At least once in a lifetime, every woman has felt soreness in her chest. There are many reasons for pain in the mammary gland - these can be hormonal disorders, serious pathologies, and sometimes physiological processes, which means there is no reason to worry. The stronger the pain, the more significantly it affects well-being, the sooner you need to visit a doctor. It makes sense to imagine why the chest hurts, what is the nature of the sensations.
Dedicated to Anatomy
Before you figure out where the pain in the left or right breast came from, it is worth understanding the structure of the chest. Organ formed:
- fibrous tissue;
- fat structures;
- dividing glandular areas into sections by ducts;
- glandular cells.
Fibrous tissue, gland correlate with each other in a certain proportion. For a woman, the value is strictly individual. The ratio is determined by the hormonal background, age. playsthe role of the specificity of the structure of a particular woman.
Normally, iron undergoes cyclical changes corresponding to menstruation. They are explained by the adjustment of hormonal balance. Usually the duration of the cycle is 28 days. During the first half of this period, follicles mature in the ovaries, then a rupture occurs, and the egg is released. The process is called ovulation.
Ovulation triggers the release of estrogen into the bloodstream. The place of the follicle after it is occupied by the corpus luteum, and progesterone becomes dominant in the circulatory system. In the absence of conception on time, the corpus luteum degenerates. At the end of the cycle, the concentration of hormonal compounds in the circulatory system is low, monthly bleeding begins.
Estrogen can be one of the causes of breast pain. This hormone has a strong influence on breast development, stimulates an increase in the number of glandular cells, and provokes the growth of fibrin tissue. With an excess of estrogen, the glands can transform into cysts. Such formations in the predominant percentage do not pose a danger, and no treatment is prescribed, but the patient is registered, regularly examined by ultrasound, and palpated.
Under the influence of progesterone, the breasts can swell, and the blood supply to this area is activated. Shortly before monthly bleeding, most women feel pain in the right breast or left, more often in both. These features should not cause panic: the processes are natural, the cells are preparing in the production of milk in case conception occurs. However, if the pain becomes very strong, then it is worthsee a doctor - perhaps the reasons are much more unpleasant, unnatural.
Mastodynia
This term refers to the condition when pain in the mammary gland on the left, on the right occurs when menstruation approaches. Medical statistics show that the main percentage of women who go to doctors because of pain suffer from them precisely because of the cycle. Unpleasant sensations begin a few days before the start of bleeding, weaken when the discharge begins, completely disappear with the completion of menstruation. Such pains in the mammary gland with menopause completely disappear.
Mastodynia is more often recorded in the age group of 17-40 years. To a greater extent, persons with medium-sized or larger than average-sized breasts are susceptible to it. Usually sensations are evenly distributed on both breasts. The maximum soreness is localized in the upper part of the organ.
PMS
Quite often, pain in the mammary gland (left, right) worries monthly, being an element of premenstrual syndrome. The discomfort associated with this period can be significant. Additionally, PMS is indicated:
- mood swings;
- prone to irritation;
- anxiety;
- concern;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- appetite activation;
- gas formation is more than normal.
If the cause of soreness is PMS, there is no discomfort before ovulation. If they're bothering you at any point in your cycle, it's because of something else. Usually sorecomes after the 14th day of the next menstrual cycle, until that moment there is no discomfort in the chest. The peak of negative sensations falls on 2-3 days before the onset of bleeding.
Such a syndrome worries a predominant percentage of women, although its strength varies. There is no need to treat pain associated with PMS. Some healers believe that the syndrome is one of the harbingers of cancer, but special studies conducted on this topic have not revealed any patterns and connections.
Pain: not tied to a cycle
Non-cyclic soreness is a sensation that cannot be explained by PMS. Causes of breast pain in women:
- drug therapy;
- transferred operation;
- injury;
- neoplasms (malignant, benign).
Statistics show that non-cyclic pain is most often attributed to a cyst, tumor, or injury. With such causes, sensations disturb only in one of the breasts. Often sensations are localized in a small, easily identifiable area.
Cysts
This term is used to denote cavities filled with a special organic liquid. As doctors say, at least one cyst is in the body of almost any woman - this is due to the specifics of the menstrual cycle. Problems begin when such formations become larger than average in size. To establish the cause of pain in the mammary glands, the patient is sent for an ultrasound examination. In the absence of signs of malignancy, the cyst is usually not disturbed. In some cases, a coursetreatment similar to diffuse mastopathy.
A special approach is needed for patients in whom ultrasound was able to detect dubious areas of tissue in the breast. If the pain is associated precisely with such areas, doctors will refer for additional studies in order to exclude malignant processes. It is highly likely that they will advise you to go for an operation to remove suspicious elements, especially if they provoke very severe pain in the mammary gland.
