What causes breast pain and swelling?

Women may experience breast tenderness at various stages of their body development. For example, when the secondary characteristics of puberty gradually develop, the breasts will become swollen and painful due to growth. Also, during the menstrual cycle, women experience pain because the increased estrogen secretion in their bodies stimulates the breast tissue. Some women also experience pain symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum due to the accumulation of milk secretion during lactation. Let’s find out.

Causes of breast tenderness

1. Breast pain during adolescence: The first type of breast pain usually occurs in women between the ages of 9 and 13. After menarche, the pain will disappear on its own.

2. Premenstrual breast pain: Many women experience premenstrual breast pain. In severe cases, the breasts will feel swollen and painful with just the slightest vibration or collision. It is mainly because the estrogen level in the body increases before menstruation, which causes the interbreast tissue. This breast tenderness will gradually disappear after menstruation.

3. Breast pain during pregnancy: During pregnancy, the placenta and villi secrete a large amount of estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin, which causes the mammary glands to enlarge and cause breast pain. In severe cases, it can last throughout the entire pregnancy. This kind of breast pain is normal and does not require treatment.

4. Postpartum breast pain: Postpartum breast pain is caused by mammary lymph retention, venous distension, interstitial edema and obstruction of mammary ducts. It usually occurs 3 to 7 days after delivery.

5. Breast pain after artificial insemination: If the pregnancy is suddenly interrupted, it will also cause breast pain, because the hormone level in the body drops suddenly, causing the newly developed breasts to suddenly stop growing, causing breast lumps and breast pain.

6. Breast pain after sexual intercourse: Some women may also experience breast pain after sexual intercourse, which is mainly related to the physiological changes in the breasts during sexual intercourse. In this case, breast pain, female

There is no need to worry. If the swelling and pain do not ease for a long time, or even become more severe, or if you find a lump with unevenness, unclear edges, and poor mobility when touching the breast, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Breast pain in women is not a trivial matter. If you encounter this situation, except for normal reasons that do not require treatment, it may be caused by a disease and you must go to the hospital for treatment. For example, if it hurts when you wear or touch it, it is a pathological condition and you need to seek medical treatment in time.

What to do if you have breast pain

What should you do if you experience breast pain, mental discomfort, and general discomfort? Follow the suggestions below to easily eliminate breast discomfort.

1. Change your eating habits. Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet and consume fiber from whole grains (whole grains), vegetables, and beans.

2. Massage your breasts frequently. Gently massaging the breasts can help return excess body fluid to the lymphatic system. When massaging, first apply soapy liquid to the breast, and rotate your fingers along the surface of the breast in a circle about the size of a coin. Then use your hands to press the breasts in and bounce them up, which is extremely helpful in preventing breast discomfort.

3. Wear a secure bra. In addition to preventing breast sagging, the more important function of a bra is to prevent further compression of the already compressed breast nerves and eliminate discomfort. Careful sisters will find that those jogging athletes wear stable bras for this health reason.

4. Avoid diuretics. Diuretics do help remove fluid from the body and can also reduce breast swelling. But this immediate relief comes at a cost. Excessive use of diuretics can lead to potassium loss, disrupt electrolyte balance, and affect glucose formation.

5. Don’t eat salty food. High-salt foods can easily cause breast enlargement, and such foods should be avoided especially in the 7 to 10 days before menstruation.

6. Use hot compress. Hot compress is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment that can relieve breast pain by using a heat bag, hot water bottle, or hot bath. If you use alternating cold and hot compresses, the effect of eliminating breast discomfort will be better.

7. Prevent obesity. For women who are overweight, losing weight can help relieve breast pain.

8. Apply castor oil to your chest. Castor oil contains a substance that can enhance the function of T11 lymphocytes, which can accelerate the recovery of various infections and eliminate pain. The method is: drop castor oil on cotton cloth folded into four layers, let it be soaked with castor oil, but not too wet to avoid dripping everywhere. Apply the cloth to your breasts, cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and then place a hot compress bag on top. Adjust the heat pack to a temperature you can tolerate and leave it on for an hour.

9. Take vitamins. The diet should contain foods rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins. These vitamins help regulate the production of prostaglandin E. At the same time, eat less margarine because the hydrogenated fat in it interferes with the body's ability to convert essential fatty acids (from food) into gamma-linoleic acid (GIA), which promotes the formation of prostaglandin E and inhibits the production of prolactin.

10. Stay away from coffee. Does caffeine cause breast discomfort? This has not been proven. However, according to medical surveys, many women with breast pain and other benign symptoms have significant improvement in their symptoms after quitting caffeine. Therefore, you have to give up coffee completely, which means you have to completely give up soda, chocolate, ice cream, tea, and caffeinated painkillers.

11. Avoid drug abuse. Some people take anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics indiscriminately to stop breast pain, which is wrong and dangerous because local steroid anti-inflammatory agents cannot be used to treat breast pain.