Why Can Breasts Hurt?
Physically, each woman goes through different challenging situations throughout her life, mainly due to hormonal activity. In particular this happens before and after ‘development’, when hormonal variations bring with them major changes in the body that can make the breasts ache.
Breast discomfort is very common in women and raises the following questions: why can breasts hurt? What are the reasons why women may experience breast pain? Well, these pains can appear for several reasons, ranging from menstruation to pregnancy.
Inflammation and tenderness before or during the menstrual cycle is very common. In general, they mean nothing serious and can simply be caused by hormonal changes or even incorrect use of bras.
Sometimes women link breast pain directly to breast cancer. Thus, distressing thoughts are created that generate a high level of stress, which is very negative for health in general. So, for everyone’s peace of mind, we’ve decided to give you some reasons why you might feel some discomfort or pain in your breasts.
The most common causes why breasts can hurt
1. Hormonal changes
It is common for young women to experience pain during the days they experience premenstrual syndrome. Some women, because they know their bodies well, are able to detect their fertile period. During these periods, breasts may ache. This discomfort appears in the middle of the menstrual cycle, which coincides with ovulation and the days prior to menstruation.
The two phases of the cycle mentioned above coincide with the sharpest changes in female hormone levels. In addition, the use of birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy can influence the appearance of these discomforts, among other reasons.
2. Pregnancy
For many women, one of the first symptoms that appear when they become pregnant is breast pain. This is because the breasts are more sensitive when women who are young become pregnant or when it is a woman’s first pregnancy. However, it is considered normal to experience pain in the first trimester of pregnancy. The breasts increase in size and blue veins appear that indicate increased blood flow.
3. Breastfeeding
Normally, when a woman has just given birth, she often experiences pain in her breasts, whether or not she is nursing her baby. This is due to the phenomenon known as the “rise of milk”. However, it is necessary to pay close attention to whether the pain is (or not) frequent or intense and if it does not improve with time, as it is possible to be facing a case of mastitis.
4. Mastitis
This problem, which appears as an inflammation in the breasts, is caused by the obstruction of the lactiferous ducts. This is because there may be an infection in the breast, caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. We should pay special attention to the following symptoms: redness in the breasts, pain and fever.
5. Incorrect bra size
The proper use of the bra is essential for good breast health. If it’s too small for the size of your breasts, it can tighten too much, causing pain and hampering blood flow. This can, therefore, generate constant discomfort in the breasts.
In addition, if the bra has rings, you run the risk of breaking and injuring the breasts, possibly even damaging the breast ligaments. On the contrary, if the size is too large, it will not provide the necessary support. One of the consequences of lack of good support is the acceleration of flaccidity and inflammation of the shoulder tendons.
6. Excessive physical exercise
The breasts are glands made up of soft tissue located before the muscle. For this reason, it would not be strange to feel uncomfortable in this region after a long and arduous practice of physical exercise. If the pain in the breasts is very severe and persists over the days, the ideal would be to check that it is not a distension.
It is necessary to keep in mind that when exercising, it is essential to provide proper support for the breasts, wearing a good bra, especially for physical activities. The woman should make sure she is wearing the correct size and a suitable model that minimizes the impact of her movements. With these measures, it is possible to avoid the pain in the breasts caused by physical exercise.
7. Breast cancer
When this disease is confirmed, breast pain is one of the symptoms that takes longer to appear. If the patient has a continuous medical follow-up and undergoes treatments on time, the chances of not feeling any further discomfort due to this pathology increase.
It is recommended to perform a breast self-examination once a month as a precautionary measure. If you do not find any abnormalities when performing the exam and you continue to feel pain, it is possible that there are other benign pathologies influencing.
