is due to the fact that it is common and can increase the risk of breast cancer several times.

To calm down about oncology and find out if you have mastopathy, you need to go to the doctor.

Also, the causes of chest pain can be the following:

Hormonal imbalance. Pain may indicate a malfunction in your body. The reason may be a lack of progesterone, which may be a consequence of premenstrual syndrome, hormonal changes that have arisen during pregnancy, puberty, premenopause, and taking contraceptives.
All of these issues need attention. That is why you should not ignore the pain, you need to see a doctor.
The state of the nervous system. Women are more emotional, so they have a predisposition to depression and stress, which do not have a very good effect on health. Constant stress can aggravate the course of PMS and accelerate the development of mastopathy.
You need to strive to remain calm, not to be irritable over trifles. However, if you cannot do this, then it is worth using sedatives in the form of drugs. You can also add mint, which is good for both the chest and the nervous system, in salads, tea, and meat.
Iodine deficiency can lead to hormonal imbalance - mentioned above. Iodine is the basis for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. To eliminate its deficiency, you should eat more products containing iodine, iodized salt, seafood. Iodine tablets are also available.
Ultraviolet radiation is useful, but only in moderate doses. Excessive radiation can contribute to the risk of developing tumors.
Do not forget to use sunscreen, especially it is necessary to protect the décolleté area. You also don't need to sunbathe topless. The same recommendations should be followed if you go to the solarium.
Overweight can not only be reflected by extra centimeters, but also cause the appearance of extra androgens (male sex hormones). Their accumulation most often occurs in adipose tissues, which also leads to an increased risk for the mammary gland - tumors may develop. Try not to be overweight, follow a diet, lead an active lifestyle.
Caffeine. Do not overuse foods such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, and foods that have an excess of caffeine. Excess caffeine contributes to the accumulation and retention of fluid in the tissues. As a result, chest pain may occur.
Bra. This is an accessory that should not contain hard parts that could squeeze the chest. This is especially true of the armpit area, in which the large lymphatic ducts are located.

When your chest hurts, you need to go to the doctor, because any disease is treated much faster if it is detected at an early stage.

However, if you do not have the opportunity to go to the doctor, then the following methods should be used to relieve chest pain:

May I help primrose oil however, for women who are pregnant, it is not recommended as it can lead to miscarriage. During pregnancy, the breast can hurt simply from the fact that there is an accumulation of milk. That is why during pregnancy it is better not to try to get rid of pain, but to consult a doctor.
This is sold in pharmacies medicine how " buprofen". It can help relieve pain as it is an anti-inflammatory drug. However, it shouldn't be overused either - it also contains caffeine.
May I help massage in the form of circular movements... Fingers need to be spread wide and put your hands on your chest, smoothly massaging your chest, you do not need to use sharp and point movements.
For chest pain, some doctors recommend sleep in bra... It is important to choose as soft a bra as possible. So that it is made of natural material and without any hard parts.
Reduce breast sensitivity, stop chest pain when walking, playing sports will help sports bras... Sports bras tend to stiffen the breasts. However, if the bra is stretched and no longer supports the breast, then it needs to be changed. For women with large breasts, the bra should be changed every 6 months.

Pain in the mammary glands is a nonspecific symptom that every person has encountered at least once in their life. Contrary to the erroneous opinion, such a sign is characteristic not only of female representatives, it is also often found in men.

Often, such a manifestation is associated with the course of any disease that negatively affects the mammary gland, in particular, it may indicate the formation of a malignant tumor. However, in some cases, such pain is quite normal.

Most often, against the background of the main symptom, rather specific symptoms develop, in particular, swelling and swelling of the affected gland, reddening of the skin and the appearance of easily palpable seals.

If such an alarming sign occurs, it is worth seeking help from, which, in addition to a thorough physical examination, will prescribe several laboratory and instrumental examinations.

Pain in the mammary gland with pressure is eliminated using conservative techniques, however, in order to completely get rid of such a symptom, it is necessary to cure the underlying disease.

