Breast pain in women: alarm or normal? What to do if your chest hurts

First of all, it is advisable to seek advice from a mammologist, regardless of pain in the chest area. After all, only a qualified specialist will help to identify the nature of the pain that has arisen with the help of palpation of the mammary glands and an additional examination, including ultrasound examination of the breast and mammography. In the event that a specialist detects any seals, he will without fail prescribe a biopsy of the neoplasms in order to identify the possible development of cancer cells.

According to the results of the examination, he will prescribe the most appropriate type of therapy for the treatment of a particular disease. It should be remembered that when choosing the right treatment, the pain recedes after a few months. You need to know that self-medication is unacceptable due to the fact that it can only aggravate the course of the disease. There are many methods for treating pain in the mammary glands. These include: the use of the drug "Danazol", wearing a supportive bra, reducing salt intake, as well as taking special vitamins - E and B6. In addition, therapeutic therapy can be carried out with hormonal and non-hormonal drugs, as well as be combined.

In addition to the main treatment, preventive measures are distinguished that help prevent the development of breast pain: a comfortable bra, control over the state of the body as a whole, an active sex life and systematic observation by a mammologist, mainly for women over 30 years old.

Causes of chest pain

So, pain in the mammary glands can be caused by the following reasons: the occurrence of mastopathy, damage to the mammary gland, hormonal changes during menstruation, the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding, fluid retention in the body due to menstrual flow, the development of breast infection, cancer (cancer chest).

What are the symptoms of breast cancer

As a rule, an insidious disease is characterized by the presence of the following signs: bloody discharge from the nipples, thickened or retracted skin directly above the tumor, a changed shape of the nipple, enlarged in the axillary region. Undoubtedly, the occurrence of these pathologies is an absolute indicator for an early visit to the mammologist.

Most women experience chest pain sooner or later. The pain can be severe or cause only mild discomfort, it happens in young girls and in older women. Such pain can be both absolutely physiological and indicate serious violations of the body. Therefore, it is very important to know which pain requires going to the hospital and treatment, and which one will pass on its own.

All chest pains are usually divided into two groups - cyclic and non-cyclic. Cyclic chest pain is associated with changes in hormonal levels on different days of the menstrual cycle. Such pains are rarely severe and usually cause minor discomfort. Such pains do not require any treatment and pass without a trace in a few days. Non-cyclic pains are not associated with the menstrual cycle and indicate some changes in a woman's life, including pathological ones.

Why does my chest hurt

Girls

In girls aged 9-12, chest pain is very common. This is usually a sign of growing up and that the breasts are starting to grow. At this age, the level of female hormones estrogen in the blood usually begins to rise. This leads to the fact that the formation of secondary sexual characteristics begins, including breast growth.
Pain during growth is explained by the fact that the capsule of the mammary gland is greatly stretched during its growth.

The glandular tissue will grow quite quickly, but the connective tissues around it cannot grow so quickly, so the gland is squeezed, as if you are wearing too tight underwear. From constant squeezing, the mammary gland begins to hurt and this feeling is familiar to almost all women, since everyone went through it.

Approximately 60% of breast pain in women is associated with menstrual cycles.

We have already found out why girls have chest pains, but it turns out that boys have similar sensations in adolescence too. There is only one reason for such pain - perestroika. Both boys and girls get better without treatment. The duration of such pain is individual, so it is impossible to say exactly when the chest will stop hurting. Usually, the pains end in the field of complete formation of the mammary gland, and how long it takes depends on the body of a particular girl.

Before menstruation (Video from the doctor)

Many women have chest pains regularly before menstruation. Usually, such pains are mild and do not cause more discomfort, but they still affect well-being. The cause of such pain is an increase in the level of the hormone progesterone. This hormone is responsible for maintaining the onset of pregnancy and for all the changes necessary for this. It is under his influence that the breast before menstruation becomes larger, rough and begins to hurt.

Nervous shocks can cause hormonal disruptions and cause chest pain.

It should be noted that not all women suffer from chest pain before menstruation. This usually happens with those who are especially sensitive to hormonal surges. Such women often suffer from other symptoms - mood swings, headaches, etc. Such pains do not require any treatment, it is simply necessary during this period to be more attentive to your body, wear comfortable underwear, avoid hypothermia and excessively rough caresses.

