Breast Pain

by Guillaume Deshors

It is very common for those experiencing breast pain to be concerned that it is a symptom of breast cancer. Of course this may be the case, but there really is no need to be concerned, the best thing to do is to get it checked by your doctor as soon as you can, and get a mammogram done. It has been known for a long time that this kind of pain is normally associated with the menstrual cycle. The pains begin almost immediately after ovulation and amplify its intensity until the beginning of menses. After this it slowly disappears. Mostly, cycle related pains affect both breasts.

The study was revealing and confirms what many women with breast cancer who’ve had surgery or other breast procedures think. The pain they’re having in their breast or breasts is directly related to the treatment, therapy or surgery they had even if it occurs two years later. For most women, the real fear of Mastodynia is that it is an indication of the dreaded breast cancer. The good news is it usually is not. Breast cancer usually presents as a lump and the lump is rarely painful. Mastodynia, on the other hand, is often more a result of pain in joints surrounding the breasts or an underlying arthritic condition. In short, we are talking apples and oranges.

One of the common causes of benign breast lumps is dehydration – not drinking enough water – and/or drinking too much coffee. How coffee causes the lumps is not exactly known. Many of my patients have found that giving up coffee and drinking more water results in a great improvement, with less swelling before their periods and no pain or tenderness. Consult the doctor, he may suggest heat compress to avoid much pain in the breast. Taking medicines to ease the pain is also helpful. Antibiotics are prescribed to relieve the pain, but after two weeks of intake and no results, the doctor should suggest medical check up and surgery.

Pain in the left side of the body can be because of pancreatitis, stomach ulcer or ovulation pain. Pancreatitis is a common health problem having two types which are acute and chronic. In acute pancreatitis, the pain is sharp, short-lived and mostly severe. The pain can spread to the back or below the left shoulder blade. It is mainly caused by alcoholism, gallstones and gallbladder disease. Stress can intensify breast pain by making you more sensitive to normal hormonal changes. So do try to reduce stress in your life, whether it is by listening to music or by learning a relaxation technique such as biofeedback.