Etiology

Pain in the mammary gland can occur in absolutely every person, regardless of gender. As for children, such a manifestation is rare for this age group.

It is noteworthy that in men and women, both the same and individual predisposing factors can cause such an alarming signal.

For example, in female representatives, soreness develops against the background of:

hormonal changes in the body, which may be associated with the formation of menstrual function or with the period of bearing a child. It is worth noting that pain can occur both in the early and late stages of pregnancy;
infertility therapy, which is often carried out with medication, less often with surgery;
uncontrolled intake of certain groups of drugs, in particular oral contraceptives or antidepressants;
- in such cases, the appearance of pain in girls and women, if they are not accompanied by other signs, is quite normal. If the soreness disappears with the onset of menstruation, then there is no need to see a doctor;
the climacteric period - pain in the mammary gland is also not uncommon and, without the expression of other symptoms, does not have a pathological basis;
cystic or cancerous neoplasms - in such cases, shooting and throbbing pain in the affected mammary gland is expressed. In addition, the clinical picture is complemented by vivid specific symptoms, for example, mucous or cheesy discharge from the nipples;
breastfeeding the baby - in such cases, there is a feeling as if the breast is constantly aching;
mechanical damage or trauma to the chest;
development of a wide range of inflammatory processes;
the formation of benign changes or formations;
- At the same time, stagnation of breast milk is characteristic. This is often due to wearing an uncomfortable bra during hepatitis B, unwillingness to breastfeed, or incomplete emptying of the breast;
abscesses or fibroadenomas of the mammary glands;
body reactions to breast implants or other plastic surgery.

Pain in the mammary glands in men on the right or on the left develops several times less often than in women. Nevertheless, the development of such a symptom can be triggered by:

- at the same time, the breasts are enlarged according to the female type. Severe pain is very often one-sided;
adenoma of the nipple is a benign tumor, the causes of which remain unknown;
fatty necrosis of breast tissue;
ectasia of the ducts;
Mondor syndrome;
malignant tumors;
leakage;
disruption of the functioning of the organs of the endocrine system, which are responsible for the production of hormones;
the presence of excess body weight;
hyperplasia is a pathological proliferation of breast tissue.

However, the most common causes of pain in the mammary glands in a strong half of humanity are represented by injuries, neoplasms, excessive loads, fighting sports and hormonal disorders.

In addition, a constant influence, addiction to bad habits and hypothermia play an important role in the development of pain in both sexes. Such factors greatly increase the likelihood of developing each of the above ailments or pathological conditions.

Classification

Depending on the frequency of occurrence, severe pain in the mammary glands is divided into:

cyclical- most often appears in women before menstruation, and in men - against the background of sports or excessive physical activity;
non-cyclical- this nature of pain can be associated with any of the above diseases;
mastalgia(the second name for pains of this localization) is not associated with pathologies of the mammary glands. Often there is such pain in the mammary glands with intercostal neuralgia, neurological and mental disorders. It is worth noting that intercostal neuralgic soreness spreads to the chest area, which makes it seem like it is the mammary gland on the left or right that hurts.

The resulting pain sensations can be of the following nature:

shooting and sharp;
aching and burning;
dull and stabbing;
pulsating and sharp;
cutting and pulling.

In addition, during the diagnosis, attention is paid to the following classifications:

at the place of localization - one-sided or two-sided;
in duration - pain is constant, intermittent and appears only with pressure;
by prevalence - the symptom is divided into local and diffuse.

Symptoms

Pain in the left mammary gland or in the right breast often acts as the first, but not the only sign of a particular pathology.

Very often, additional clinical signs are:

induration and swelling;
breast augmentation in size;
redness of the skin;
change in the volume of regional lymph nodes upward;
coarsening of the nipples;
discharge of abnormal fluid, in particular mucus or pus, colostrum or blood;
increased sensitivity of the affected segment;
an increase in local temperature - this means that the right or left breast, when touched, will be hotter in comparison with the general temperature of the skin.

Pain in breast mastopathy may be accompanied by:

bilateral lesion;
the appearance of heaviness and discomfort;
the appearance of nodules or lumps in the chest that are easily palpable;
the spread of pain in the armpits;
a gradual increase in the intensity of the severity of the main symptom, which causes difficulties in everyday life.

