According to statistics, 90% of all women know about pain in the mammary glands. They have become so commonplace that many women simply do not pay attention to them. But it is very important to identify the nature of your ailments and in case of a serious problem take the necessary measures in time.
Why does breast ache before menstruation? Why does it swell and become sensitive, what is it connected with and how to alleviate the condition? We will talk about the causes, diagnosis and treatment methods in the article below.
When your chest usually hurts
The female body is one harmonious hormonal orchestra. All processes occurring in the body of a woman are controlled by hormones. In the second phase of the menstrual cycle, the production of estrogen begins, which is responsible for pregnancy and preparation for childbirth. This hormone also affects the mammary glands, preparing them for feeding the baby.
About 4-5 days before menstruation, the mammary glands swell, become sensitive and painful. This condition accompanies more than half of all the fair sex. Under the influence of the same hormones, many women observe depression, nervous tension and a general depressive state. All these symptoms in the complex are called premenstrual syndrome, and chest pain - mastodonia.
But there are other chest pains that are not related to the cycle. For example, in the presence of pathological tissue growths, tumors and neoplasms, breast tenderness is also observed. One of the most common breast diseases today is mastopathy. And unlike mastodonia, with mastopathy treatment is necessary.
Pain before menstruation
If you are worried and are wondering why your chest hurts before your period, hurry to reassure you: this is a physiological condition that does not require treatment. As we wrote above, it all depends on the general hormonal background, and after menstruation the pain stops.
But why, then, some women are not familiar with such symptoms, while others should be tormented every month? And even in the same woman, pain every month can vary. What is the reason for this?
Unpleasant sensations on the eve of menstruation can intensify if there are:
stress, nervous tension;
severe tiredness;
obesity, sedentary lifestyle;
excessive consumption of caffeine;
bad habits (especially smoking).
Other reasons
Unfortunately, soreness of the mammary glands can be triggered by completely different, not physiological causes. The symptoms are not so much dangerous as the causes of pain. If your chest hurts before your period, then why this happens can be very dangerous for a woman’s health and even life. Safe factors include mastodonium or sprain, for example, after strong physical exertion.
So, why does the chest really hurt before menstruation? Serious reasons are as follows:
Hormonal imbalance. Any violations associated with hormones adversely affect the whole body of a woman. With advanced cases, you can observe the absence of menstruation, excessive hair growth, infertility.
Inflammatory processes in the chest area. In particular in the mammary glands.
Pathological reasons. The most common breast disease is mastopathy. More than 70% of women of childbearing age suffer from it.
Tumors Neoplasms in the mammary glands can be either benign or malignant. Regardless of origin, they can cause severe pain.
Other diseases. Shingles, for example, can also cause breast tenderness.
Pathology
Back in Soviet times, one could see posters with the inscription “Have you taken care of breasts?” Indeed, women and girls of all ages must watch their breasts. It is the mammary glands that are at the highest risk of oncology. If the chest began to hurt before menstruation (why, described below), while it had never hurt before, or the nature of the pain has changed, for example, it has become stronger - this is an occasion to see a doctor. Particularly careful should be women at risk, in which the likelihood of tumors is much higher than in others. This group includes:
Women who have had abortions, miscarriages or missed pregnancies.
Those who have frequent disruptions in the menstrual cycle.
Women who have a hereditary predisposition to cancer.
Those who abuse alcohol, smoking and fatty foods.
Normally, the chest before the menstruation hurts (why, it was told above) slightly, sometimes unpleasant sensations only on the nipples, and if a woman who knows about the nature of her pain suddenly notices any deviations - this should alert and be the reason for seeking advice.
When you need to sound the alarm
If you care about why the breast hurts and increases before menstruation, and you are sure that there is no pregnancy, you should pay attention to other factors and, if there is even one of the items, immediately visit a mammologist and gynecologist. So, what should alert a woman:
only one chest hurts, and the second is completely painless;
the nipples became roughened and discharge appeared;
severe cramping or wave-like pain in the mammary glands;
seals are felt.
