My chest hurts a lot, what could it be? What does pain in one of the mammary glands before menstruation warn about? Why might your chest hurt? Hormonal factors

Many women are familiar with extremely unpleasant sensations and pain in the chest before menstruation. During this period, the breasts swell significantly, it is impossible to sleep on the stomach, the bra seems uncomfortable and tight. And for many women, all sorts of things instantly creep into their heads. bad thoughts: “My chest hurts - what if it’s...?”

However, often the cause of such chest pain is a common disease called mastopathy. Just don’t diagnose yourself and, of course, you don’t need to take any medications. Only a mammologist-oncologist can determine the real reason chest pain and indicate appropriate treatment after the examination.

Why does my chest hurt?

The most common reason that causes chest pain is considered to be a banal hormonal change in the body during menstruation. In regular changes in women hormonal levels there is absolutely nothing wrong. But, they can still lead to the development of mastopathy, that is, to benign changes that are associated with breast tissue. Nowadays, mastopathy has become a very common disease. According to statistics, it affects about sixty to eighty percent of women, and most of them are between the ages of twenty-five and forty-five. The main signs of this disease lumps in the chest and, accordingly, pain are considered.

The second most common cause of chest pain is considered mechanical damage mammary gland. Pain may occur due to strong blow, due to severe chest compression or compression. This can be easily avoided by wearing a supportive, quality bra. It is recommended to pay special attention to this issue, because the breast is a fragile mechanism, and by purchasing comfortable “clothes” for it, you will get rid of many unpleasant cases.

Another significant cause of chest pain can be pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also, chest pain is possible due to insufficient sexual activity.

Possible reasons(among women)

In general, pain or excessive sensitivity of the breast can be caused by many reasons:

changes in hormonal levels during menstruation;
retention of excess fluid in the body, which happens during menstruation;
mechanical damage to the chest;
pregnancy;
breast-feeding;
various infection;
dangerous disease breast cancer

Diseases during which chest pain may occur:

1 Dysplasia (benign) of the mammary gland and mastopathy.
2 Various inflammatory diseases mammary gland, for example, lactation mastitis.
3 Hypertrophy disease.
4 Some formations in the chest.
5 Other diseases.

Most women, having discovered some kind of lump in their mammary glands, immediately decide that they definitely have cancer and go to the doctor. Undoubtedly, medical checkup is, of course, a correct and competent decision, but you shouldn’t panic right away. It is absolutely not necessary that compaction and pain indicate the presence of a malignant tumor.

What to do?

Lumps in the chest are painless, and their size can be as small as a pea or occupy the entire gland. To obtain an earlier diagnosis of tumor processes, women should learn to properly examine their mammary glands. It is necessary to conduct a self-examination at least once a month. It is better to do this in front of a mirror. You should pay attention to the size and any changes in the shape of the breast. The condition of the skin, changes in color, the presence of rashes, and the shape of the nipples are examined. Next, you need to feel the chest: you should start with the left gland, it is convenient to do this in a lying position. Palpation is carried out with your fingertips clockwise, and not only the breast itself, but also the armpit, as well as the clavicular region. If an increase was detected lymph nodes, discharge from the nipples, lumps, then it is better to go to the doctor immediately. Early detection of the disease, at the first stage, allows the doctor to carry out more successful surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The probability of curing the dangerous disease cancer at this stage is much higher than at the third and fourth stages. Regular examinations will help get rid of the disease much faster.

Breast pain is considered a fairly common complaint among women of any age.

Pain (discomfort or pain in the chest) has various causes and does not always indicate the presence of a disease or pathological disorders in the mammary gland. Often this symptom manifests itself during hormonal changes in the body (during puberty), increased production hormones or high sensitivity of tissues to them (PMS, postmenopause) and with temporary dishormonal changes in the body.

Less commonly, the cause of pain in the chest area is inflammatory and/or sclerotic processes glandular tissue, neoplasms, consequences of injuries and operations. Therefore, it is important to know the causes of pain and when it is necessary to consult a specialist.

Types of breast pain

Chest pain is divided into:

The nature pain syndrome:

aching or aching-pulling;
dull;
piercing;
pulsating;
cutting;
burning;
shooting.

By localization:

double-sided;
one-sided;
in the upper quarters of the gland;
in the lower quarters;
total encircling.

By intensity:

acute strong;
medium intensity;
discomfort or severe discomfort in the mammary gland.

Depending on the period of occurrence:

cyclical pain (mastodynia) – pain syndrome is associated with menstrual cycle or hormonal imbalance;
acyclic mastalgia - chest pain is associated with the presence of pathological processes in the gland or nearby organs and occurs regardless of the woman’s monthly cycle.

Distinctive features of periodic or cyclical chest pain are:

discomfort or pain in the mammary gland occurs at a certain period of the menstrual cycle (usually in the second half, after ovulation or a week before the onset of menstruation, less often a few days before the onset of menstruation and during menstruation);
the pain is characterized as aching or dull and is localized in the upper quarters of the mammary glands or throughout the entire gland (total girdling) and radiates to the armpits;
pain always occurs in both mammary glands;
the breasts swell and increase in size, sometimes multiple nodules appear, disappearing in the first phase of the cycle (after menstruation);
Mastodynia is often accompanied by irritability, headaches, nagging pain lower abdomen, psycho-emotional instability;
Cyclic pain is more common in women of childbearing age, adolescence, or premenopause.

