Breasts change a lot over a woman's life. At some stage in their lives, many women have a change in their breast that is different to their usual hormonal changes. To be confident that your breast change is not cancer or another disease, your doctor will consider:. Breasts are made up of milk systems, fat, lymph nodes, veins and nerves. They do not have muscles, but there is some fibrous tissue. Some lumpiness, tissue that feels like a rope or a thick cord, or dense masses of tissue are usually natural and normal.
Breast Pain: 10 Reasons Your Breasts May Hurt | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Learn about our expanded patient care options for your health care needs. Pamela Ann Wright, M. Most women experience some form of breast pain at one time or another. Breast pain is typically easy to treat, but on rarer occasions it can be a sign of something more serious. Hormonal fluctuations are the number one reason women have breast pain. Breasts become sore three to five days prior to the beginning of a menstrual period and stop hurting after it starts. This is due to a rise in estrogen and progesterone right before your period.
If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. Women of all ages report having breast pain, also known as mastalgia. Pain can occur both before and after the menopause. However, breast pain is most common during the reproductive years.
Breast soreness is very common. It affects most women at some time in their lives. The degree of soreness, and where and how it is felt, differs for each woman. It might be sharp, stabbing, dull, throbbing or aching.