Understanding Different Types of Breast Pain

Breast are often perceived to make women women. Viewed in one way by women often as an object to be proud of, an integral part of sexuality, and of course a source of nourishment for babies. They are obvious a very prominent part and pleasure giver but what if more importantly they giving you a painful experience in your life?

Uncomfortable at the time of your period maybe even a burning feeling, sharp pains at times during the day and/or out of the blue tenderness and perhaps soreness?

Well the more times than not the pain is usually never breast cancer. Pain leading up to a diagnosis to breast cancer is rare, possibly as low as 5% even. Again rare and but pain could start in the case of inflammatory breast cancer which can also appear with soreness too.

Cyclic and Non-Cyclic

To keep things simple it's possible to separate things into two different types breast pain - Cyclic and Non-Cyclic based upon whethe it is menstrual cycle related or not.

Cyclic pain is arrives and leaves in directly with the arrival and ending in time with your period, escalating from 2 weeks before. Can be significant soreness and tenderness or simply a mild ache, affecting both breasts in the outer and upper areas. It has been know to also affect just one breast and not or more than the other or possibly extend down that arm

Breast pain is usually divided into two types: pain associated with your menstrual cycle (cyclic pain), and non-cyclic pain. Each has different causes.

•Cyclic pain tends to come and go in synch with your period, building in the 2 weeks just prior, then subsiding afterwards. This pain can range from a mild ache to extreme tenderness and soreness. It’s usually felt in the upper/outer parts of both breasts, though sometimes it centers on one breast; and can sometimes extend under your arms, as well.

This type of pain, tied as it is to menstruation, affects younger women, and women in peri-menopause (older women still having occasional periods). It can be accompanied by swelling, and even the development of lumps.

Cyclic pain is the result of hormones, which cause you to retain fluid just before your period. This fluid retention in your breasts stretches and irritates nerves and tissue, causing pain.

•Non-cyclic pain is unrelated to the menstrual cycle. If you’re having pain of any kind that has no monthly pattern to it; or pain that develops at any time during your cycle, and then continues without abatement once your period is over, you’re experiencing non-cyclic pain.

Non-cyclic pain may be felt in both breasts, or only one. Like cyclic pain, it can range from ache to burning to tenderness to soreness to sharp pain.

This type of pain has many sources, some actually within your breast, some not. A breast injury; an infection (mastitis; an infected milk duct), or a pulled muscle in your chest can all be painful. A cyst may grow and become uncomfortable; or you may be experiencing rib pain, or even heart pain, and interpreting it as breast pain. Women with very large breasts may experience pain due to lack of adequate support, which creates muscle strain.

In addition, non-cyclic breast pain can be totally unrelated to your breasts. A fatty acid imbalance in your cells system-wide can cause breast pain. And certain medications can cause pain as well, including some hormone-based drugs (birth control pills, infertility treatment, hormone replacement therapy); and certain antidepressants: Prozac, and Zoloft, most commonly.

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Wednesday 12 February 2014