Pain in and in cases of the formation of cystic neoplasms will have the following additional symptoms:

burning, heaviness and discomfort in one of the mammary glands;
the appearance of dense and mobile seals, when touched, a burning pain appears;
structural changes in the skin on the affected mammary gland, namely, its retraction, wrinkling or thickening;
deformation of the chest and a change in the color of the skin located above the area of formation;
swelling of the nipple.

It should be borne in mind that the above symptoms are only the most typical. The clinical picture will be individual in nature, and will differ depending on the etiological factor.

Diagnostics

It is possible to establish the reasons why acute pain in the mammary glands in men and women appears only after laboratory studies and instrumental examinations of the patient. However, before this, the mammologist must independently perform several manipulations:

study the medical history - to find out the possible presence of a predisposing factor that has a pathological basis;
to collect the patient's life history - in cases where the source of pain was sports, trauma, pregnancy or breastfeeding;
carry out a thorough physical examination aimed at palpating the mammary glands - this may indicate the presence of seals, neoplasms or nodules and their number. Also, the degree of severity and nature of pain is assessed, because pulling or aching pain can indicate completely different diseases;
conduct a detailed survey - to compile a complete symptomatic picture.

Laboratory and instrumental diagnostics is based on:

general and biochemical blood test;
blood tests for hormones;
bacterial inoculation of fluid secreted from the nipples;
Ultrasound, CT and MRI of the breast;
radiography;
mammography and ductography;
pneumocystography;
puncture biopsy.

Treatment

Pain in the mammary gland on the left in women or men, as well as other localization, can be stopped only by eliminating the underlying ailment.

Chest pain is a fairly common problem in women with a normal menstrual cycle during their childbearing period.

They can arise for various reasons, writes "Country of Health".

1. Due to hormonal changes

One of the reasons may be hormonal changes... They can cause discomfort or sensitivity. Chest pain can occur several days before your period - this is a fairly common symptom of PMS. Unpleasant sensations can also be due to the use of hormonal birth control pills.

Against the background of hormonal changes, cyst, it leads to an increase in the mammary glands.

2. During pregnancy

During pregnancy the body begins to restructure, therefore, at this time, increased sensitivity is felt. The breasts may enlarge, and blue veins may be seen on them, indicating increased blood flow.

A woman may have chest pain during breastfeeding... Unpleasant sensations arise from the influx of milk and the activity of hormones. If the skin on the chest is cracked, the woman is at increased risk of infection (and abscess).

Chest pain: causes

3. Due to inflammatory processes

Due to the blockage of milk flow during breastfeeding, a woman may experience an inflammatory disease - mastitis... It is caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria. With mastitis, the breast becomes red, the body temperature rises, fatigue and malaise occur.

Pus may accumulate in the chest - abscess... It is easy to notice on palpation of the mammary glands; pain may occur when touched.

4. In case of oncological diseases

Painful sensations may occur when breast cancer... Chest pain is felt at the advanced stage of the disease.

Pain in women may appear due to fibrocystic disease, it is characterized by changes in the tissue of the mammary glands, in which the epithelial and connective tissue components are disrupted.

Other news related to the treatment of various diseases, medicine in Ukraine, healthy lifestyle and nutrition, pregnancy and childbirth, discoveries in the field of medicine and much more - read the section.

It is unlikely that today in your environment there are women who are not familiar with chest pains.

Moreover, they can arise for a variety of reasons, ranging from an incorrectly selected bra to the notorious cancer.

Therefore, it is very important that even a slight discomfort in the chest area (especially one) appears, to consult a specialist.

Immediately, we note that experts divide pain in the mammary gland into cyclical and non-cyclical. Each of them has its own reasons for the appearance.

Identifying the causes of cyclical pain

Cyclic pain is called pain that occurs in women regularly in a certain period of time, most often a few days before menstruation. The most pronounced discomfort is felt when touching the chest, during hand movements.