Make an appointment with a specialist
Trite hormonal changes may be the reason why the breast swells and hurts before menstruation, but symptoms can also indicate more serious problems. In the case when, even a few days after the onset of menstruation, the pain does not stop, it is worth seriously considering the possible causes. In no case do not self-medicate, especially without a preliminary diagnosis! All treatment methods should be agreed with the attending physician.
In order to accurately understand why the chest hurts before menstruation, you need:
Twice a year to visit a gynecologist.
Once a year, do an ultrasound of the mammary glands and consult a mammologist.
- Probing your chest on your own and immediately seek help if a lump is found.
Diagnostics
How is breast disease diagnosed? A woman who is worried about stomach and chest pains before menstruation visits a antenatal clinic. The gynecologist after palpation of the mammary glands and lymph nodes sends for a blood test for hormones. This is necessary to identify problems with the thyroid gland.
Next, the patient is tested for tumor markers, which allow to determine the predisposition to cancer of the reproductive system. Then, in the middle of the menstrual cycle, ultrasound diagnosis of the pelvic organs is prescribed.
In the second half of the menstrual cycle, an ultrasound examination of the mammary glands is done, and if a seal or neoplasm is detected, a biopsy is taken. Further treatment will depend on the results of the biopsy.
Treatment of pain in the mammary glands
As we wrote above, mastodonium is a physiological condition and most often does not need treatment. In all other cases, the doctor may prescribe complex therapy for treatment at home or refer a woman to inpatient treatment. In most cases, the doctor prescribes the following:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can relieve pain and reduce swelling.
Oral contraceptives. Due to hormonal components, cyclic changes are reduced.
Magnesium. The drug has an effect on the nervous and other systems of the body, when taken in the middle of the cycle, an improvement in the general condition of the woman and a significant decrease in the negative effect of PMS are observed.
Aspirin, ibuprofen and other analgesics, soothing pain in the chest.
Sedatives that calm the nervous system.
Do not forget that one of the side effects of birth control pills is severe pain in the mammary glands, which is why breasts begin to hurt before menstruation.
Alternative methods of treatment
The main direction for pain in the mammary glands is to relieve pain, reduce swelling, restore hormonal levels. For these purposes, you can use not only medicines, but also all kinds of folk remedies.
In particular, with mastodonia, compresses based on fresh vegetables, cottage cheese and oils have proved to be excellent. To restore the level of hormones, you can take crushed flax seeds twice a day, drinking plenty of water.
Castor oil compress: attach a small piece of cotton cloth soaked in castor oil to the chest. Cover with a plastic bag and a terry towel. Take cover with a blanket and lie down for 30-40 minutes.
Remember: for any unusual sensations or discomfort, self-medication should be stopped immediately!
How to relieve pain
If at the moment there is no opportunity to visit a doctor or you have physiological mastodonium, you can try to alleviate pain in simple ways. Here are some of them:
In the second phase of the menstrual cycle, follow a diet, or rather, reduce the amount of fluid, as well as the amount of salt, fat and caffeine.
Get rid of squeezing underwear. A tight bra can aggravate pain.
Try to avoid stress, do not be nervous over trifles.
Do not overcool. Any inflammatory processes contribute to increased pain.
Do gymnastics for your chest. These can be exercises with or without dumbbells. In any case, physical activity contributes to improved blood circulation, a decrease in pain.
Preventive measures
By following basic preventive measures, you can significantly reduce, and sometimes completely get rid of chest pain. Before you look for answers to the question of why your breasts started to hurt before your periods, and are treated with medications, try to follow simple rules:
Keep to the optimal daily routine (working hours should alternate with rest).
At least 7-8 hours of sleep.
Lead a healthy lifestyle (this is not only refusal from alcohol and smoking, but also fresh air, physical activity).
Limit yourself as much as possible from nervous tension and stressful situations.
Take vitamins.
Control your own weight. It is known that obese people more often complain of chest pain.
Eat more vegetables and fruits without subjecting them to heat treatment.
Try to protect your mammary glands from bumps and injuries.