Fibroadenoma
The term is used to denote a benign neoplasm. In most cases, it has a round shape, rarely provokes severe pain. Adenoma mobile, smooth. There are different options for localization, the dimensions also vary significantly from case to case. Breast pain in women with fibroadenoma depends on the size and location of the formation. With such a problem, you need to contact a mammologist, gynecologist.
Fibroadenomas are due to hormonal imbalances. More often the diagnosis is made to young ladies. If studies have shown a fibrous adenoma, the patient is referred for a biopsy in order to exclude cell malignancy. The specialist inserts a needle into the detected node, takes a small amount of samples for histological examination. Cells are studied in the laboratory under high magnification. After confirming the diagnosis, a benign neoplasm is removed surgically. After the operation and successful rehabilitation, the syndrome completely exhausts itself.
Lactocele
Possible breast pain in women due to milk-containing cysts. Usually the formation is due to a scar, due to which the fluid is not released. Lactocele is a formation characteristic of women who, during feeding, milk stagnation occurs, the outflow of this fluid is disturbed. Over time, the cyst becomes larger as the cavity accumulates milk produced by the gland, and this causes pain.
Pain in the area of the mammary glands with lactocele is especially severe, if the violation is accompanied by an abscess, when suppuration occurs in the affected area. To clarify the condition, a puncture is required. If the procedure is accompanied by the release of milk, the diagnosis is considered established. To alleviate the condition, the woman is sent for an operation to remove the formation.
Lactostasis
In this case, the pain in the mammary gland is explained by an unformed feeding rhythm. For example, a child may have a weak appetite, and the glands produce a large amount of milk, which leads to stagnation. Over time, individual parts of the chest become denser, aching pain is localized here. There may be an increase in temperature, but not too significant. Usually this phenomenon is observed in the first quarter, sometimes a third of the year since the start of feeding. Gradually, the body independently adjusts to the rhythms that satisfy the child's appetite.
The main method of combating lactostasis is the activation of feeding. The initial portion of milk should be expressed. The first three months after the birth of the child, you need to feed constantly, when the baby askseat. This applies not only to daytime hours, but also to nighttime hours. With lactostasis, the pain in the mammary gland becomes even stronger if the woman stops using the disturbing breast to feed the baby.
Mastitis
The word is familiar to many, although not everyone knows what it means. The term is used to denote inflammatory processes that explain chest pain. The mammary glands are more likely to become inflamed during the period of feeding the child in a natural way. Mastitis in this situation is closely related to lactostasis. With stagnation of milk and the presence of cracks in the nipples, local immunity is greatly weakened, pathological bacteria receive conditions that are comfortable for existence and reproduction, and colonies grow at a very rapid pace. With mastitis, the breast swells, fever is possible, and the skin turns red. The organ hurts a lot, the patient as a whole feels weak. The heat can reach 39 degrees.
If the pain in the mammary gland on the right, on the left is due to mastitis, there are no problems with diagnosis. It is more difficult to maintain the possibility of natural feeding. The therapeutic course usually involves antibiotics. Medicines are chosen by the doctor, based on the characteristics of the pathological microflora identified during the tests. If the condition does not improve, antimicrobials do not show a pronounced effect, the patient may be referred to the surgical department. An incision is made on the chest to remove purulent secretions. All activities are carried out with the utmost care to preserve the opportunitybreastfeeding as you recover.
Injuries
For this reason, discomfort is rare. In women, pain in the mammary gland on the right or left is possible if the patient is injured, for example, in an accident. If an event caused a hematoma, over time, the area begins to hurt. Removal of a hematoma is possible by puncture. This helps to prevent inflammatory processes. By the way, this is characteristic not only of the fair sex, with large mammary glands. Pain in a man in the chest area after an injury is also possible - it all depends on how exactly the person suffered, on which part of the body the load of an external aggressive factor fell.
Implants cause pain
Pain may accompany the period after implant surgery. There are many reasons for such a surgical intervention, but the two most common are:
- reconstruction;
- breast augmentation.
During the rehabilitation period, the resulting scars heal, gradually the body gets used to the new volumes. After a while, the pain completely disappears on its own. If this does not happen, the sensations intensify, the patient's condition as a whole becomes worse, and the likelihood of an inflammatory process is high. In addition, incorrect, unsuccessful installation can cause irritation of nerve endings, which also causes pain.
If after surgery a woman often feels aching pain in the mammary glands, it is necessarycontact the doctor who performed the intervention. The doctor will explain in which cases sensations are considered normal, in which additional intervention is required.
