Big nipples hurt when touched

Enlarged nipples that hurt when touched may be a symptom of breast cancer, or it may be caused by physiological factors. Physiological factors are divided into three stages: puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy. During these three stages, the development of the breasts will cause the nipples to become larger, so women will feel pain when they touch their breasts. This is a normal physiological phenomenon. However, apart from these three stages, it is generally caused by pathological factors, and pathological factors must be treated with surgery in a timely manner.

Some patients with nipple pain, unable to find the cause, think they have breast cancer. In fact, there are many reasons for breast pain. Temporary breast pain caused by physiological changes in women at different periods of time is medically called "physiological breast pain".

1. Breast pain during adolescence: It usually occurs between the ages of 9 and 13. The pain will disappear on its own after menarche.

2. Premenstrual breast pain: Many women experience breast fullness, hardness, and tenderness before menstruation. In severe cases, the breasts will become swollen and painful with the slightest vibration or collision. This is caused by increased estrogen levels in the body before menstruation, breast hyperplasia, and edema of breast tissue. The above changes may disappear after menstruation.

3. Breast tenderness during pregnancy: Some women experience breast tenderness and pain around 40 days of pregnancy due to the placenta and villi secreting large amounts of estrogen, progesterone and prolactin, which causes the breasts to enlarge. In severe cases, the pain may last throughout the pregnancy and does not require treatment.

4. Postpartum breast pain: Breast fullness, hardness and pain often occur 3 to 7 days after delivery. This is mainly due to breast lymph retention, venous congestion, interstitial edema and obstructed mammary ducts.

5. Breast pain after abortion: This is because the pregnancy is suddenly interrupted, and the hormone level in the body drops suddenly, causing the newly developed breasts to suddenly stop growing, resulting in breast lumps and breast pain.

6. Breast pain after sexual intercourse: This is related to the physiological changes in the breasts during sexual intercourse. People with low libido or disharmonious sex life cannot achieve sexual satisfaction, so breast congestion and swelling are not easy to subside, or they subside incompletely. Continuous congestion will cause breast pain.

Women do not need to worry about this at all, but if the swelling and pain do not ease for a long time, or even become more severe, or if when touching the breast, you find a lump with unevenness, unclear edges, and poor mobility, you should go to the hospital for examination and treatment as soon as possible.

What causes breast pain and lumps?

Normal breast tissue is soft and elastic. If the breast thickens for no reason and nodules and lumps of varying sizes appear, it is an abnormal change in the breast. Breast lumps and swellings are common breast symptoms, and many benign diseases can also manifest as breast lumps and swellings. Once you find a lump or mass in your breast, don't rush to suspect that it is a dangerous disease like breast cancer. You should first see a doctor to find out what disease the lump is caused by and whether it is benign or malignant.

1. Most lumps caused by breast hyperplasia increase and decrease with the menstrual period. The lumps caused by breast hyperplasia are irregular in shape, appearing in the form of flakes, nodules or cords, with unclear boundaries and no adhesion to the skin. They increase or decrease with the menstrual cycle and are often accompanied by breast tenderness or tingling.

2. The lumps of breast fibroadenoma are easy to be pushed. Breast fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast tumor, which occurs frequently in young women in one or both breasts. It is usually solitary, round or oval in shape, grows slowly, has clear boundaries and is easily moved, and has no adhesion to the skin.

3. The lumps caused by fibrocystic breast disease are more dangerous. Cystic breast hyperplasia is a disease characterized by cysts formed by highly dilated mammary ductules and terminal ducts, accompanied by dysplastic breast structure. Compared with ordinary breast hyperplasia, the breast hyperplasia caused by fibrocystic breast disease coexists with atypical hyperplasia and has the risk of malignant transformation. It should be regarded as a precancerous lesion and should be taken seriously.

4. Breast cancer lumps grow fast and are difficult to move. It is a painless, solitary lump in the early stages of breast cancer. It grows fast, has a rough surface, a hard texture, unclear boundaries, and is difficult to move. As the lump grows larger, it adheres to the skin. If orange peel signs such as nipple retraction, breast contracture and fixation to the chest wall, or even ulceration occur at the same time, it is very likely breast cancer.

Once a woman finds a lump in her breast, no matter the size or nature, she should see a gynecologist in time for a check-up. Even if it is not a malignant lesion, she should follow the doctor's advice and intervene in time.