050424 Breast pain. Should I be worried?

All of the following is taken from a pamphlet published by Inland Imaging.[1]

www.inlandimaging.com/locations with the source cited as:[2]

If you have breast pain, you are not alone. Breast pain, also known as mastalgia, is common and accounts for 45 to 70% of breast related health care visits. The good news is that most causes of breast pain are benign (non cancerous) and usually related to hormonal changes in your body or something as simple as a poor fitting bra

Breast pain varies a lot from person to person and may feel like a dull ache, tenderness, burning sensation, sharp pain, or just a sense of uncomfortable fullness. To understand what causes breast pain and what to do about it, it is important to understand a little bit about the different types of breast pain.

Types of breast pain.

There are two main types of breast pain. The first type is cyclical and changes with hormonal changes in your body. Cyclical breast pain typically involves both breasts, involves either the entire breast or the upper outer portion, it may radiate to the armpit. Most importantly, it varies with your menstrual cycle. Cyclical breast pain is usually worse during the week before you start your period. The pain usually subsides, or improves after your period. With cyclic breast pain, it is also common to feel like your breasts are lumpier during the week before your period. Cyclical breast pain is the most common type of breast pain and usually does not require any treatment or medical evaluation.

The second main type of breast pain is non cyclic breast pain. Non cyclic breast pain usually involves only one breast and is not related to your menstrual cycle. It can be constant or intermittent, just not associated with any particular pattern. The cause of non cyclical breast pain is often harder to determine. Just like with cyclical breast pain, Most causes of non cyclical breast pain are benign. The most common cause is a poor fitting bra.

Although breast cancer is usually not painful, when it does cause pain, the pain tends to be noncyclical. And usually just in one focal spot. Because of this, non cyclical breast pain may require a little more evaluation to determine the cause. Other causes include pregnancy, trauma, muscle strain, and prior surgery.

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[1] At inland imaging, our specialty trained radiologists, nurses, and technologists make sure that you get detailed answers quickly and accurately. Because when it comes to your health, better answers can lead to better outcomes.

Scheduling: (509) 455. 4455.

[2] The Society of Breast Imaging. SBR, September 27th 2019. Doctor Michelle Lee is an assistant professor of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis. Doctor Wendi Owen is an assistant professor of radiology at UK Healthcare.