BREAST PAIN

Breast pain (mastalgia) is the most common breast related complaint among women; nearly 70% of women experience breast pain at some point in their lives. Breast pain may occur in one or both breasts or in the underarm region of the body.

About 10 percent of women have moderate to severe breast pain more than five days a month. In some cases, severe breast pain lasts throughout the menstrual cycles. Postmenopausal women can experience breast pain, but the symptom occurs more frequently in younger, premenopausal women and perimenopausal women. When it's severe, breast pain can have a major impact on daily activities, work and relationships.

Breast pain alone rarely signifies breast cancer. Still, if you have unexplained breast pain that persists, causes worry about breast cancer or otherwise disrupts your life, get checked by your doctor.

The severity of breast pain varies from woman to woman; approximately 15% of women require treatment. Though breast pain is not normally associated with breast cancer, women who experience any breast abnormalities, including breast pain, should consult their physicians.

OUR HERBAL TREATMENT helps relieve breast pain and is a revolutionary new way to relieve BREAST pain naturally. Now pain sufferers don't have to use chemicals, and drugs. OUR HERBAL TREATMENT is a 100% natural product that is a combination of 14 natural oils and extracts..            

What Causes Breast Pain?

• Cyclical breast pain is related to how the breast tissue responds to monthly changes in a woman’s estrogen and progesterone hormone levels. If breast pain is accompanied by lumpiness, cysts (accumulated packets of fluid), or areas of thickness, the condition is usually called fibrocystic change. During each menstrual cycle, breast tissue sometimes swells because hormonal stimulation causes the breast’s milk glands and ducts to enlarge, and in turn, the breasts retain water. The breasts may feel swollen, painful, tender, or lumpy a few days before menstruation. Breast pain and swelling usually ends when menstruation is over. The average age of women who have cyclical breast pain is 34 years old.

Cyclical breast pain may last for several years but usually stops after menopause unless a woman uses hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Cyclical breast pain accounts for nearly 75% of all breast complaints. Of all women who experience breast pain, two thirds experience cyclical breast pain. Physicians often have patients chart their pain to determine whether the pain is cyclical. Though cyclical breast pain is usually related to the menstrual cycle, stress may also affect hormone levels and influence breast pain. Physical activity, especially heavy lifting or prolonged use of the arms, has also been shown to increase breast pain (pectoral (chest) muscles may become sore from physical activity).

• Non-cyclical breast pain is far less common than cyclical breast pain and is not related to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Women who experience non-cyclical breast pain often experience pain in one specific area of the breast(s). Woman who experience injury or trauma to the breast or those who undergo breast biopsy sometimes experience non-cyclical pain. The condition may occur in both pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women and usually subsides after one to two years. Non-cyclical pain is most common in women between 40 and 50 years of age. Usually, non-cyclical breast pain does not indicate breast cancer, though women should discuss the condition with their physicians.

Another type of non-cyclical pain called costochondritis does not actually occur in the breast; however, the condition may feel as though it is coming from the breast. This type of arthritic pain occurs in the middle of the chest where the ribs and the breast bone connect. Costochondritis may occur as the result of poor posture or aging. Women who experience costochondritis usually describe it as a burning sensation in the breast.

Thanks to significant advances in the botanical sciences, it is now possible for you to own voluptuous breasts naturally and permanently without risky and expensive surgery. You just need to know the FDA approved herbs that will let your develop traffic-stopping breasts.

Other factors that may contribute to breast pain in some women include:

• Oral contraceptive pills

• Hormone replacement therapy

• Weight gain

• Bras that do not fit properly

• Tumors (most painful tumors do not usually indicate breast cancer; however, all abnormalities should be examined by a physician. For example, some patients with inflammatory breast cancer describe "stabbing pains" in the breast).

OTHER CAUSES

Most of the time, it's not possible to identify the exact cause of breast pain. Likely contributors are:

Reproductive hormones. Cyclic breast pain appears to have a strong link to hormones. The fact that cyclic breast pain often decreases or disappears with pregnancy or menopause lends support to the theory that hormones play a role.