Nipples: cracked
Shortly after the birth of a child, breast pain is a concern for almost every woman. The child needs frequent feeding, and the body is not yet accustomed to this, the process of milk production does not converge in rhythm with the appearance of appetite in the child. The need for frequent feeding causes not only pain, but also local burning, itching, because the nipple is constantly irritated by the child's lips. If the skin is dehydrated, cracks soon form, exacerbating the discomfort.
After the birth, the mother must feed the baby frequently, and the time intervals between events are not enough for the wounds received during the previous procedure to heal. The child irritates the damaged nipples again and again, the cracks become larger, they hurt a lot, and it is simply impossible to heal them. To alleviate the condition a little, you should use special wound healing agents. Popular ointments:
- Bepanthen.
- "Depanthenol".
They are made specifically for nursing mothers, so they are completely safe for both the adult body and the child. If more severe wounds than cracks appear on the nipples, you should consult a doctor. The process is complicated by inflammation, pathological microflora multiplies here. Breastfeeding should not be done to a sick child.
It hurts! But why?
Not always pain in the mammary gland in women on the left, on the right is explainedspecific features of the reproductive cycle. One possible cause is Tietze's syndrome. Medical statistics show that it occurs infrequently. A distinctive feature is pain, swelling near the costal cartilages. The causes of this disease have not yet been established. It is known that the condition becomes worse if a woman is faced with exorbitant physical activity, is regularly exposed to stress factors. The spread of pain from the ribs is possible in the area of \u200b\u200bthe mammary gland. To identify the disease, you need to sign up for a chest x-ray procedure. The doctor will examine the results and assess the condition of the cartilage in this area. A specific therapeutic approach has not yet been developed. If the pain is severe, anti-inflammatory and painkillers are prescribed. It is known that there is a high probability of self-healing if you adjust your lifestyle, primarily physical activity.
Possible pain, radiating to the mammary gland, with shingles. A disease of viral origin. For the first time, a person encounters a pathogen as a child - chickenpox has a similar nature. Although the disease passes, the person will still be a carrier of the virus, with time a relapse in the form of shingles is possible. The disease is accompanied by various unpleasant sensations, rashes, vesicles with a specific liquid appear on the skin. The affected areas hurt. If the lichen has affected the chest, this area will also respond with pain.
More often with shingles, the lower back suffers, damage is done to both the skin and nerveendings in this area. Somewhat less often fix foci on the mammary glands. Symptoms are in many ways similar to mastopathy, which can cause an incorrect diagnosis. Usually, rashes become less noticeable 2-3 weeks after the onset of the disease, gradually the pain goes away completely. Antiviral drugs can be used to alleviate the condition. In modern pharmacies, there is a fairly large selection of remedies for herpetic viruses - they are indicated for herpes zoster.
Danger lies in wait for everyone
Perhaps the worst explanation for breast pain is cancer. Among the total number of women suffering from soreness in this area, only a small percentage have cancer. At the same time, among malignant neoplasms, perhaps the most common in women is the process affecting the breast. In developed countries, the incidence of this oncological disease is growing from year to year. If you fail to notice the disease in time, make a diagnosis, choose the right method of treatment, the risk of death is high.
Higher chance of cancer if female:
- did not give birth;
- not pregnant;
- over 60;
- suffered malignant neoplasms of the intestinal tract, ovaries;
- has cancer patients in immediate family.
Higher chance of cancer in people who had their first period before age 12, menopause started too late. Provoke malignant processes can features of the hormonal background. If cancer is knownmother, grandmother had breasts, you should constantly come for preventive examinations, since the likelihood of a neoplasm is much higher than for other women. But soreness with PMS is not a reason to look for oncological diseases in oneself, doctors have not revealed any connection between these two conditions.
How to notice?
Pain in breast cancer is not always a concern. Soreness is characteristic only of the case when the tumor affects the nerve endings, compresses the tissues of this system. In order to notice something was wrong in time, you should regularly come for a check-up to the doctor. You can carry out diagnostics at home. Palpation of the breast allows you to notice seals, which, in turn, may indicate cell malignancy. Doctors recommend having a check-up every week. The reason to visit the doctor should be any education, no matter how small they are, what shape they have. If the contours are uneven, the area is motionless, the areas are large, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Malignant processes can be suspected not only by pain in the mammary gland in women on the left and right, but also by the following characteristic manifestations:
- Presence of discharge (for non-nursing women).
- Asymmetrical breasts.
- Nipple retraction.
- Temperature rise (local).
- Soreness to touch, not unique to PMS.
- Presence of ulceration on the skin.
- The appearance of "lemon peel" on the surface of the glands.
- Changeskin tone.