The reason for this is usually mastalgia. In addition to painful sensations, many women also feel heaviness and an increase in the volume of their mammary glands.

This condition is caused by hormonal changes on the eve of menstruation and the proliferation of the glandular tissue of the gland in order to prepare it for lactation. And with the onset of menstruation, the tissue atrophies as unnecessary and all painful sensations disappear.

Also, cyclical pain in the mammary gland sometimes occurs as a result of the use of hormonal drugs, incl. oral contraceptives. The most common cyclical pain in women of reproductive age (usually up to 40 years).

However, they may not disappear even after, if the woman is taking hormones or antidepressants.

Cyclical chest pains do not carry any serious danger, so when they occur, you should not panic and wind yourself up. Just listen to yourself and your body.

Why non-cyclic pains bother

Chest pain can bother women on days that have nothing to do with the menstrual cycle. This pain is called non-cyclic pain. Most often, it occurs only in one gland (right or left) or even in a separate part of it. Can "give" and in the armpit up to limiting the movement of the arm.

Usually aching pain in the mammary gland occurs immediately, however, with sudden movements or pressure, it becomes much more intense. There are many reasons for this kind of pain. Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Wearing a tight synthetic bra

This seemingly quite frivolous reason can cause very serious consequences. So, due to the fact that tight underwear interferes with normal blood formation in the mammary gland, lymph stagnation occurs, which, in turn, many mammologists attribute to the root cause of the development of not only inflammation, but even tumors of the mammary glands.

Therefore, if you are a happy owner of large breasts and giving up a bra is an unbearable task for you, try at least wear natural cotton underwear.

Mastitis

Mastitis is an infectious disease of the breast.

Its main cause is considered to be a weakening of the body's immune system, as well as prolonged hypothermia and stagnation of milk in nursing mothers.

In addition, the infection that caused mastitis can enter the mammary gland through the blood in chronic diseases, for example, with tonsillitis or common caries.

For mastitis resulting from infection during breastfeeding, the inflammatory process can begin as early as the third day after childbirth... At the same time, a woman feels pain in the mammary gland, and cannot immediately understand the reason for its appearance. .

However, later it becomes clear that the discomfort increases precisely with feeding. In addition, the patient often begins to have a fever, the chest swells significantly and becomes dense, the skin turns red. Over time, the pain intensifies and can radiate to the armpits.

After reviewing the information on diagnostic methods, we suggest that you visit the page where you will learn more about ways to treat breast pain.
We took care of your time and put together a small list of clinics that will definitely help diagnose the body, advise and prescribe the appropriate treatment in the field of mammology. More details here.

Mastopathy

Mastopathy is a disease characterized by the formation of lumps in the chest. Pain in the mammary gland occurs due to the growth of small intralobular ducts, glandular vesicles and connective tissue, which leads to the compression of some ducts and the expansion of the second.

Soreness can occur both before menstruation and recede after their end, and the entire cycle persists, and with menstruation it only intensifies. Often, chest pain with mastopathy radiates to the armpit.

Neoplasms with mastopathy are generally considered benign. However, in rare cases, they can still degenerate into malignant ones. In order to avoid this, prevention is necessary, which will be discussed a little later.

Mastopathy occurs usually due to hormonal imbalance (more often observed in women under 30 years of age). This may be due to the presence of inflammation of the reproductive system (adnexitis, sclerocystosis, etc.), short lactation, vitamin deficiency, or a large number of abortions.

Today, there are 3 forms of the disease: diffuse (this is the initial stage), nodular and more rare fibrocystic. The initial stage is characterized by painful swelling of the mammary glands and the appearance of serous, dirty greenish or brown discharge from the nipple.

On examination, the doctor observes coarsening of the lobes, most often in the outer upper quadrants of the gland. The surface feels grainy. Before menstruation, the seals increase, and with its arrival, they decrease or disappear altogether. If diffuse mastopathy is not treated, then the seals become permanent.

If you can feel the clear boundaries of dense nodes, we are talking about nodular mastopathy, but if fluid rolling is felt during palpation, there is a high probability that you have a fibrocystic form of mastopathy.