Non-cyclic pain in the mammary gland is different:

lack of connection with the menstrual cycle;
varying intensity and nature of pain (usually in the form of burning, squeezing or bursting) and localization in a specific area of the mammary gland;
in most cases one breast is affected;

In addition to pain, other symptoms and signs are observed:

areas of inflammation or mass formations in the chest;
changes in the skin and its structure, the presence pathological discharge from the nipple;
there is an increase in regional lymph nodes;
there is general weakness, lethargy, fever, nausea, loss of appetite;
pain is more common in women over 30 years of age or after menopause.

Why do the mammary glands hurt?

Mastodynia or cyclic mastalgia occurs as a result of the influence of female sex hormones on a woman’s body. Secretion of hormones by endocrine glands and organs reproductive system(estrogens, progesterone and prolactin) in a certain phase of the cycle (usually after ovulation) provoke an increase in the chemical activity of prelactation compounds and proliferation of epithelial cells of the mammary gland. This causes an increase in the size of the gland ducts, hypertrophy of the lining cells and fluid retention in the tissues of the mammary glands. In this case, there is an increase in breast size, swelling and irritation of the nerve endings in the glandular tissue. In this case, persistent discomfort and pain are noted in the second (luteal) phase of the menstrual cycle. After the start of menstruation, the pain decreases significantly and disappears completely.

The causes of cyclic mastalgia are:

functional changes in hormonal levels in different phases of the menstrual cycle (pain in the mammary gland before menstruation);
temporary dishormonal changes in a woman’s body (mastopathy);
gynecological diseases (polyps, endometriosis, ovarian cysts), causing changes in the release of female sex hormones;
menopause(changes in the production of sex hormones and the sensitivity of mammary gland cells to them);
long-term use of oral contraceptives or infertility treatment;

use of antidepressants;

stress, psycho-emotional stress, neurosis, syndrome chronic fatigue can increase the manifestation of PMS and changes in the production of sex hormones;
imbalance fatty acids in breast tissue and local increase sensitivity of gland cells to female sex hormones (with metabolic disorders, obesity or rapid weight loss).

Non-cyclic mastalgia occurs as a result of non-hormonal changes occurring in the mammary gland:

inflammation;
stagnation of milk;
sclerosis of glandular tissue;
the appearance of benign and malignant neoplasms;
injuries;
surgical interventions;
malformations of the ducts and milky lobules;
wearing tight underwear;
large breast sizes.

These are anatomical changes in tissues that provoke vascular spasm, compression of nerves, the appearance of inflammatory infiltrates, tissue proliferation with the formation of conglomerates and cysts, hematomas, adhesions, and overstretching of the ducts. All these changes cause pain in the mammary gland.

Causes of pain

The causes of pain in the mammary gland are different, so you need to know them features for various functional changes, pathological processes or diseases.
Pain in the mammary gland before menstruation is caused by physiological change hormonal levels and increased production of active substances (mediators) in the glandular tissue.

Discomfort or nagging, dull and/or bursting pain during PMS appears in both mammary glands 7-10 before the onset of menstruation and decreases after its onset with a gradual disappearance in the first phase of the cycle. With stress, neuroses, fatigue, physical or psycho-emotional stress, the symptoms of mastodynia intensify. There are changes in the woman's general well-being and behavior - lethargy, headaches, irritability and imbalance.

Typically, pain and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome go away on their own and do not require treatment. But if persistent pain appears with an increase in its intensity, breast swelling for more than 2 weeks, no reduction in these symptoms after menstruation, menstrual irregularities and others pathological signs it is necessary to consult a specialist. The causes of mastalgia can be gynecological diseases, neuroendocrine pathology, mastopathy, long-term use of contraceptives or antidepressants. All these conditions require medication correction, physiotherapeutic procedures, homeopathic medicines, and herbal medicine.

Probable diseases

Diseases that can cause breast pain include:

and abscess - an inflammatory or purulent-inflammatory process in the chest;
benign breast tumors (fibroadenoma, cysts);
malignant tumors (cancer, lymphosarcoma,);
breast injuries with the formation of hematomas, tissue ruptures, ducts and milk lobules);
postoperative complications (inflammation or compression of nerves due to implant failure,
postoperative scars);
sclerotic changes in the mammary gland (sclerosing adenosis, reactive sclerosis connective tissue);
intercostal neuralgia;
osteochondrosis;
inflammatory diseases of organs chest;
myositis;

Pain in a nursing mother

Quite often, pain in the mammary glands occurs in nursing mothers:

at ;
at ;
with lactation abscess;
with lactocele.

The most common cause of pain in the mammary gland in nursing women is lactostasis (milk stagnation).

Both of these pathologies develop in the first month after birth and are associated with an unsteady feeding rhythm or disturbances in feeding technique.

Lactostasis occurs with increased milk production, sluggish sucking, infrequent breastfeeding, large mammary glands, and improper feeding technique.

All these factors lead to stagnation of breast milk in the milk lobules and ducts, their overfilling and overstretching, the formation of painful areas in one or two glands.

Lactostasis manifests itself:

pain in a certain area of the mammary gland;
, slight redness and increased local temperature;
light massage and expressing milk are painful, but bring significant relief;
weakness and an increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels are noted.

Lack of treatment and elimination of the causes of this pathological process can lead to the development lactation mastitis and its complication of breast abscess.