• However, no studies have identified a particular hormonal abnormality as a contributor to cyclic breast pain.

• Anatomical factors. The cause of noncyclic breast pain is likely to be anatomical rather than hormonal, triggered by breast cysts, breast trauma, prior breast surgery or other factors localized to the breast. Noncyclic breast pain may also originate 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. This theory provides the rationale for taking evening primrose oil capsules as a remedy for breast pain. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a type of fatty acid. GLA is thought to restore the fatty acid balance and decrease the sensitivity of breast tissue to circulating hormone levels.

• Medication use. Certain hormonal medications, including some infertility treatments and oral contraceptives, may be associated with breast pain. Also, breast tenderness is a possible side effect of estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy, which could explain why some women continue to have breast pain even after menopause. There have also been reports of breast pain associated with prescribed antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft).

• Breast size. Women with large breasts may have noncyclic breast pain related primarily to the size of their breasts. This type of breast discomfort is typically accompanied by neck, shoulder and back pain. Some studies have shown that breast reduction surgery can reduce these symptoms. Breast surgery itself, however, also causes pain, which may linger after the incisions have healed.

Women should report all complaints of persistent breast pain to their physicians. Physicians will evaluate the pain, taking into account the woman’s personal history, family history, the area of pain, the intensity and duration of the pain, and the extent to which the pain interferes with her lifestyle.

Physicians will also perform clinical breast examinations, and if necessary, order additional breast imaging exams (such as mammography or ultrasound) to help determine whether the pain is related to another breast condition or possibly cancer. If no breast abnormality is indicated, the physician and woman should decide together whether drug treatment is necessary.

Most women with moderate breast pain are not treated with medications or surgical procedures. The following suggestions have been shown to reduce breast pain in some women (although there is not sufficient scientific evidence to establish the effectiveness of any of these suggestions):

• Wear a good, supportive bra to reduce breast movement. Many women with breast pain find it comfortable to also wear a bra while they sleep.
• Limit sodium intake.
• Reduce caffeine intake (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate).
• Maintain a low fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains.
• Maintain an ideal weight. Losing excess weight may reduce breast pain by stabilizing hormone levels.

Relax. Some breast pain can be caused by stress and may subside by reducing anxiety and tension.

If breast pain is severe and interferes with a woman’s daily activities, further treatment may be necessary. Diuretics, substances that remove excess fluid from the body in the form of urine, are the most commonly prescribed treatment for persistent, non-cyclical breast pain. The release of fluid in the body helps decrease breast pain and swelling.

Herbal Treatments For Severe Breast Pain

Most breast pain, swelling, sensitivity is related to hormonal imbalance.

Only 10% of diagnosed breast cancers present with pain as a symptom. Sometimes relief is as simple as wearing a well-fitting sports bra.

OUR HERBAL TREATMENT helps relieve breast pain and is a revolutionary new way to relieve BREAST pain naturally. Now, pain sufferers don't have to use chemicals, and drugs. OUR HERBAL TREATMENT is a 100% natural product that is a combination of 14 natural oils and extracts..

Breast Pain While Nursing

While 80% of women experience mild breast pain during the first few days of breast-feeding, pain usually subsides within a few weeks. Chronic breast pain during nursing should be reported to a certified lactation consultant for clinical evaluation.

Persistent breast pain while nursing may result from:

• Improper positioning. Leaning over the baby can lead to breast and back pain.

• Engorgement. Engorgement is a build-up of fluids that occurs as milk converts from colostrum (nutrient produced during the first few days after birth) to mature milk. Engorgement is a temporary condition (lasting approximately 12 to 24 hours) and is most common during the first few weeks after pregnancy. If the breasts are becoming swollen, physicians recommend breast-feeding to avoid engorgement.