Fibroadenoma

Fibroadenoma is a small, benign, dense formation, consisting of connective and glandular tissues.

Seals for fibroadenoma have fairly clear contours and are easy to move, they look like large hard and mobile balls that are not attached to the skin.

Unlike mastopathy or cancer, a neoplasm caused by fibroadenoma does not disappear during examination in the supine position.

Often, women have multiple formations in the same breast. They usually do not cause breast pain. Note that during menopause, fibroadenoma may decrease in size, which suggests that this disease is directly related to the work of hormonal glands.

Cystic formations

A cyst is a small, hollow "sac" filled with fluid. Its appearance in the mammary gland is associated, as a rule, with the disappearance of the lumen in the lobes of the breast due to the proliferation of connective tissue.

The reason for this has not yet been fully understood. There is speculation that cysts may result from trauma to the chest. In the presence of cysts in the mammary gland, women often experience severe pain.... If, as a result of treatment by drainage, fluid is removed from the cyst, then the chest pain is significantly reduced.

Breast tuberculosis

This disease, if misdiagnosed, can be mistaken for breast cancer. In tuberculosis, a single tuberculous node at first, increasing, causes severe pain in the mammary gland, but soon as a result of the formation of fistulous passages, the node softens.

According to these signs or according to characteristic retracted scars, it is quite easy to establish an accurate diagnosis, but a woman cannot do it on her own. Puncture biopsy and "skin" tests will help to establish the correct diagnosis.

Fatty necrosis (lipogranuloma or steatogranuloma)

Lipogranuloma usually occurs in women with developed fatty tissue in the mammary gland or in old age. Due to the pronounced density of formations, the lack of sufficiently clear boundaries, fatty necrosis is often confused with breast cancer.

A history of chest trauma and slow growth of the lump usually helps to make an accurate diagnosis.

Mammary cancer

Breast cancer is tumor-like neoplasms with indistinct contours.

It is worth noting that at an early stage, cancer often does not cause pain in the mammary gland, since it develops immediately so slowly that it does not affect the nerve endings.

This is how he is insidious. With the progression of the disease, pain sensations of a different nature are observed, localized, as a rule, in the upper area of the affected breast.

Also, the symptoms of breast cancer include a change in the structure of the skin in the area of the tumor, namely, wrinkling or retraction of the skin of the breast itself or the nipple inside the breast, as well as the appearance of serous or serous-hemorrhagic discharge from the breast.

The likelihood of developing the disease increases in women who have not given birth or who have given birth to their first child late. In addition, women who are overweight or have mastopathy are prone to the appearance of malignant neoplasms in the mammary gland.

The risk also increases in the presence of this disease in close relatives.

It is surprising that seemingly simple pain in the back of the head can be a signal of many diseases, of course, if it is constant, you can get acquainted with this information at the link https://monrb.ru/golovnye-boli/bolit-v-zatylke.html

When should you see a doctor?

You urgently need to visit a doctor if:

changes in the size, shape of the breast or its asymmetry;
changes in the nipple (its retraction) or the appearance of discharge from it when pressed;
the presence of seals in the gland itself or in the axillary, subclavian and supraclavicular regions (as a result of enlarged lymph nodes);
changes in the skin in the mammary gland (wrinkling, redness, etc.).

Diagnosis of breast diseases

To make the correct diagnosis, before visiting a doctor, you should consider the answers to a number of questions:

how long have you had breast pain?
Does the painful sensation depend on the day of the cycle?
does one chest hurt or both?
when did you first notice the seal?
Have you noticed any nipple discharge?
what medicines do you use?

With accurate answers to the questions posed and some additional research (depending on the alleged diagnosis), the doctor will be able to correctly determine the cause of your pain in the mammary gland and try to eliminate it as soon as possible.

For more information on the methods of diagnosing diseases that cause painful sensations in the chest area, see the article: Methods for diagnosing painful sensations in the chest area

Treating chest pain

Treatment of pain depends primarily on the cause that caused it. So, with mastitis, antibacterial therapy is carried out, if necessary, an opening of a purulent focus is carried out.