Lactation mastitis

Lactation mastitis is an inflammatory process of the milk lobule or lobules, caused by prolonged stagnation of milk and the entry of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora into the ducts and lobules, causing the development of inflammation.

Mastitis is manifested by the occurrence of persistent acute pain in a certain area of the chest with irradiation of pain to other areas or to armpit, skin hyperemia, swelling and a significant increase in local temperature, weakness, lethargy, headaches and an increase in body temperature to febrile levels. Expressing milk is extremely painful and does not bring relief.

If these symptoms appear in a nursing mother, you should immediately contact a specialist (gynecologist or surgeon) to prescribe treatment.

If a nursing mother with signs of lactation mastitis does not go to a medical facility in a timely manner, the disease becomes complicated and an abscess (a cavity filled with pus) forms at the site of the inflammatory focus.

Symptoms of transformation of mastitis into an abscess include:

acute local pain in a specific place of the gland, bluish tint of the skin and identification of the area of fluctuation (softening);
persistent increase in temperature to 39.5 - 40 degrees;
pronounced change general well-being- weakness, headache, lack of appetite, dizziness, fatigue and drowsiness.

Treatment of an abscess is only surgical - opening the abscess and draining it, introducing disinfectants and antibacterial drugs into the cavity.

Lactocele

Lactocele is a special type of lactostasis that occurs in a nursing woman after injury, against the background of a congenital anomaly of the ducts or milk lobules, scar changes after surgical intervention or inflammation. All these factors prevent normal lactation, therefore, in a certain area of the gland a cyst is formed, filled breast milk. Gradually, as the milk arrives, the cyst increases in volume, causing a feeling of fullness and persistent discomfort. On palpation, it is determined as a soft, mobile formation that does not decrease with expression.

If similar symptoms appear, especially in the presence of predisposing and provoking factors (trauma, surgery, congenital anomaly), you should contact a surgeon. The diagnosis can be clarified by puncture of the cyst followed by its removal.

Pain due to breast mastopathy

is a collective concept in gynecology, including all pathological processes in the mammary glands, which are characterized by the presence of:

lumps and/or mass formations in the breast;
pain in the mammary gland;
pathological discharge from the nipple.

Most common. In most cases it is not considered a disease, but a special condition female breast, arising against the background of temporary or permanent dishormonal changes in a woman’s body (excess of estrogen and prolactin). Mastopathy is characterized by uniform proliferation of glandular and/or fibrous tissue.

Pain in the mammary gland manifests itself in the form of nagging pain in the upper outer parts of the glands, the process is often bilateral and is directly related to the menstrual cycle (increased pain in the second phase of the cycle and decreases after menstruation). Also noted are engorgement and swelling of the mammary glands, multiple nodular elements, and less often, clear, straw-colored discharge from the nipple.

Breast cyst pain

- These are pathological cavities in the glandular tissue of the mammary gland, filled with fluid. Almost every woman has one or more small cysts. These formations occur normally during the menstrual cycle. Only large cysts that cause discomfort or pain are considered pathological.

Typically, the cause of cysts is dyshormonal disorders and after a thorough examination (puncture, histological examination of the biopsy and cytological analysis discharge from the nipple), provided there is no atypical cells and threats - small cysts are not removed.

Pain from breast fibroadenoma

Represents benign neoplasm mammary gland. This pathological process in breast tissue in most cases it is a round, painless tumor that arises as a result of the proliferation of glandular and connective tissue of the mammary gland.

For a long time, the disease can be asymptomatic and can be detected during routine examinations, ultrasound examination or radiography. Mastalgia occurs when large sizes, active growth or a certain localization of the tumor.

The main cause of fibroadenomas is persistent hormonal fluctuations in young women of childbearing age.

These neoplasms, under the influence of unfavorable factors, can transform into cancer, therefore, when they are detected, a biopsy is required (sampling of cells from the tumor and studying them under a microscope).
Due to high risk transformation of fibroadenoma into malignancy– this pathological process (unlike cysts and mastopathy) must be removed.

What to do if there is pain in the mammary gland

If you are concerned about pain in the mammary gland, you should consult a specialist.

When to see a gynecologist or mammologist:

pain appears every day for two weeks, there is an increase in its intensity and a change in the nature of mastalgia;
the pain syndrome is localized in a certain area of the mammary gland, radiates to the axillary region and interferes with everyday life;
palpable in the chest extensive education, area of inflammation, cords);
the appearance of other symptoms is noted (fever, lethargy, redness of the skin, discharge from the nipple, asymmetry of the mammary gland).

If the pain in the mammary gland is severe (acute)

If severe (acute) pain appears in the chest, you must immediately contact a medical facility to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe timely treatment.

Diagnostics

The main methods for determining the cause or clarifying the diagnosis when mastalgia occurs are:

interview, history taking and palpation of the mammary glands;
Ultrasound of the breast and axillary lymph nodes;
consultations with specialists (gynecologist, endocrinologist, surgeon, neurologist, therapist);
laboratory research;
, ductography;
thermography;
pneumocystography.

Treatment of breast pain

Treatment for breast pain depends on the source and cause of the pain. Therefore, treatment is prescribed only after the diagnosis has been clarified or the presence of a pathological process has been excluded.

In the presence of functional disorders in the mammary gland associated with temporary dis hormonal changes a soft correction of the failure is prescribed:

phytotherapy;
vitamin and mineral complexes;
anti-stress and sedative medications;
enzymes (for metabolic disorders);
mild immunostimulating drugs;
medications to normalize the synthesis of sex hormones.