• Strong milk ejection reflexes. The actual process of expelling milk from the breast is called milk-ejection reflex. Milk is ejected from the breast into the baby’s mouth. Normally, women feel a mild tingling sensation during milk ejection. However, some women have strong milk ejection reflexes and experience a painful tingling or stinging sensation during breast-feeding. This usually subsides after the first few weeks of nursing.

• Nipple blanching (also called vasospasm). The nipples turn white during and often in between breast-feeding. Many women report burning sensations in the nipples. Nipple blanching may be relieved with warm compresses and good breast support.

• Mastitis. This benign (non-cancerous) condition is common among women who breast-feed. Cracking of the skin around the nipple allows bacteria from the skin surface to enter the breast duct where it grows and attracts inflammatory cells. Inflammatory cells release substances to fight the infection but also cause breast tissue swelling and increased blood flow. Breasts infected with mastitis often swell, become red in color, and feel warm to the touch. Nasopharyngeal organisms from the infant's mouth, sinuses and other air passages are usually the source of breast infections in lactating women. Physicians recommend keeping the breast empty of milk helps to drain the culture medium (environment and food source) that is facilitating growth of organisms. Breast-feeding with mastitis is generally not harmful to the infant and may actually help speed up recovery. Mastitis is also treated with antibiotics

Most cases of breast pain are classified as either cyclic or noncyclic. Each type of breast pain has distinct characteristics.

Extra Mammary Breast Pain

Extramammary breast pain feels like it originates in the breast, but its source is actually somewhere else. Pulling a muscle in your chest, for example, can cause pain in your chest wall or rib cage.

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have breast pain that persists daily for more than a couple of weeks, if your breast pain seems to be getting worse over time or if your breast pain interferes with daily activities.

Also see your doctor for evaluation if you have pain in one particular area within your breast. Although it's not a common symptom of breast cancer, breast pain does occur in about 2 to 7 percent of women with breast cancer. 

• Even though there is little formal research to show the efficacy of these self-care remedies, they help many women manage their breast pain. Some may be worth a try:

• Use hot or cold compresses on your breasts.

• Wear a firm support bra, fitted by a professional if possible.

• Wear a sports bra during exercise and while sleeping, especially when your breasts may be more sensitive.

• Experiment with relaxation therapy, which can help control the high levels of anxiety associated with severe breast pain.

• Limit or eliminate caffeine, a dietary change many women swear by, although medical studies of caffeine's effect on breast pain and other premenstrual symptoms have been inconclusive.

• Decrease the fat in your diet to less than 20 percent of total calories, which may improve breast pain by altering the fatty acid balance.

• Use a pain reliever (analgesic), such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), to alleviate breast pain.

• Keep a journal noting when you experience breast pain and other symptoms, to determine if your pain is cyclic or noncyclic.

Tests and Diagnosis

Tests to evaluate your condition may include:

• Clinical Breast Exam and Physical Exam

During this exam, your doctor checks for unusual areas in your breasts, visually and manually examining your breasts and the lymph nodes located in your lower neck and underarm area. Your doctor will probably listen to your heart and lungs and check your chest wall and abdomen to be certain the pain originates from your breast and isn't related to some other condition. If your medical history and the physical exam reveal nothing unusual, you may not need additional tests.

• Mammography

If your doctor detects a breast lump, unusual thickening in your breast tissue, or a focused area of pain, you need to undergo mammography — an X-ray exam of your breast tissue. Even if your physical exam is normal, your doctor may recommend mammography if you're age 30 or older, to double-check for suspicious areas in your breast that may be too small to feel.

• Ultrasound

An ultrasound exam uses sound waves to produce images of your breasts and is often performed in conjunction with mammography. Younger women — those under age 30 — might undergo ultrasound to evaluate a focused area of pain even if the physical exam appears normal.

• Breast Biopsy

Suspicious breast lumps, areas of thickening or unusual areas seen during imaging exams may require a biopsy before your doctor can make a diagnosis. During a biopsy, your doctor (radiologist) obtains a small sample of breast tissue from the suspicious area and sends it for microscopic analysis.