Breast Pain: How To Deal With It?

Breast pain (mastalgia) is one of the common medical complaints among women. A large number of women experience this at some stage in their lives even though the gravity varies from person to person. It often triggers the fear of cancer. So, it is very much essential for you to understand the following facts about this medical condition.

Types Of Breast Pain:

Mastalgia is of two types; cyclical and noncyclical. The cyclical pain occurs during your menstrual cycles because of the changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones. It can start a few days before the menstruation and ends when the cycle is over. This may last for years, but normally ends after your menopause.

The non-cyclical one is not related to your menstrual cycle. It is mostly felt in a specific area. This can be the result of a biopsy, but mostly not a sign of cancer. There is another type called costochondritis, which does not occur in your mammaries; but feels so. The reason can be aging or poor posture.

These Are The Causes:

You could experience soreness in your breasts due to any of the following reasons:

* Hormonal changes and water retention during the menstrual cycle * Any injury on or near the chest area * Pregnancy * Infection * Breastfeeding * Use of oral contraceptive pills * Weight gain * Wearing ill-fitting bra * Tumors

Identify The Symptoms:

If your breast pain is cyclical, it is usually felt on both the sides and can leave you feeling heavy on the chest. It starts two weeks before your period, and will increase till the start of the period and then subside. And if you feel a burning and sharp ache, limited to only one side, it is noncyclical. For both, see whether you have nipple discharges, indications of infection like pus, redness, or fever, and any lump.

How To Diagnose?

As per your description of the situation, your doctor will decide whether you need any treatment or not. If your age is less than 35 and you don't have a lump, then a medical test or examination is not recommended. But, even if you don't have a swelling, and are above 35 years of age, you may need to go in for a mammogram once every year.

What Is The Treatment?

The treatment varies according to the causes. Some possible treatments include using a support bra, taking medicines, and using danazol for severe ache. You can also try some natural methods such as:

* Avoiding excessive intake of caffeine * Using less salt * Taking vitamin E or vitamin B6 * Taking a "water-pill" (a diuretic) * Maintaining an ideal weight * Wearing a comfortable bra * Reducing the anxiety levels, and * Sitting in a proper posture while breastfeeding.

It is very important that you analyze the nature of your breast pain and consult a medical practitioner at the earliest to avoid further complications.

by : Andrew Stratton
Source : www.amazines.com