A benign or malignant mass is usually removed surgically... Pain in the mammary gland associated with hormonal changes is eliminated by following a special diet low in fat and limiting coffee, tea and chocolate; taking vitamins of groups B, E and A and painkillers and diuretics.

Before treatment, it is necessary to consult a mammologist to do an ultrasound scan and mammography. Then, after a complete examination of the body, choosing a medical center or a paid clinic, you should start treatment.

Dear girls! In addition to this article, we have prepared two other equally interesting and useful ones, which, we hope, will help solve your health problems: Treatments for chest pain and List of medical centers and clinics with addresses and contacts in the largest cities of Russia.

Every woman has experienced chest pain of varying intensity at least once in her life: slight discomfort or an intolerable feeling of heaviness. It negatively affects the quality of life, so you do not need to endure, it is better to understand the reason, eliminate it and take appropriate measures.

Breast structure

Before starting to study the conditions that result in chest pain in women, you should familiarize yourself with the structure of the mammary glands.

They represent an alternation of glandular, connective and adipose tissues. Dense connective tissue extending from the surface of the skin into the gland divides it into 15-20 lobes, each lobe is also divided into several lobes. The space between these lobules is filled with fatty tissue, which gives the breast shape and volume.

The glandular tissue contains individual glands, which consist of branching tubes with terminal extensions called alveoli. It is here that milk is formed, which enters the nipple through the milk ducts and sinuses.

The nipple and the surrounding pigmented area is called the areola, a huge number of nerve endings are located here. Thanks to them, during lactation, the iron reacts to touch and secretes milk.

If the breast gland hurts when touched, you need to figure out what is the nature of the pain and the reasons for the appearance of unpleasant sensations.

The nature of the pain and symptoms

Pain in the mammary glands can occur in any woman, such is the physiological feature of the weaker sex, but each must learn to determine the nature of the pain syndrome. The following types can be noted: dull, throbbing, pulling, aching, cutting-stabbing, shooting or burning pain.

Pain in the mammary glands can be localized in different places, it can be: bilateral or unilateral pain, in the upper or lower chest, general pain.

According to the degree of intensity, pain sensations in the chest are distinguished: acute and strong, medium intensity, discomfort.

Painful sensations in the chest can be intermittent or appear regardless of the menstrual cycle.

In this sense, there are:

Cyclic pain or mastodynia, associated with hormonal imbalance during menstruation;
Non-cyclic, arising from pathology in the gland or organs located nearby. In medical practice, this condition is called acyclic mastalgia.

Cyclic pain

They are characterized by the following distinctive features:

Occurrence at a certain period of the menstrual cycle... Discomfort or soreness is caused by hormonal changes after ovulation: a week or a few days before the start of your period or during your cycle.
Exposure to women of childbearing age... Recurrent pain and discomfort in the mammary gland occurs, most often, in women who are able to give birth to children and in the period before menopause, as well as adolescents.
Total localization... A characteristic feature of cyclical pain is its occurrence in both mammary glands. It can appear in the upper quarters or be encircling, sometimes pains also occur in the armpits. If the breast gland aches during the menstrual period, then this condition may be accompanied by edema and a slight increase in size. In some cases, nodules appear that disappear after menstruation. It is very important to feel the breasts and pay close attention to the lumps remaining after the cycle, if any.
Unstable psycho-emotional state... As a rule, mastodynias are accompanied not only by painful sensations in the mammary glands - the cause of irritability, headaches, pulling pains in the lower abdomen and psychoemotional instability can be hormonal changes that occur during this period in the female body.

Concomitant diseases and their causes

If a woman has chest pains for a long period, the reason may be hidden in concomitant gynecological diseases.

In this case, it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis and identify, if any, the presence of the following ailments:

polyps;
endometriosis;
ovarian cysts.

When women complain that the mammary gland hurts, the reason most often lies in the disruption of the normal functioning of the whole body.