During pregnancy

Pain or discomfort in the chest is one of the signs. These are absolutely normal sensations, they happen to almost everyone, just in varying degrees of severity. Some women even find their charm in this, as the breast becomes more sensitive, which can give new sensations.

During pregnancy, the breasts undergo tremendous changes. The glandular tissue of the breast under the influence of hormones begins to grow strongly and in some women the breasts increase literally by a couple of sizes. As in youth, the connective tissue does not keep up with the glandular tissue, so pressure and pain occur. In addition, the skin is greatly stretched, which leads to stretch marks and sometimes itching.

The first days or even weeks, you need to be prepared for pain in the nipples during application. Even if you apply the child perfectly correctly, there will be slight pain. If applied incorrectly, it can lead to really severe pain and very painful nipple cracks.

Viral benign lymphadenitis or cat-scratch disease can cause swollen underarm lymph nodes and chest pain.

But even without cracks, it often hurts. During the flow of milk, the tissues can be strongly stretched, which leads to dull pain. Such pain is usually mild, but it causes discomfort. The second cause of chest pain in nursing is lactostasis, which is the stagnation of milk in one or more lobes of the mammary gland. Lacostasis is a dangerous phenomenon that can lead to mastitis, so you need to get rid of it immediately. By the way, the discharge of milk from lactostasis can also be very painful.

Exploring Other Causes of Pain

Sometimes chest pain is not so harmless and indicates a variety of diseases. Quite often there is such a disease as mastopathy. Mastopathy is a fibrocystic growth located in the mammary gland. Mastopathy can cause non-cyclic pain. It usually appears in women with an unstable hormonal background. There can be any reasons for hormonal surges - neuroses, abortions, pathological conditions of the pituitary gland, thyroid diseases, diseases of the female genital area, premature cessation of lactation and irregular sex life, and much more.

Mastopathy does not appear suddenly, it usually develops over the years. Normal physiological processes are disrupted in a woman's breasts and epithelial tissues grow, which compress the roots of nerve endings and interfere with the normal outflow of secretions in the ducts. In this case, the lobules of the gland are deformed.

Most often, mastopathy occurs in women 30-50 years old. Usually it manifests itself in the form of a burning sensation, compression and bursting of the mammary glands. In addition, dizziness, nausea, lack of appetite and abdominal pain may occur. If you have such symptoms, you should consult a doctor, as mastopathy requires treatment.

Breast pain can also be a sign of inflammatory and infectious processes in the mammary gland. In parallel, the temperature may rise, the state of health may worsen. In this case, the pains can have a different character, sometimes they give to the shoulder blades, armpits or stomach, they are aching or shooting.

Pain can also manifest such a formidable disease as breast cancer. Sometimes cancer is asymptomatic, so you need to be very attentive to your condition. Most often, with oncology, an “orange peel” appears on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mammary gland, peeling of the mammary gland and nipple, a change in their shape, uncharacteristic discharge from the nipple, and its retraction.

Sometimes thyroid disorders that upset the balance of hormones can lead to chest pain.

In addition, chest pain can cause thoracic osteochondrosis, herpes zoster, intercostal neuralgia, heart disease, lymph node disease, cysts in the fatty tissue of the chest, furunculosis. Pain in these diseases can radiate from the mammary gland and cause trouble to the legs.

There are also causes of chest pain that are not associated with diseases, for example, the chest can hurt when treated with hormonal drugs or when taking hormonal contraceptives. Also, pain can occur with improperly selected underwear. If you wear too tight underwear, then due to squeezing the mammary gland, pain appears.

When to go to the doctor

Any discomfort in the chest should be the reason for the appointment of a gynecologist, who, if necessary, can refer to an endocrinologist or mammologist. But running to the doctor at every suspicious sensation is not the best solution, and no one will do this. Therefore, we will consider situations in which it is no longer possible to postpone a visit to the doctor.

It is necessary to visit a gynecologist if the pain in the chest does not go away for a long time, regardless of the menstrual period, the pain is very strong and can be described as burning and squeezing, the pain does not go away with time, but becomes stronger. It is also worth contacting a doctor if one chest hurts, while the pain is localized in one place, and not throughout the gland. Medical consultation is also necessary if the pain causes discomfort, interferes with normal activities, wearing familiar clothes.

Any trauma to the mammary gland should be observed by a mammologist, as it can lead to cancer.

It is immediately necessary to run to the doctor if, in parallel with the pain, the temperature rises, the mammary glands are deformed or redness, nodes and any formations appear. The appearance of blood or any other liquid in their breasts should also be very alert, if this is not related to feeding.

