Breast Pain Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Breast Pain Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Understanding

Mastalgia is pain in the breast. Actually, mastalgia is not a diagnosis, but a symptom based on certain conditions. The underlying condition can originate from the tissue inside the breast or outside the breast, for example, the chest muscles.

Data shows that 70 percent of women have experienced mastalgia at least once in their lifetime. Mastalgia isn’t always dangerous. Generally, mastalgia occurs due to the influence of hormones that regulate a person’s menstrual cycle. This is normal and not dangerous.

Very rarely cases of mastalgia are associated with cancer. In a survey in Edinburgh, of all women who came for treatment with complaints of mastalgia, it was only proven that 2.7 percent were later diagnosed as cancer.

Symptoms

Symptoms of mastalgia that are felt can include:

• Pain in one or both breasts
• Pain that can be dull or sharp
• There is swelling in the breast
• Felt before menstruation in mastalgia which is hormonal

In mastalgia caused by disorders of the surrounding organs, pain is generally also found outside the breast. For example, mastalgia is caused by chest muscle injury. In this condition, the patient will also complain of pain when the hand is stretched or pulled.

Reason

There are two types of mastalgia causes, namely:

• Hormonal, which means in connection with the menstrual cycle
• Non-hormonal and not related to the menstrual cycle

In mastalgia which is influenced by hormones, pain begins to occur near the time of ovulation. This pain continues until menstruation arrives. Psychological conditions such as stress can exacerbate the perceived mastalgia.

Apart from mastalgia related to the menstrual cycle, complaints of breast pain can also occur due to collisions, history of previous breast surgery, presence of breast tumors or cysts, imbalance in body fat levels, and muscle or joint injuries where the pain is felt radiating to the breasts.

Diagnosis

The causes of mastalgia are traced based on the patient’s complaints, namely the presence of pain in one or both breasts. From these complaints, a thorough medical interview will be carried out to find out the exact cause of the breast pain complaint.

These questions include:

• Location of pain
• Is the pain felt before the menstrual cycle
• Is there a change in the shape of the breast, is there any discharge, and are there any lumps
• There is no fever and drastic weight loss
• Has there ever been a collision to the breast
• Is there a history of using hormonal drugs

In addition to medical interviews, someone with complaints of breast pain also needs to undergo a physical examination. The physical examination is aimed at finding out whether there are changes in the shape of the breasts, whether there are changes in the surrounding skin, whether there is discharge from the nipples, and whether there are lumps in the breasts and around them.

In addition to medical interviews and physical examinations, several supporting examinations are also needed, such as:

• Mammograms use X-rays to look directly at the inside of the breast.
• Breast ultrasound uses electromagnetic waves.
• Biopsy by taking a small amount of breast tissue and then examining it under a microscope.

Treatment

In mastalgia that is affected by the menstrual cycle, pain can be minimized with the following steps:

• Avoid drinks that contain caffeine
• Take vitamin E
• Low-fat diet
• Take pain medication if necessary

In some cases, additional drugs that contain hormones or block the action of hormones are also needed, such as birth control pills, bromocriptine, danazol, thyroid hormone, and tamoxifen.

Treatment of mastalgia that is not related to the menstrual cycle is carried out based on the underlying disease. For example, in breast cysts, surgery may be needed to deal with the pain experienced.

Complications

In mastalgia associated with the menstrual cycle, there are generally no significant complications.

Prevention