Breast pain (mastalgia) a common complaint
among women can include breast tenderness, sharp burning pain or tightness in
your breast tissue. The pain may be constant or it may occur only occasionally.
Breast pain can range from mild to severe. It
can affect you just a few days a month, for instance just before your period,
or can last for seven days or more each month. Breast pain may affect you just
before your period or it may continue throughout the menstrual cycle.
Postmenopausal women sometimes have breast pain, but breast pain is more common
in younger, premenopausal women and perimenopausal women.
Causes
Sometimes, it's not possible to identify the
exact cause of breast pain. Contributing factors may include one or more of the
following:
- Reproductive hormones.Cyclic breast pain appears to have a strong
link to hormones and your menstrual cycle. Cyclic breast pain often
decreases or disappears with pregnancy or menopause.
- Breast structure. Noncyclic breast pain often results from
things that affect the structure of the breast, such as breast cysts,
breast trauma, prior breast surgery or other factors localized to the
breast. Breast pain may also start outside the breast — in the chest wall,
muscles, joints or heart, for example — and radiate to the breast.
- Fatty acid imbalance. An imbalance of fatty acids within the
cells may affect the sensitivity of breast tissue to circulating hormones.
- Medication use. Certain hormonal medications, including some
infertility treatments and oral birth control pills, may be associated
with breast pain. Also, breast tenderness is a possible side effect of
estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy. Breast pain may be associated
with certain antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac
Weekly, Sarafem) and sertraline (Zoloft).
- Breast size. Women with large breasts may have noncyclic breast
pain related to the size of their breasts. Neck, shoulder and back pain
may accompany breast pain due to large breasts.
- Breast surgery. Breast pain associated with breast surgery can
sometimes linger after incisions have healed.
Remedies for Breast Pain
1. Ice
Pack
To get
relief from breast pain, you can use an ice pack. The cold temperature will
numb the tender area as well as reduce swelling and pain.
- Place a few ice cubes in a plastic
bag, and wrap it with a washcloth.
- Apply this ice pack to each of your
breasts for about 10 minutes.
- Repeat a few times a day until you
feel better.
You can also
use a warm compress, or alternating warm and cold compresses to reduce the
swelling and tenderness.
Note: Do
not apply ice directly on your breasts.
2. Self-Massage
Self-massaging
the breasts will help reduce inflammation as well as improve blood circulation.
This will help maintain healthy breast tissues and more nutrients
will reach the breasts to prevent pain and tenderness.
- When you are in the shower, soap your
breasts and then gently massage them for a few minutes from the center of
your chest out to your armpits. If breastfeeding, do not apply soap to the
nipples.
- Alternatively, add a few drops of
camphor oil to 2 tablespoons of warm olive oil and use it to massage the
breasts 1 or 2 times a day.
- Another option is to mix together
equal amounts of apricot oil and wheat germ oil and then use it as massage
oil for your tender breasts.
Massage your
breasts on a regular basis to keep them healthy and pain free.
3.
Evening Primrose Oil
One of the
best treatments for breast pain is evening primrose oil. This oil contains the
active ingredient gamolenic acid (GLA), a kind of fatty acid that helps the
body respond well to hormonal changes. This in turn eases breast tenderness and
pain.
- Apply evening primrose oil externally
on your breasts and massage gently for a few minutes.
- Another option is to take 240 to 500
mg of evening primrose oil standardized extract daily for about 3 months,
but only after consulting your doctor.
Note: If
you are trying to get pregnant or if you have epilepsy, do not use evening
primrose oil remedies.
4. Chaste
berry
The herb chaste
berry can also be used to treat cyclical mastalgia and other symptoms of
PMS. This herb has a positive effect on the pituitary gland to
suppress the release of prolactin, a hormone responsible for PMS symptoms,
including tender and painful breasts.
- The typical dose of dry chaste berry
extract is 20 mg, 1 to 3 times a day.
- You can also take chaste berry as a
liquid extract. Add 40 drops to a glass of water and drink it once in the
morning.
Follow
either of these remedies for at least 3 months. As with all supplements,
consult a doctor first.
5. Castor
Oil
Castor oil
contains ricinoleic acid, which has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties
that greatly help relieve breast pain. It also increases circulation, so that
nutrients reach the cells, and waste products and inflammatory factors are
removed from the body.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of castor oil with 2
tablespoons of any lighter oil, such as olive oil.
- Use it to massage all over your
breasts.
- Follow this remedy daily in the week
prior to your period.
6.
Dandelion
According to
naturopathy, dandelion can help deal with tenderness and pain in breasts. It is
a natural diuretic and contains lots of potassium that helps flush extra
fluids out of the body and prevents water retention. This in turn reduces
breast pain.
- Simmer 1 teaspoon of dried dandelion
root in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Strain and add a little honey.
Drink up to 3 cups of this herbal tea a day.
- You can also take this herb in
supplement form, after consulting your doctor.
7. Fennel
Fennel is
useful in relieving breast tenderness and pain associated with premenstrual
syndrome (PMS) and menstruation. It helps rebalance female hormones and
prevents water retention. It also prevents the buildup of toxins in the body.
- Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds to a
cup of hot water, cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain, and drink this
tea a few times daily.
- You can also chew some roasted fennel
seeds a few times daily to prevent PMS symptoms like breast pain.
8. Apple
Cider Vinegar
Apple cider
vinegar is helpful in dealing with breast pain. It can help remove toxins from
the body, reduce water retention and regulate hormones. This in turn helps
reduce breast pain and tenderness
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of raw,
unfiltered apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water.
- Add a little honey and mix well.
- Drink this solution twice daily.
REMEMBER
Breast pain
can get worse with changes in your hormone levels or changes in the medicines
you are taking. Stress can also affect breast pain. You are more likely to have
breast pain before menopause than after menopause.