Pain in the sternum can occur completely unexpectedly and cause serious discomfort to a person. The causes are quite ordinary 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 signals of diseases of the esophagus, heart rhythm disturbances, and other diseases.

What is chest pain

Pain attacks inside the sternum differ in nature, duration, etiology. Pain in the sternum is aching, sharp, stabbing, cutting. It can be permanent or come on in fits and starts. Most cases of painful manifestations are associated with diseases such as:

  • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • violations of the heart;
  • problems with the spine;
  • respiratory diseases;
  • hormonal changes in the body;
  • breast diseases.

Why does a woman's chest hurt?

Pain in a woman in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mammary glands can be associated with normal life situations. For example, breast tenderness often manifests itself during menstruation, feeding a child. With prolonged pain that disturbs periodically, it is necessary to undergo an examination of the mammary glands to determine the causes of discomfort. The diagnosis can only be made by a doctor after a laboratory examination. Unpleasant sensations in the chest can be a sign of such serious diseases as breast cancer, mastopathy, etc.

Pain in one breast

Unpleasant sensations can be the result of blunt trauma to the breast tissue (for example, when falling). At the same time, the chest that has undergone a bruise aches. Damage to the mammary gland is accompanied by pain on palpation, redness, puffy parts. Other causes are diseases of the internal organs. With their exacerbation, sharp, stabbing, aching pains can be observed on either side of the sternum.

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

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

When the breast gland hurts on the left side, this may be due to:

  • violations of the spleen;
  • gastritis, diseases of the pancreas;
  • pancreatitis;
  • intercostal neuralgia;
  • heart disease (acute pericarditis, angina pectoris).

It's a dull pain

If the pain is pulling, prolonged, this may signal mastodynia. This condition occurs as a result of hormonal failure. The woman feels cyclical pains that tend to get worse. The cause may be gynecological diseases, stress, menopause. Mastodynia also occurs against the background of prolonged hormonal therapy. Additional signs of the disease are manifested by swelling, an increase in glands in size. After the onset of menstruation, the pain disappears.

Pain in the mammary gland with pressure

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

stabbing 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, 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 can occur with pleurisy, pneumonia. They are accompanied by shortness of breath, cough.

The mammary gland hurts, there are no seals

Pulling sensations in the chest area may appear due to muscle spasms. This effect can occur when playing sports, physical exercises. Sometimes breast pain is caused by hormonal therapy or a woman taking oral contraceptives. Breast tenderness may indicate pregnancy. This means that the body began to rebuild at the hormonal level. The intensity of pain sensations can be different: from weak to strong.

When tilted

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

Swollen breast and pain

Some diseases cause tumors or breast enlargement. These include:

  • fibroadenoma;
  • mastopathy;
  • mammary cancer;
  • cyst formation;
  • lactational mastitis.

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

Pain under the nipple

During the feeding procedure, a woman may develop microcracks, which causes inflammation of the nipple. When this occurs, damage to the nerve endings, which causes a feeling of pain. The cause of these discomforts may be long-term use of hormonal drugs. Also, pain under the nipple can cause such diseases:

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

In the middle of a cycle

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

chest pain in men

In 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, on the side of the displaced vertebrae. In men, pain in the chest may appear due to the following diseases:

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

With pulmonary diseases, inflammation occurs in the pleural cavity. This process is accompanied by a sharp strong 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, stabbing pains appear that radiate to the back, abdomen, and shoulder blades. Similar sensations can cause esophageal ulcers. The causative agents of inflammation are viruses or infections. The disease is characterized by muscle spasms that cause severe pain in the sternum.

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

Diagnostics

Women are advised to periodically examine the breasts on their own in order to notice the presence of seals in the mammary glands in time. 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, or other negative signs, you should immediately consult a doctor for an examination. Diagnostics in medical institutions includes such actions as:

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

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

  1. If a heart attack is suspected, a CT scan may be ordered.
  2. If the cause of sternum pain is a disorder of the esophagus, a FEGDS procedure is performed, in which the stomach is examined inside using a special apparatus. Tissue sampling is done to detect inflammation, infections.
  3. Blood, urine can be taken for analysis in order to detect viral microorganisms.

Treatment

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

  • drug therapy;
  • herbal medicine;
  • physiotherapy;
  • taking vitamin complexes, drugs that strengthen the immune system;
  • Spa treatment.