An important point is to exclude coffee, alcohol, chocolate, Coca-Cola, and products containing preservatives and taste stabilizers from the diet.

Less commonly, oral contraceptives and antiprolactin drugs are used to normalize hormonal levels.

The main methods of treating mastopathy are:

normalization of hormonal levels;
physiotherapeutic procedures;
phytotherapy;
Spa treatment.

When diagnosing cysts, it is prescribed drug correction hormonal levels and treatment pathological changes, causing endocrine disruptions.

If cystic formations cause severe pain: an inflammatory infiltrate is determined, they are large or actively growing, changes are noted during cytological and histological examination - they must be removed.

For mastalgia, not related diseases of the mammary gland, treatment is carried out for the underlying disease that caused the appearance of this symptom (intercostal neuralgia, herpes zoster, osteochondrosis, myositis).

Surgical intervention is used for fibroadenoma, malignant neoplasms, abscesses, the presence of lactocele, postoperative complications and injuries.

Prevention

Preventive measures for mastalgia:

Care about women's health and prevention of dishormonal disorders:
avoid stress, anxiety, physical and nervous strain;
have sex regularly;
balanced diet;
physical activity;
systematic strengthening of the immune system;
absence of abortions;

Treat all gynecological diseases in a timely manner, correct metabolic and endocrine disruptions.
Undergo an annual preventive examination with a gynecologist and mammologist.

Content

Painful sensations in the sternum can occur completely unexpectedly and cause serious discomfort to a person. The causes are quite normal life processes, but sometimes these symptoms are a signal of the presence of dangerous diseases. Breast pain in women often occurs in the area of the mammary glands, which is a sign of mastopathy or indicates a possible pregnancy. In men, pain in the chest area can be a signal of diseases of the esophagus, disorders heart rate and other diseases.

What is chest pain

Painful attacks inside the sternum vary in nature, duration, and etiology. Pain in the sternum can be aching, sharp, stabbing, cutting. It can be constant or come in attacks with sudden onset. Most cases of painful manifestations are associated with diseases such as:

organ diseases gastrointestinal tract;
cardiac dysfunction;
problems with the spine;
illnesses respiratory tract;
hormonal changes in the body;
breast diseases.

Why does a woman's chest hurt?

Pain in a woman in the area of the mammary glands may be associated with normal life situations. For example, breast tenderness often occurs during menstruation and while breastfeeding. If you experience prolonged pain that bothers you periodically, it is necessary to undergo a breast examination to determine the causes of the discomfort. The diagnosis can only be made by a doctor after laboratory examination. Unpleasant sensations in the chest can be a sign of serious diseases such as breast cancer, mastopathy, etc.

One breast hurts

Unpleasant sensations may result blunt trauma breast tissue (for example, from a fall). At the same time, the chest that has been bruised aches. Damage to the mammary gland is accompanied by pain on palpation, redness, and swollen parts. Other causes include diseases internal organs. When they worsen, sharp, stabbing, aching pain may be observed on one side or the other of the sternum.

If the right chest hurts, the following diseases are possible:

hepatitis;
inflammation of the gallbladder;
diseases of the esophagus;
diaphragm damage;
spinal injuries with disc displacement to the right.

When it hurts breast on the left side, this could be due to:

disorders of the spleen;
gastritis, pancreatic diseases;
pancreatitis;
intercostal neuralgia;
heart diseases (acute pericarditis, angina pectoris).

It's a dull pain

If the pain is nagging and prolonged, this may indicate mastodynia. This condition occurs as a result of hormonal imbalance. The woman feels cyclical pain, which tends to intensify. The cause may be gynecological diseases, stress, menopause. Mastodynia also occurs during prolonged hormonal therapy. Additional signs of the disease include swelling and enlarged glands. After the start of menstruation, the pain goes away.

Pain in the mammary gland when pressed

A woman may experience discomfort when touching her breasts. Often pain in both mammary glands occurs when feeding a child. This happens with lactostasis (milk stagnation). It occurs due to an excess of milk fluid or when the baby does not suck well. Pressing on the chest can create pain during mastopathy. This is a pathology of the mammary glands that occurs against the background of frequent experiences and hormonal changes in the body. Mastopathy is accompanied by discharge from the nipple, swelling, and aching in the breast tissue.

Stitching pain

Painful attacks of an acute nature can occur with intercostal neuralgia. A person feels stabbing, piercing pains that can radiate to the chest, shoulder blade, and lower back. The same sensations appear during attacks of angina pectoris, pericarditis, and other acute heart diseases. Sometimes tingling occurs due to mental disorders. Acute pain may occur with pleurisy, pneumonia. They are accompanied by shortness of breath and cough.

Breast pain, no lumps

Tugging sensations in the chest area may appear due to muscle spasms. This effect can occur when playing sports, physical exercise. Sometimes breast pain causes hormone therapy or a woman taking oral contraceptives. Breast tenderness may indicate pregnancy. This means that the body has begun to rebuild at the hormonal level. The intensity of pain can vary: from mild to strong.

When tilted

If your chest begins to hurt when performing some movements, the cause may be a previous injury. By pressing on the sternum you can locate the painful area. If damaged, it will be painful to touch the injured area. Pain when lowering or turning the body can be observed due to diseases of the esophagus (hernia). The cause of pain that appears after bending the body may be intercostal neuralgia.

