What are the symptoms for breast pain?

• There are two main types of mastalgia – cyclical and non-cyclical.
• Cyclical breast pain is linked to the monthly menstrual cycle and fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone levels, causing breasts to become tender or painful just before a period.
• Non-cyclical pain, accounting for around one third of breast pain, is not related to the menstrual cycle and can be caused by infection or non-cancerous breast lumps.
• In some instances, women can have referred breast pain caused by illness such as shingles or pneumonia or it may be brought on by muscle strain or strenuous physical activity.
• Smoking significantly exacerbates breast pain.

Non-cyclical breast pain symptoms:

• Burning, aching or sore breasts
• More common in women in their 40s or older
• Pain can come and go
• Tends to be localised to one side of one breast

Cyclical breast pain symptoms:

• Heavy, full and aching breasts
• Commonly begins in the second half of the cycle, peaking in the 3-7 days leading up to a period and settling when the period begins
• Commonly affects women in their 20-30s
• Usually involves the upper outer breast area into the underarm
• Can worsen in perimenopause and into menopause

What are the treatments for breast pain?

Some simple and effective measures offering relief include:

• Smoking cessation 
• Wearing a well-fitting supportive bra (sports bra)
• Wearing a soft support bra to bed
• Taking painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• Low dose oral contraceptive pill can improve cyclical breast pain but for some women it can make it worse
• Evening primrose oil has been reported to help some women
• Excessive caffeine consumption has also been linked to breast pain and reducing intake may help.

This is not a substitute for medical advice. Please see your GP or breast surgeon if you have persistent breast pain symptoms.