Danazol is an effective drug for the treatment of mammary glands. This is a synthetic hormone that reduces the activity of the ovaries. In addition, the drug produces an analgesic effect. It is prescribed for mastopathy, breast hypertrophy, the presence of benign formations. The tool successfully eliminates tumors, seals, removes pain.

The disadvantage of the drug can be considered that it is not prescribed during pregnancy, diabetes, epilepsy. It has a long list of side effects, including: liver dysfunction, allergic reactions, weight gain, etc. The advantage is the high effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of breast pathologies. Danazol can be prescribed to children with the onset of puberty.

Tamoxifen is a potent anticancer drug. The active substance of the drug inhibits the action of sex hormones, thereby slowing down the growth of malignant tumors. Tamoxifen has been successfully used in the treatment of breast, uterus, and ovarian cancer. When taking this remedy, the inflammatory process stops in patients, cancer formations decrease.

The disadvantage of this medicine is a large number of contraindications. It can not be taken in diseases of the blood, liver, eye pathology. The list of unwanted manifestations is also large. Side effects can be manifested by nausea, heaviness in the stomach, weight gain, itching of the genitals. The downside of the drug is the possibility of the appearance of benign tumors after long-term treatment. Among the advantages, doctors indicate a strong anti-cancer effect.

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

The advantage of the drug is the absence of hormones. Mastodinone is made using herbal ingredients, so it is harmless. Thanks to this, the medicine gently affects the female body. For a stable result, the complex should be taken for 2-3 months. The disadvantages of a homeopathic remedy include a ban on its use by pregnant and lactating women.

Video

Many women at any age can have breast pain. In some cases, this ailment may be associated with natural hormonal changes that occur during certain periods of the menstrual cycle in girls of reproductive age, during puberty in adolescent girls with initial stages development of the mammary glands, during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or during menopause in women of mature age.

But sometimes chest pains indicate developing pathological processes in the female body, possible disorders in the hormonal system, or serious diseases that threaten the health and even life of the patient. Chest pain or other similar concerns should not be ignored if they recur regularly.

Self-diagnosis and self-treatment can be not only ineffective, but also dangerous, because without a professional examination and the help of a doctor, it will not be possible to accurately determine the cause of chest pain, eliminate possible health risks and find the right method of treatment.

What is mastopathy?

The most common cause of chest pain is mastopathy, which, according to statistics, occurs in 80% of women of all ages. Mastopathy is usually called a benign disease of the mammary gland, which manifests itself in the pathological growth of its tissues. Most often, mastopathy begins to develop against the background of hormonal imbalance. Experts consider two types of mastopathy.

Diffuse mastopathy- the most harmless form, which is characterized by the growth of connective tissue and the appearance of small nodules in the mammary glands. With diffuse mastopathy, the chest hurts mostly just before menstruation, but on the first day of the cycle, the discomfort disappears.

Sometimes with diffuse mastopathy, in addition to chest pains, small spherical seals form. Most often, such mastopathy goes away on its own and does not require special intervention from the doctor. But there is a risk of diffuse mastopathy becoming more severe, so constant monitoring by a mammologist is necessary.


Nodular mastopathy- a more dangerous type of pathology, in which there is an proliferation of gland tissues and the formation of large nodes. In this case, the chest can hurt so much that sometimes the pain radiates to the shoulder, back, lower back and other parts of the body. Sometimes with nodular mastopathy, discharge from the nipples appears.

Who is at risk?

The appearance of chest pain, the development of mastopathy and cancer is possible for certain groups of women. You, too, may be at risk if:

  • abuse alcohol;
  • Are you addicted to nicotine?
  • suffered mechanical trauma to the chest;
  • never had children;
  • have a burdened heredity with a high risk of developing oncology or mastopathy;
  • suffered artificial or spontaneous termination of pregnancy;
  • for a long time refused breastfeeding after childbirth;
  • do not have a regular sex life;
  • are obese, diabetic, liver or thyroid disease.

How does chest pain manifest itself?

Depending on the cause of the ailment, age, individual characteristics of the body, hormonal status and the presence of certain concomitant health problems, chest pain can manifest itself in different ways, differentiating by:

  • degree of intensity(weak, strong)
  • periodicity(temporary, permanent, gradually increasing),
  • the nature of the manifestation(aching, stabbing, sharp)
  • localization zone(point, fragmentary, extended to other parts of the body).