Factors contributing to the activation of such a state may be:

oral contraceptives taken over a long period;
medical treatment of infertility;
taking antidepressants;
stress, neurosis, chronic fatigue;
metabolic disease;
rapid weight loss or obesity, causing an imbalance of fatty acids in the tissues of the glands.

Non-cyclic pain

They occur regardless of the period of menstruation, and are characterized by varying intensity. The pain is most often squeezing or bursting, and there may also be a burning sensation or throbbing pain in the chest.

It is usually localized in a certain area, that is, there is aching pain in the right chest or in the left, since only one part is damaged. More often women over 30 years old suffer, symptoms appear during menopause.

Patients also find concomitant symptoms, these are:

deformation of the nipple and gland;
the appearance of inflamed areas and volumetric neoplasms;
pathological discharge from the nipple;
changes in the structure of the skin;
swollen lymph nodes;
deterioration in general health, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite.

Regardless of where there is pain in the mammary gland: on the right in women or on the left, one thing is important, that this is the body's response provoked by the disease. What are the likely illnesses when these symptoms occur?

Mastopathy

A benign mass in which fluid is released from the nipples, and the breast tissue grows. The disease affects both breasts, sometimes it transforms into cancer. The nature of the pain is aching, dull, although some women do not experience pain at all.

Fibroadenoma of the breast

Also, a benign tumor-like formation, in which there is a thickening of the breast and discharge from the nipples. The tumor has clear contours; women in adulthood are recommended to have surgery, as it is difficult to treat.

Mastitis

An infectious disease in which the virus enters the body through microcracks. Most often occurs during the lactation period or in case of non-compliance with hygiene standards.

Cancer

With the formation of a tumor, a woman experiences varying degrees of discomfort, although pain in the mammary gland both on the left in women and on the right may be absent.

The presence of a neoplasm can be determined by the following criteria:

Retraction of the nipple;
Orange peel formation at the site of localization;
Discharge from the nipple;
Change in skin condition.

The tumor has fuzzy contours and more often occurs in women who have not given birth or those who have a late first child. The cause of the disease may be a hereditary predisposition, untimely treatment of mastopathy or overweight.

Other reasons due to which the breast gland hurts may be:

the trauma suffered;
the consequences of surgical intervention;
taking certain medications;
large breast size - including due to wearing tight underwear;
acid imbalance in the body.

However, painful sensations can also occur in connection with diseases that are not directly related to the mammary glands. Let's take a look at them.

Causes not related to the mammary glands

Yes, if there is pain in the mammary gland - the causes may be diseases of other organs. In this case, the source is treated.

Pain radiating to the chest occurs in the presence of the following diseases:

chest osteochondrosis;
shingles;
intercostal neuralgia;
heart diseases;
furunculosis;
myositis;
diseases of the lymph nodes in the armpit.

Intercostal neuralgia

This ailment develops due to a violation of the sensitivity of nerve fibers, while not only the chest hurts badly, but also the back, lower back. The painful sensations are quite intense, there is an increase in seizures, especially when walking, pressing on the affected area and when inhaling and exhaling.

Shingles

Skin lesions in the lumbar region can also appear in the chest area. On the skin, bubble rashes are formed, accompanied by itching and excruciating pain.

Breastfeeding pain

The reasons for breast pain in nursing mothers are as follows:

Lactostasis

In other words, this is milk stagnation that develops in the first month after the birth of a baby due to an unsteady feeding regime, sluggish sucking, or with excessive milk production. The filling and stretching of the milky lobes and ducts leads to stagnation of milk, and this is the reason why the mammary glands hurt.

Symptoms:

pain of a certain location;
seals;
redness;
pain when massaging and expressing milk;
relief comes from occasional pumping.

Lactational mastitis

Inflammation occurs when milk stagnates and pathogenic microflora enters the lactiferous lobules.

Symptoms:

sharp pains in a specific chest area;
irradiation of pain in the armpits;
hyperemia of the skin;
swelling;
an increase in local temperature;
general weakness;
headache;
expressing does not bring relief.

Lactation abscess

It appears due to the transformation of mastitis, is treated with surgery and the introduction of antibacterial drugs.