The mammary gland is swollen and hurts

Some diseases cause tumors or an increase in breast size. These include:

fibroadenoma;
mastopathy;
mammary cancer;
cyst formation;
lactation mastitis.

A cyst can form in healthy women. This is a cavity inside the mammary gland that fills with fluid. In most cases, these formations resolve on their own. Fibroadenoma is a benign tumor. The formation cells grow and put pressure on the milk ducts, which causes pain. Mastopathy is characterized by an increase in fibrous tissue of the gland. It is accompanied by swelling and roughening of the skin. Swelling and pain in the breast may be signs of breast cancer.

Pain under the nipple

During the feeding procedure, a woman may develop microcracks, which causes inflammation of the nipple. This causes damage to the nerve endings, which causes pain. The reason for these discomfort may be a long-term treatment hormonal drugs. Also, pain under the nipple can be caused by the following diseases:

acute mastitis;
herpes virus;
nipple cancer;
mammalgia;
some types of lactostasis.

In the middle of the cycle

Slight painful sensations in the breasts in women 8-10 days before the onset of menstruation are considered a normal physiological phenomenon that does not require treatment. Sometimes this can be a sign of pregnancy. Factors such as stress and fatigue can contribute to discomfort. The woman feels fatigue, lethargy, and headaches appear. In this case, swelling of the mammary glands is often observed. If symptoms do not go away after menstruation, and the pain intensifies, you should consult a doctor to prescribe treatment.

Chest pain in men

In representatives of the stronger sex, pain in the sternum may appear after a chest injury. Pain is felt when pressing on the damaged area. In diseases of the spine, pain occurs in the sternum, shoulder blades, and on the side of the displaced vertebrae. In men, painful sensations in the chest may appear due to the following diseases:

disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, disruption of internal organs;
inflammation of the heart muscle;
lesions of the musculoskeletal system;
inflammation of the pleura of the respiratory tract, tracheitis;
neuroses, mental disorders.

At pulmonary diseases inflammation occurs in the pleural cavity. This process is accompanied by a sharp severe cough, shortness of breath. Lesions of the pleura of the lungs often occur in smokers. This is a serious disease that is difficult to get rid of. With a lung infarction, burning sensations appear, stabbing pains, which radiate to the back, stomach, shoulder blades. Similar sensations can be caused peptic ulcers esophagus. The causative agents of inflammation are viruses or infections. Diseases are characterized muscle spasms which cause severe pain in the sternum.

During myocardial infarction, necrosis of muscle tissue occurs heart organ. The pain is localized in the upper or central part of the body. The consequences of this disease are very serious. The inflammatory process in the myocardium causes the death of the heart muscle. Characteristic features are nausea, severe shortness of breath, cold sweat. Heart attacks are accompanied by a feeling of fear and dizziness. The pain does not go away after taking nitroglycerin.

Diagnostics

Women are advised to periodically examine their breasts on their own in order to promptly notice the presence of lumps in the mammary glands. This increases the chances of detecting cancer and other dangerous diseases in the early stages. In case of severe pain, changes in the shape of the mammary glands, other negative signs, you should immediately consult a doctor for examination. Diagnostics in medical institutions includes activities such as:

collection of information, palpation of the chest;
Ultrasound of the sternum area;
mammography;
X-ray;
tissue biopsy.

You can contact a therapist at your place of residence, and he will then schedule a consultation with a specialist, depending on the results of the examination. If there is severe pain in the mammary glands, women can immediately visit a mammologist. What will be prescribed:

If a heart attack is suspected, a computed tomography scan may be prescribed.
If the cause of sternum pain is esophageal disorders, a FEGDS procedure is performed, in which the stomach is examined inside using a special apparatus. Tissue sampling is done to detect inflammation and infections.
Blood and urine may be taken for analysis to detect viral microorganisms.

Treatment

To get rid of chest pain, you need to cure the underlying disease, the symptoms of which are pain. Therapy can only be prescribed by a specialist, based on the research conducted. During the course of treatment it is necessary to comply motor mode as prescribed by the doctor (rest, walks, etc.). Depending on the disease present, treatment may include:

drug therapy;
herbal medicine;
physical therapy;
reception vitamin complexes, drugs that strengthen the immune system;
Spa treatment.

An effective medicine used to treat the mammary glands is Danazol. This is a synthetic hormone that reduces ovarian activity. In addition, the drug produces an analgesic effect. It is prescribed for mastopathy, breast hypertrophy, and the presence of benign formations. The product successfully eliminates tumors, lumps, and relieves pain.

The disadvantage of the medicine is that it is not prescribed for pregnancy, diabetes, and epilepsy. It has big list side effects, including: liver dysfunction, allergic reactions, weight gain, etc. The advantage is the high effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of mammary gland pathologies. Danazol can be prescribed to children who have reached puberty.

Tamoxifen is a potent antitumor agent. Active substance The drug suppresses the action of sex hormones, thereby slowing down the growth of malignant tumors. Tamoxifen has been successfully used in the treatment of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer. When taking this drug, patients stop the inflammatory process and reduce cancer formations.

The disadvantage of this medicine is big number contraindications. It should not be taken for diseases of the blood, liver, or eye pathologies. The list of undesirable manifestations is also long. Side effects may include nausea, heaviness in the stomach, weight gain, and itching of the genitals. The downside of the medicine is the possibility of the appearance benign tumors after long-term treatment. Among the advantages, doctors indicate a strong anti-cancer effect.