Also, the chest can hurt only in a calm state or only in the process of movement (for example, while running, climbing stairs, bending over, doing physical exercises). Sometimes pain manifests itself only on palpation during self-examination. In addition, with some types of diseases, the mammary glands not only hurt, but also swell, swell, become covered with a rash, turn red, and in some cases, discharge from the nipples is observed.

Why does my chest hurt?
  • natural hormonal changes with PMS, menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, menopause, as well as in girls in the pubertal period after menarche (first menstruation).
  • Inflammatory processes in the uterine appendages and related disorders in the hormonal system.
  • Thyroid diseases(for example, hypofunction can increase the risk of developing mastopathy and chest pain several times).
  • genetic factor. The presence of benign and malignant neoplasms in women in the pedigree.
  • Frequent stress, depression, a tendency to neurosis.
  • iodine deficiency in the body.
  • Diseases of the bile ducts, liver, gallbladder.
  • Disturbances in the hormonal system.
  • Obesity or a tendency to gain weight quickly.
  • Postponement of the operation on the chest.
  • Breast diseases(cyst, fibroadenoma and other possible pathologies).
What examinations should be done for chest pain?

As a general rule, most women start with a self-examination. This is indeed a very important diagnostic method that allows you to timely detect various changes in the mammary glands (the appearance of seals or nodules in the chest, shape changes, asymmetry and other suspicious symptoms) and is mandatory for drawing up a further clinical picture.

If you notice that your chest hurts, you should contact a mammologist, who will have to conduct an examination to identify the cause of the discomfort. Firstly, he will need to tell about all the features of the manifestation of chest pain, the course of the menstrual cycle, the fact of operations, abortions, and childbirth.

Secondly, the mammologist will examine the breast by palpation. The next stage of professional diagnostics will involve mammography or breast ultrasound.

It should be noted that even if you do not have breast pain, a mammogram is mandatory for all women over the age of 35. It is recommended to take it every two years, and after 45-50 years - annually.

What can I do to make my chest stop hurting?

The method of therapy or method of relieving chest pain should be chosen by the doctor in accordance with the established diagnosis. There is no need to resort to folk recipes, pharmaceutical preparations and cosmetic products without prior agreement with a specialist, since only he knows which method will be most effective and safe for chest pains.

The patient may be prescribed medication for gynecological diseases if they cause chest pain. If the patient has an imbalance of hormones, the endocrinologist will prescribe hormone therapy for her.

Mastopathy is also treated with the help of hormonal and non-hormonal preparations, specially selected vitamin complexes, homeopathic and immunostimulating agents. If the chest hurts after undergoing surgery, you may need a physiotherapy, taking painkillers.

The doctor will decide for himself what is suitable in your individual case, since there is still no one universal scheme that could help all women to the same extent. The organism of each patient is individual and therefore has certain features in which it is necessary to select a specific treatment.

If neoplasms, nodes, tumors are detected during the diagnosis, hormonal and anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed, and in difficult cases, the doctor directs for an operation to remove them.

In order to prevent the recurrence of chest pains or prevent their manifestation, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, give up alcohol, cigarettes, unhealthy diet, have regular sex life with one partner, if possible, avoid any operations on the genitals and mammary glands, including the number of abortions.

Chest pain on palpation

Symptoms. The occurrence of pain only when touching the chest, when exposed to it, or when lying on the stomach. Without mechanical action, chest pain in this case may never appear or occur in a mild form.

The mammary glands can hurt on palpation during pregnancy and lactation, when the glands change under the influence of prolactin, but it can also be associated with pathological processes and diseases (breast cyst, mastopathy, fibroadenoma, breast cancer).

Solution. With natural hormonal changes, treatment is usually not required, but if the chest hurts too often, you should ask your doctor to prescribe homeopathic remedies to help you feel better. If the cause is due to a tumor, surgery may be performed to remove it surgically.

Breast pain after surgery

Symptoms. After the operation, arching pains in the chest are always observed, which can be repeated during the first rehabilitation time, but gradually disappear on their own.

Causes and factors that cause chest pain. In this situation, the chest hurts due to the fact that tissues were recently injured during the operation.

Solution. With severe pain, it is very difficult to do your usual activities, as this affects the quality of life and general well-being in the first days of postoperative recovery, so the doctor may advise painkillers, homeopathy, and medical procedures.