Symptoms:

acute local pain;
bluish skin;
areas of softening are probed - fluctuations;
an increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees;
general weakness, drowsiness, loss of appetite, headaches.

It appears as a result of trauma, congenital anomalies, after surgery. As a result, a malfunction occurs that prevents normal lactation, a cyst forms in the breast - this may be the reason why one mammary gland hurts. The neoplasm increases in volume and causes a feeling of constant discomfort. On palpation, it is defined as a flexible and soft lump that does not shrink with expression.

If you suspect a disease during breastfeeding, you should immediately contact a qualified specialist for a recommendation. Only an experienced doctor can prescribe treatment and determine why the left breast hurts and the causes of this ailment.

How to conduct self-examination

Self-examination allows you to determine the presence of tumor formations at the initial stage, therefore, even if there is no dull or throbbing pain in the mammary gland, every woman should examine and feel her breasts at least once a month.

How it's done?

In the prone position, the right hand is put behind the head, it is advisable to place a pad under the shoulder blade. If the right chest hurts, the fingertips of the left hand are carefully examined, starting from the periphery and moving towards the center.

In a standing position, the examination is carried out with the hands down and then raised up.

Standing in front of the mirror, you need to pay attention to the following changes, if any:

the presence of seals of any size and shape;
retraction of the nipple;
discharge from the nipple of unknown origin;
asymmetry of the chest;
orange peel formation;
discoloration of the skin;
soreness when feeling;
increase in local temperature.

When should you see a doctor?

A visit to a specialist should be planned immediately after detecting any changes during self-examination. You should also consult a doctor if pain in the right breast or left breast occurs regardless of the menstrual cycle.

Even if the mammary gland hurts, and there are no seals, the woman experiences an unbearable burning sensation and strong squeezing, besides this, the pain does not go away within two weeks, but only intensifies - you need to contact a mammologist. Some patients require additional consultation with a gynecologist, endocrinologist, surgeon, oncologist.

As a rule, the most dangerous cases of the disease are those associated with the localization of pain in a specific area, and not in the entire chest.

Very often, chest discomfort causes insomnia, neurasthenia, a woman cannot do everyday activities, wearing clothes aggravates the situation. In all these cases, it is strongly recommended to consult a specialist.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics is carried out on the basis of the patient's analyzes, and the doctor can also ask additional questions to assess the general condition.

Usually, if a woman's right breast or the entire breast hurts, the following types of tests are required:

general and biochemical blood tests;
mammography;
Ultrasound of the breast and axillary lymph nodes;
chest x-ray;
biopsy;
thermography;
pneumocystography.

Treatment

Treatment for breast pain depends on the underlying cause. A thorough diagnosis and the help of professional doctors will help to determine the causes. It is highly discouraged to take medications on your own, without consulting a specialist, as this can aggravate the situation.

Cyclic pain

These are benign formations that are safe for women. Many patients, upon learning about this, calm down and the pain gradually subside, therefore, a conversation with a doctor can have a beneficial effect on the general condition of a woman.

Choosing the right bra that does not restrict your breasts.
Organization of proper nutrition.
Patient's complete rest.
Moderate physical activity.
Refusal to take oral contraceptives and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Non-cyclic pain

After consulting a doctor, diagnosis, surgery may be required. Further, depending on the patient's condition, drug treatment is prescribed.

Pain not associated with the mammary gland

An additional examination is prescribed, the source of the disease and the cause of the pain are determined. Treatment is selected depending on the pathology.

Prophylaxis

In order not to ask yourself the question: why the left breast gland hurts, you should always take care of your health and prevent hormonal disorders.

For this you need:

eat right;
avoid mental and physical stress;
to live an active lifestyle;
systematically strengthen the immune system;
refuse abortion;
have sex with one partner;
wear tight underwear.

Pains of varying degrees of intensity often bother women, the main thing is to figure out what is the reason, to prevent the development of unpleasant situations. Competent specialists, self-examination and taking care of your health will help you with this.

Video

Some questions about painful sensations in the chest will be answered by a mammologist in our video.