Mastodinone – medicine based on natural raw materials. It has a mild effect on the body. Used to treat mastopathy and menstrual disorders. The active substance – extract of vitex, a tree-like shrub – restores natural hormonal balance among women. Additionally, Mastodinon exhibits an analgesic effect.

The advantage of the drug is the absence of hormones. Mastodinon is made using herbal ingredients, so it is harmless. Thanks to this, the medicine has a gentle effect on female body. For sustainable results, the complex must be taken for 2-3 months. The disadvantages of a homeopathic remedy include a ban on its use by pregnant and lactating women.

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Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Update: October 2018

Pain in the mammary glands to one degree or another worries more than half of all women. It ranges from mild discomfort to excruciating burning and heaviness that reduces quality of life. Therefore, it is very important to find the cause of the pain, and then choose an effective treatment.

How are the mammary glands arranged?

The female breast consists of a gland divided by ducts into lobules, connective tissue and fat. The predominance of glandular or fibrous (connective) tissue depends on age, hormonal levels, weight and characteristics of the body. But the mammary gland of any woman is an organ in which changes constantly occur in parallel with the menstrual cycle (see). Hormonal changes look like this:

During the first 14 days (with a 28-day cycle), follicles actively mature in the ovaries. Towards the middle of the cycle, the follicle ruptures and releases the egg. This is combined with the ejection peak. After the release of the egg, a formation forms at the site of the follicle. corpus luteum. This phase is characterized by the production of progesterone. If conception does not occur, the corpus luteum gradually fades away, and the level of both hormones decreases towards the end of the cycle. Menstruation occurs.

Has a great influence on the mammary glands female hormone- estrogen. It causes an increase in the number of glandular cells and connective tissue elements. These cells line all the ducts in the chest. Excess estrogen can turn groups of glands into cysts. They are in most cases safe and do not require treatment.

Mammary cancer

Breast cancer is considered the most dangerous of all causes of chest pain. This is a tumor that ranks first among cancer processes in women. In addition to its high prevalence, this cancer is also dangerous due to its high mortality rate, since many women delay visiting a doctor until the last minute.

Risk factors for breast cancer

Early menstruation, late menopause, absence of childbirth and pregnancy
Obesity
Age over 60 years
Previous history of breast, ovarian or colon cancer
Oncological processes of the above organs and close relatives (mother, sister, grandmother)

Among all these factors, one dominates: the effect of estrogen on the mammary gland. It must be remembered that ordinary diffuse mastopathy and cyclic chest pain before menstruation are not risk factors and causes of cancer development.

Heredity, aggravated by cases of oncology, requires careful attention to health. Up to 10% of breast cancers are considered the result of a genetic disorder. The presence of special genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 increases the risk of developing cancer tenfold. Therefore, chest pain in a woman whose relatives had breast cancer requires special treatment and special research.

Symptoms of breast cancer

Small tumors without metastases most often do not cause any discomfort. Pain occurs only when there is an “unfortunate” location near the nerve endings. Therefore, an important step early diagnosis is .

Paget's cancer is considered a special form of cancer. It is localized in the nipple area, causing its deformation and retraction, as well as pain to the left or right of it.

Breast cancer treatment

In the initial stages of the disease, when the cancer has not spread beyond the breast or nearby lymph nodes, complex treatment is usually used. This includes surgery to remove the cancer, chemotherapy and radiation. Depending on the type of tumor, hormonal drugs may be used. Sometimes a tumor that is too large is reduced with chemotherapy and then removed. Volume surgical intervention in our country it is usually large: the mammary gland, lymph nodes and underlying muscles are removed. In European countries, women detect the disease much earlier, so they undergo partial resection of the mammary gland with cosmetic sutures.

Breast examination methods

If you experience pain in the mammary glands, you need to undergo a series of tests. They will help to establish the cause of discomfort, exclude life-threatening conditions and select adequate treatment.

Breast self-examination

Lying down - to examine the right breast, place a pad under the right shoulder blade, and right hand they put it behind the head. Using your fingertips, examine the entire breast in a circle, from the periphery to the nipple.
Standing - examinations are carried out in two positions: with arms down and arms up.

What to look for during the examination:

Seal of any shape and size. Especially: with uneven contours, motionless, large sizes.
Nipple retraction
Discharge from the nipple of any color (except milk during pregnancy and lactation)
Change in breast size (asymmetry)
“Lemon peel” type change in breast skin
Changes in skin color (redness, blueness) and temperature
Pain when feeling
Presence of ulcerations on the skin of the chest

All of the above signs are a reason to contact a specialist. This doctor could be a mammologist, gynecologist or therapist. If the doctor has concerns about a woman’s health, he will send her for further examination and consultation with an oncologist. Examining and palpating a woman's breasts helps detect breast cancer in its early stages. But in fairness it should be noted that most of neoplasms found by a woman on her own. They are benign and do not even require treatment.

Breast examination if pain occurs

Mammography is an x-ray examination of the mammary glands. The method is the standard for diagnosing breast pathology in women over 40 years of age. It allows you to assess the condition of the mammary gland tissue, the prevalence of pathology, and the nature of the growth of the tumor process. But if the glandular dense component predominates in the breast, mammography becomes uninformative. Therefore, young women are recommended to have an ultrasound instead of an x-ray.