Breast pain caused by disease

Symptoms. The disease can cause not only pain, but also significant changes in breast tissues, ranging from glandular deformation to the appearance of tumors, nodules, and other types of neoplasms.

Causes and factors that cause chest pain. This may be due to Paget's disease, fibroadenoma, breast cyst, mastopathy, lactostasis and a number of other diseases. Clinical studies are needed to clarify the diagnosis.


Solution. Therapy will be prescribed depending on the disease and the general clinical picture of its course. The doctor may prescribe antibiotic therapy, professional breast massage, hormonal drugs, as well as surgery to remove the tumor.

Breast pain before menstruation

Symptoms. Chest pain may occur temporarily and be mild. However, it appears only in the period before the start of the menstrual cycle. As a rule, all painful and accompanying uncomfortable sensations (heaviness in the chest, swelling, bursting) disappear on their own as soon as menstruation begins.

Causes and factors that cause chest pain. Before the start of a new menstrual cycle, the female body undergoes natural processes that prepare it for a possible pregnancy. Under the influence of hormones, some changes in the tissues of the mammary glands may temporarily occur. Against the background of these changes, the chest often hurts. Usually women of reproductive (childbearing) age face such a problem.

Solution. Doctors advise monitoring the condition of the mammary glands throughout the entire menstrual cycle, but pay special attention to its changes in the period before the onset of menstruation, since usually it is on these days that it swells and tenses. If the glands hurt too often, you should see a doctor. To relieve chest pain, massage, homeopathy, hormonal drugs can be prescribed.

Breast pain during pregnancy

Symptoms. Puffiness, swelling and pronounced breast enlargement, stretching of its tissues, discharge from the nipples is possible.

Causes and factors that cause chest pain. During the first, second and third trimester, most pregnant women experience chest pain. This phenomenon is associated with vasodilation under the influence of CHC and progesterone, the development of fatty and glandular tissues.

Solution. This is a natural condition of the mammary glands, which usually does not require special treatment and intervention from a doctor. But if the chest began to hurt too often and intensely, experts can advise special massage techniques, home procedures with a contrast shower. By improving blood circulation, swelling can be reduced and pain in the chest can be eliminated.

Breast pain during lactation

Symptoms. Swelling and increase in breast size, a significant increase in its tissues. The glands often hurt in women during or after breastfeeding.

Causes and factors that cause chest pain. Sometimes this is normal, but most often the pain is associated with improper attachment of the baby to the breast. Another reason is the significant stretching of the tissues.

Solution. First of all, you need to check whether you are applying the child correctly. If the cause of chest pain is not related to an error, then you should check with a specialist additionally. Perhaps the milk stagnates in the chest, as it is not completely expressed.

Breast pain during menopause

Symptoms. During menopause in women aged 45-55 years, the chest may hurt intermittently or constantly. Most often, the pain has a mild aching character.

Causes and factors that cause chest pain. If the chest hurts during the period of extinction of the reproductive system in the body of a woman, then this is due to sharp changes in the level of progesterone and estrogen. Hormonal instability during menopause significantly affects the general well-being of a woman and the condition of her mammary glands. Another factor is the imbalance of fatty acids and increased sensitivity of the breast to hormones.

Solution. Eliminate pain is possible due to the normalization of hormonal levels. For this purpose, the doctor prescribes hormonal drugs to the patient.

Why is it necessary to solve the problem today?

If the chest often hurts, this should not be ignored. Every second woman may be at risk, as various types of mastopathy are interrelated with breast cancer. In addition, disturbances in the hormonal system and even natural changes in the hormonal background caused by pregnancy or menopause can one day lead to the development of benign or non-malignant changes in the glands.

Self-diagnosis and regular mammography will help to detect possible pathological processes in a timely manner. Almost any disease can be prevented in the early stages of development, so preventive breast examinations are necessary at any age.

With the onset of pregnancy, changes inevitably occur in a woman's body. The mammary glands are especially sensitive to them. Many future mothers, especially those who find themselves in a position for the first time, are interested in when the chest starts to hurt during pregnancy, and is it possible to mitigate the discomfort?

Changes that affect the hormonal background are reflected in all organs and systems. Chest pain is one of the signs of successful conception and pregnancy development. It can appear within a few days after fertilization and remind of itself throughout the pregnancy.