If there is a stabbing pain in the mammary glands, aching, activated by touch, palpation, if the condition is accompanied by one or more of the symptoms mentioned, it is reasonable to make an appointment with a doctor. The doctor will prescribe instrumental and laboratory tests. In the predominant percentage of cases, the patient is referred for a mammogram - an x-ray of the chest. It is especially important to regularly undergo such a study for people over the age of forty. If the structure of the gland is such that there are many seals, mammography will not give accurate information. In the reproductive period, ultrasound examination of the breast structure is much more useful and informative. With ultrasound, it is possible to make a differential diagnosis of cysts.
To clarify the condition, they are sent for MRI, CT. As a preventive, such approaches are irrelevant, but if you suspect oncology, the study will have to be completed without fail. If an ultrasound or x-ray shows a lump, a biopsy is needed even if the area is not causing pain. Obtaining cells for laboratory histological examination allows you to determine exactly what the nature of the formation is, how dangerous it is, whether malignancy has occurred, and if not, how great is the risk of such a transformation. A fairly popular approach is to remove the neoplasm. After the operation, a study is carried out to determine whether malignancy has occurred. If the area is found to be cancerous, the patient is given additional procedures.
Pain is not alwayspoints to bad
Pain under the mammary glands and in them can occur if a woman becomes pregnant. Often, it is pain that is the first sign that comes earlier than the absence of another menstruation. Immediately after conception, changes in the hormonal background begin, which means that the processes of restructuring the gland start. The sensations at the same time are similar to those that are pursued before the onset of monthly bleeding.
To clarify the nature of the pain, you should consult a doctor. Perhaps special tests will reveal the fact of pregnancy. The sooner this can be established, the faster the woman will be able to adjust the rhythm and lifestyle so that the process proceeds as easily as possible, and the birth goes quickly, the child is he althy.
Chest pain on the left
If the pain is acute, localized strictly in the left mammary gland, it is likely that it is associated with a violation of the functionality, he alth of the tissues of the respiratory or cardiac system. Perhaps the pleura is affected. There is a possibility that chest pain indicates trauma, inflammation, malignancy in the respiratory system.
Pain may radiate to the left half of the chest with unhe althy changes in the pericardium and other muscle tissues of the heart. In some cases, acute pain is provoked by pulmonary thromboembolism. The patient loses consciousness, before this, shortness of breath worries.
Special attention should be paid to the diagnosis, if the left mammary gland and the arm from this half of the body hurt at the same time. There is a possibility that the cause is a heart attack. It is known that women have a relatively high percentage of cases,when a heart attack occurs without pronounced manifestations, only pain, a general increase in temperature are disturbing, so many do not pay due attention to their condition. This leads to complications in the future. If both the chest and the arm hurt, it is worth visiting the doctor and checking the heart. You may need to undergo treatment.
Diseases and consequences
If the pains bother you for a long time, have a pulling character, it is likely that inflammatory processes manifest themselves in this way. The area of their localization is not easy to predict - it can be organs not only of the sternum, but also of the abdominal cavity. It hurts in the chest if the foci of chronic inflammation are in:
- intestinal tract;
- pleura;
- pancreas;
- spleen.
If the sensations become stronger at the time of physical exertion, the cause is probably in the heart. Perhaps this is a pathology of the myocardium. When vomiting, chest pain is a sign of an ulcer.
If the nature of the pain is stabbing, there is a high probability of neuralgia between the ribs. The reason is the infringement of the nerve roots. This may indicate inflammatory processes localized in the tissues of the nervous system or muscle fibers. In some cases, stabbing or acute pain is a sign of a severe pathological process in the intestinal tract and lungs. Perhaps this is how the consequences of injuries received by the organs of these systems express themselves. Only by identifying the exact cause, one should begin to fight the symptoms.
It hurts because of hormones: what to do?
Because in most cases the reason is preciselyadjustment of the hormonal background, it is worth considering what measures and methods will alleviate the condition. It is not always necessary to resort to medicines - the most ordinary foodstuffs will benefit. For example, to get rid of excess estrogen, you should diversify your diet with foods containing tocopherol. The accumulation of hormones leads to pain and can cause neoplasms, and regular use of vitamin E eliminates such consequences. You can not only include vitamin-rich foods in your diet, but also use pharmacy medicines. Doctors advise providing the body with a daily intake of 500 units.
Excess estrogen can be produced with a lack of fiber. It is useful for women to eat foods rich in fiber, which contain a minimum content of fat fractions. This will allow you to control the concentration of estrogens, which means that the risk of cysts, neoplasms that depend on the hormonal background is reduced.
Chocolate, coffee, tea are considered harmful. These products contain methylxanthines, which can provoke the appearance of dense nodular structures in the glands. The body receives methylxanthines with cola. To ensure your safety and reduce the risk of developing formations in the mammary glands, you need to minimize the intake of these products. This is especially important for individuals who are prone to the appearance of cysts from the connective tissue. During PMS, you should completely exclude drinks containing caffeine from the diet.
