Breast pain is a common phenomenon and has various possible causes, such as a wrong undergarment fit, hormonal changes, infections, or sometimes it is a referred pain that comes from a different area of the body, such as your back or neck. Most women are bound to experience breast pain at least once in their life. However, it is important to know when it is serious.
If you have persistent pain in one or both of your breasts, you should not delay going to see a doctor and perhaps consider a mammogram Boise examination. A mammogram will ensure whether you have anything serious to worry about. Even if something is serious, detecting it early can increase your chances of recovering from it.
Common reasons you might experience breast pain
- Hormonal changes.
Tender or swollen breasts usually occur due to hormonal changes in your body occurring right before you get your period. This is a normal condition and is experienced by almost every woman. This type of pain causes tenderness in both breasts and can extend to the armpit.
This type of breast pain is one of the many symptoms before a period, also known as the premenstrual cycle. Some other signs include the following:
- bloating
- diarrhea or constipation
- mood swings
- tiredness
- trouble sleeping
- acne
- headaches
- You have a breast injury.
Breasts are a part of your body; like any other part, it is possible to get injured in your breasts as well. Your breasts may have gotten injured while playing a sport or from breast surgery. You may feel a sharp or shooting pain at the time of the injury. Tenderness may persist for a few days after the injury. You should consult a doctor if the pain does not improve within a few days.
Here are some other symptoms to look out for:
- Redness and warmth
- A persistent bruise
- Severe swelling
- A lump in the breast
- Medications.
If you have health conditions requiring you to take medicines, your breast pain may be due to them. If you did not experience breast pain before but only when you started taking medications, it would help to speak to your doctor and consult with them. Your doctor may be able to tell you which medications are making your breasts tender.
Some of these medications include the following:
- digitalis preparations
- certain potassium-sparing diuretics
- chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
- methyldopa (Aldomet)
- oxymetholone (Anadrol)
These are some common reasons for breast pain. However, the reason may be something more serious in some cases. Consider a mammogram today.
