Why do women have swollen and painful breasts?

Breast health issues are something that all women should pay attention to, because sometimes if it is some breast disease, the harm caused will be greater. Common causes of breast pain include breast swelling and pain during puberty, premenstrual breast pain or pain during lactation. The most important thing is to analyze the serious cause and solve it accordingly.

1. Breast pain during adolescence: The earliest breast pain in women usually occurs between the ages of 9 and 13. This is a sign that a girl's breasts are beginning to develop. First, the nipples begin to bulge and there is a slight feeling of pain. After the first menstruation, it will gradually disappear as the breasts mature during puberty.

2. Premenstrual breast pain: Many women experience swollen and hardened breasts before menstruation. In severe cases, the breasts hurt when they are close to clothes, and the original granular or nodular feeling becomes more obvious. This is caused by increased estrogen levels in the body before menstruation, breast hyperplasia, and edema of the breast interstitial tissue. After menstruation, the above changes disappear.

3. Breast tenderness during pregnancy: Some women experience breast tenderness around 40 days after pregnancy because the placenta and villi secrete large amounts of estrogen, progesterone and prolactin, which cause breast hyperplasia and breast enlargement. In severe cases, the pain persists throughout the pregnancy and no treatment is required.

4. Postpartum breast pain: Breast fullness, hardness and pain often occur 3 to 7 days after delivery. This is mainly caused by breast lymph retention, venous congestion, interstitial edema and obstructed mammary ducts. The prevention and treatment method is for the mother to breastfeed as early as possible. If there are lumps, you can apply hot compresses to the breasts before breastfeeding; you can also use appropriate milk ejection techniques to promote the patency of the mammary ducts.

5. Breast pain after artificial abortion: After artificial abortion, some women experience breast pain and a lump can be felt. This is because the pregnancy is suddenly interrupted, which causes the hormone levels in the body to drop sharply, causing the newly developed mammary glands 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. A lack of sexual desire or an unharmonious sexual life that does not achieve sexual satisfaction can cause breast congestion and swelling that is difficult to subside, or that subsides incompletely. Continuous congestion can cause breast pain.

7. Excessive breast size: Excessive breast size is sometimes one of the causes of pain. The breasts are fixed to the front of the chest by connective tissue. When the breasts are too large or too heavy, especially the inner side of the breasts, pain will occur as a result of gravity pulling downward for a long time. This can be improved by using a suitable bra to lift the breasts and reduce the impact of gravity. Sometimes an ill-fitting bra can also cause breast pain, especially for patients who experience obvious pain in the rib area below the breast, which is often caused by using a new bra.