Ultrasound of the mammary glands- Ultrasound examination of the breast is indicated in the following cases:

in pregnant and lactating women
in young women for the purpose of prevention
in all women with complaints of pain (as an addition to mammography)
For differential diagnosis cyst

CT and MRI of the mammary glands- computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging - additional examination methods. There is no need to use them when you first consult a doctor or generally for prophylaxis. Usually they are resorted to when the diagnosis is unclear, when mammography and ultrasound give an unclear picture. In addition, MRI and CT help to assess the condition neighboring organs, detect even distant metastases in malignant tumors.

Aspiration biopsy- with a painful (or painless) formation in the mammary gland, especially in women in menopause and with a family history, one x-ray is not enough. To make a diagnosis, you need to study the cells of the formation for malignancy. For this purpose they often use aspiration biopsy. In some cases, this stage is skipped, resorting immediately to removal of the tumor and subsequent examination of the resulting material.

If necessary, the doctor prescribes additional examination methods to make a diagnosis.

Treatment of breast pain

Treatment of pain directly depends on the cause that caused it. Therefore, first of all, you need to contact a specialist for a thorough examination.

Treatment of cyclic pain

The so-called diffuse mastopathy with premenstrual pain is a safe and benign phenomenon. At its core, this is a normal reaction to a normal ovulatory cycle. But if a woman is bothered by painful sensations, several methods are used.

Conversation with a doctor

Oddly enough, a simple conversation with a specialist is often enough to completely relieve symptoms. After an explanation about the safety of mastopathy, the absence of cancer or the risk of its occurrence, the woman’s condition improves sharply, and the pain subsides.

Selecting the right underwear

A tight bra of the correct shape and size can reduce discomfort from cyclic pain

Aromatherapy, proper rest and dosed physical activity for PMS
Limitation fatty foods and weight loss
Oral contraceptives

Taking combined oral contraceptives is a temporary “switch off” of ovulation. No ovulation means no hormone surges. Therefore, discomfort and pain while taking COCs usually decrease or even disappear completely.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (, and others)
Tamoxifen is a drug used for severe mastopathy with very severe pain. It has a number side effects, therefore it is prescribed strictly according to indications

It's important to remember that homeopathic remedies(mastodinon and others), supposedly eliminating mastopathy, is quackery. The effect is usually based on self-hypnosis. Therefore, there is no point in using drugs with unproven effectiveness and safety when you can limit yourself complete rest, taking a bath or just talking with a doctor.

Treatment of non-cyclic pain

If cysts, tumors, or inflammatory processes are detected, a doctor’s consultation, thorough diagnosis, and in some cases surgery are necessary. After removal benign education PMS treatment can be used. After treatment of malignant neoplasms, many drugs are contraindicated. Pain in breast cancer with distant metastases is usually very severe, painful, and cannot be relieved by NSAIDs. Sometimes it is necessary to use narcotic analgesics to relieve cancer pain.

Treatment of non-breast pain

A competent doctor will determine the source and cause of pain by prescribing additional examinations. Treatment is selected according to the pathology.

Questions your doctor may ask

Before visiting a doctor, you need to think about some questions that the specialist will probably ask.

In what part of the chest does the pain feel?
What is the nature of the sensations? (aching, bursting, stabbing pain?)
How long does the pain last?
Rate the severity of pain on a 10-point scale
Does one or both mammary glands hurt?
Is there a pattern when pain occurs (menstruation, exercise stress, breastfeeding, etc.)
When did you have your last mammogram?
Are there other symptoms? (breast lumps, nipple discharge, etc.)
You are pregnant? Are you breastfeeding? Have you recently had a miscarriage?
Have you had a history of breast trauma or breast surgery?
Has anyone in your immediate family had breast, ovarian or colon cancer?

Taking care of the health of your body is the unspoken responsibility of every person. The trend towards the prevention of various serious diseases has firmly strengthened in modern world. That is why experts recommend that women carefully monitor the condition of their most vulnerable organs - the mammary glands, and consult a doctor at the slightest discomfort.

Indeed, probably every woman at least once in her life has experienced chest pain when pressing or lifting her hands. The reasons can be both serious diseases and other, less significant factors.

It is important to understand that the nature of natural discomfort (arising during lactation, pregnancy or menstruation) is significantly different from pain caused by various diseases or due to exposure to external irritants.

Hormonal reasons

Most often before starting menstrual period It becomes especially painful to press on the chest. Symptoms usually occur in the second phase of the cycle and sometimes continue until the very beginning of menstruation. In addition, during this period you may notice some breast enlargement, also caused by hormonal changes.

Pregnancy – special condition a woman’s body, which is also characterized by strong hormonal fluctuations, which, naturally, cannot but affect the mammary glands. Thus, discomfort and pain often occur, which disappear at the end of the lactation period.

Also, do not sound the alarm when chest pain appears while taking antidepressants or hormonal medications. All of the above reasons are cyclical and do not pose any threat to a woman’s health.

Mastopathy

If you experience pain in the mammary gland when pressing, this may become a wake-up call to a disease such as mastopathy. It is characterized by the appearance of compactions in the area of the mammary glands. There are two forms of this pathology – diffuse and fibrous. It is difficult to diagnose mastopathy on your own, since its symptoms are very similar to simple premenstrual syndrome; the chest hurts when pressed only in 85% of cases.