It is quite difficult to determine pregnancy before a missed period. The test is still silent, the stomach does not grow, the only sign of a possible conception is pain and tension in the mammary glands. Not all women take this symptom seriously, as many begin, and only if they do not arrive on time, it becomes obvious that we can talk about pregnancy.

So, in what week or in what month does the chest start to hurt during pregnancy - when does this happen? An increase in the sensitivity of the mammary glands will begin to manifest itself within a few days after conception. Since everyone is individual, sensations and terms may vary. Pain most often appears at the beginning of pregnancy and disappears towards the end, to return and remind of itself shortly before the birth of the child.

Sometimes women complain that the chest continues to hurt throughout the entire period, but the sensations will still be less pronounced than they were before 12 weeks. With repeated pregnancies, the mammary glands begin to disturb earlier than with the conception of the first child. The severity of pain and the period at which the chest begins to hurt depend on the characteristics of the female body.

The nature of the pain

Regardless of when the chest begins to hurt during pregnancy and how long it lasts, the nature of the pain is determined by the individual characteristics of the woman.

If the pregnancy is confirmed, soreness in the mammary glands in many women is already present. At the same time, some expectant mothers note only tingling in the nipples, while others simply cannot touch their breasts - the pain is so intense.

At the same time, the mammary glands noticeably increase in volume, their density increases, and therefore a “web” of veins forms under the skin, since the tissues need additional blood circulation. At the same time, colostrum may appear from the nipples, this symptom is especially noticeable in multiparous women.

Some expectant mothers begin to worry about the situation when the breast does not hurt at all and does not cause discomfort during pregnancy. This usually occurs after the first trimester, but sometimes there is no tenderness of the mammary glands before.

This may also be a variant of the norm, due to the reduced sensitivity of breast receptors to hormonal changes. In this case, pain and the expected growth of the mammary glands may appear a little later - in the second half of pregnancy. To dispel anxiety, you need to consult a gynecologist.

Do breasts always hurt during pregnancy?

Pregnancy cannot be the same even for close relatives. Some expectant mothers complain of an increase in the sensitivity of the breast, others note an increase in pigmentation and an increase in areolas, and still others - a slight soreness. But sometimes the mammary glands do not cause discomfort to a woman at all, but at the same time they still increase and become denser, as it should be during the bearing of a baby.

As a rule, chest pains in a future mother resemble the same feelings of tension and discomfort that they experience on the eve of menstruation. But if there is no pain, this should by no means cause panic, since this option is also within the normal range.

How long has this been going on?

We talked about at what period during pregnancy the chest begins to hurt, but after how many weeks does the pain go away? Most often, discomfort in the mammary glands disappear by the end of the first trimester or closer to 12 weeks. At the same time, many women have softened the symptoms of early. Thus, the body tells the expectant mother that adaptation to hormonal changes has completed.

It can be noted that the peak of the sensitivity of the mammary glands occurs in the morning, towards the evening the discomfort usually softens. Due to the increased blood supply, the mammary gland tissues begin to increase in size. If a woman follows a daily routine and leads an active lifestyle during the daytime, then in the late afternoon her mammary glands will be less sensitive.

How to reduce pain?

Regardless of at what stage of pregnancy the chest begins to hurt and how long it lasts, you need to make sure that this stage is most comfortable. There are a few simple guidelines that can be used to noticeably reduce chest discomfort.

First of all, you need to pay attention to your wardrobe. The clothes of the expectant mother should be made of natural "breathable" fabrics, have a free cut. Carefully you need to approach the choice of underwear. During pregnancy, a woman is forced to change several pairs of bras, as the mammary glands continue to grow gradually until the very birth.

Bras should fit your bust, have good support, and have fairly wide shoulder straps. The task of this wardrobe item is not only to maintain the breast, but also to protect it from other troubles, therefore, in order to preserve the beauty and health of the breast, it is undesirable to save on a bra.

No matter how many weeks the chest begins to hurt during pregnancy, we must not forget about constant skin care. Tone up and strengthen the skin of the chest air baths, contrast showers, rubbing with cool water.

We must not forget about personal hygiene: the chest should always be kept clean, for this it is recommended to wash it daily with warm water or wipe it with a damp towel. When washing the mammary glands, for example, while taking a shower, it is undesirable to use soap or other detergents, as they greatly dry the delicate skin.

Also, to prevent increased sensitivity of the chest, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia and drafts, do not visit crowded places, so as not to accidentally get a push in the chest. You can not stimulate the nipples and squeeze out colostrum - these actions increase