Mastopathy is characterized by the occurrence of neoplasms that are benign, but still have a small probability of degenerating into cancerous tumors. On early stage diffuse mastopathy greenish or brown discharge from the nipple.

Fibrous type mastopathy differs in that the pain when pressing on the chest is more severe, and the causes of this type diseases are associated primarily with infections or inflammation of the genital organs, less often with prolonged sexual abstinence or irregular sexual intercourse.

If you diagnose the disease in time and consult a doctor, mastopathy can be cured without resorting to surgical treatment.

Cystic formations

The appearance of a cyst is a consequence of neglect fibrocystic mastopathy, which is rare, but has a high chance of progression in the most dangerous pathologies.

A cyst is a small “sac” filled with fluid from the inside and formed as a result of the proliferation of connective tissue in the breast. Cystic formations, as a rule, do not cause any discomfort to the woman, but in case of inflammation, the mammary gland usually hurts when touched.

In most cases, the cyst is removed surgically and rarely degenerates into a malignant neoplasm. However, you should also be careful when the slightest symptoms go for an ultrasound so as not to worsen the situation.

Fibroadenoma

This mobile formation has a spherical shape and is easy to feel. The appearance of fibroadenoma is diagnosed by the fact that one mammary gland hurts when you press on it. There are often cases of several lumps appearing in one place, and characteristic discharge from the nipples also appears (if both mammary glands are affected).

Fibroadenoma is a type of benign formation that can be removed in a simple operation.

Breast cancer

The most serious and dangerous disease, which is difficult to diagnose at the first stage. A malignant tumor can develop into very short time, therefore, in order to minimize the consequences of the disease, you need to independently carry out preventive examination breasts once a month. such an examination will help identify the presence of tumors or enlarged lymph nodes.

If the lump in the mammary gland hurts when you press on it, and the lymph nodes are slightly enlarged, then it is recommended to make an appointment with a mammologist as soon as possible.

Wrong choice of bra

When choosing underwear, you need to be extremely careful and, first of all, listen to your body. A tight and low-quality bra can not only cause discomfort to its owner, but also cause the occurrence of malignant tumors or breast cysts.

Other reasons

Among other things, pain in the chest often occurs due to other diseases that are only indirectly related to the mammary glands or reproductive system.

If there is a temperature

If, in addition to pain when pressing on your chest, you notice an increased temperature, then all together may indicate the occurrence of certain diseases.

Breast tuberculosis

This pathology is extremely rare, but nevertheless occurs during the development of the first, pulmonary stage of tuberculosis. Sometimes, if misdiagnosed, a disease can be confused with cancer, but it has nothing to do with it.

The main symptoms are sharp and incessant pain in the mammary gland, which fades over time, as well as general weakness of the body and heat.

Mastitis

Fever and chest pain is a direct sign infectious disease mammary glands. Mastitis often appears against the background breastfeeding(cracked skin on the nipples is a direct conductor of bacteria), as well as with breast injuries that contribute to inflammatory process.

It is not so difficult to distinguish mastitis from the above neoplasms.

Main symptoms:

redness on the chest;
increased temperature (up to 39 degrees);
purulent discharge;
severe pain.

With the right course of treatment, the disease will not suffer any consequences that jeopardize the health of the woman and child.

Lactostasis

A common disease that is stagnation of milk in the mammary gland. As a result, pain occurs, the temperature rises to 37-38 degrees, the breasts become enlarged, and the nipples swell.

In the absence of timely treatment, lactostasis can progress to purulent mastitis.

Nipple pain when pressed

Pregnancy and lactation

The first suspected cause of discomfort may be the lactation period. At this time, the baby may suck milk inaccurately, biting the breast, thereby causing the mother very severe pain. Hastily refuse feeding in this case not worth it, in the beginning it is recommended to consider options such as silicone pads, emollient creams and ointments.

In addition, the nipples often hurt when pressed in the first months and subsequently throughout pregnancy, which occurs due to rapid changes in the woman’s hormonal levels.

Paget's disease

In simple words – breast cancer of the nipple. Patients suffering from this disease complain that the nipples are very painful when pressed, as well as other, more characteristic symptoms.

Among them:

change in the shape and color of nipple halos;
itching, peeling;
liquid discharge from the chest.

Treatment of such a serious disease is mostly carried out surgically, and recovery takes a long time.

How to treat

So, the mammary gland hurts when pressed. What to do and how to prevent progression possible diseases?

First of all, it all depends on the nature of the pain. If they are cyclical and associated with hormonal changes in the body, then there is no need to panic. In such cases, a mild course of treatment associated with diet, rest and the absence of external irritants is usually prescribed.

When infections affect only one breast, benign or malignant formations can affect locally, and for example, the right breast hurts when pressed, but there are no symptoms in the left. Such pathologies are usually removed using surgery, the complexity of which directly depends on the disease. In rare cases, other methods can be used, but all this should be done under the strict supervision of a professional.

When should you see a doctor?

If you find that your chest hurts when pressed, do not immediately panic and come up with worse options. Calm down and watch your body. If the pain does not go away, and meanwhile other symptoms begin to appear possible pathologies– contact your doctor immediately to undergo an ultrasound and mammogram to avoid serious consequences. And the sooner this happens, the better it will affect your health.

Be careful and don't forget to listen to your body!

Video

In this video, a gynecologist will tell you about the symptoms and treatment methods of mastitis.