05 Mar, 2025
05 Mar, 2025
This article is medically reviewed by Dr. Roshni Dasgupta, Consultant - Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Bengaluru.
Breast pain is a common occurrence in women. Fortunately, in most cases, breast pain is not associated with cancer and is caused by various other less serious conditions. The pain may be in one or both breasts. In most cases, the pain subsides over time.
Pain in the breast may occur for several reasons. Common reasons include infection, stress, and excessive caffeine consumption. In some cases, the pain may be due to skin boils or lesions rather than the tissues or glands present in the breast.
Clinicians routinely encounter benign tumors in the breast. It is usually filled with the fluid. Certain benign tumors, such as fibroadenomas, may disappear with age. Cancerous tumors, however, may invade the surrounding lymph nodes and may spread to other organs.
It is normal for women to wonder why breast pain occurs. Multiple factors can contribute to breast pain. Occasional breast pain may not be alarming; however, persistent breast pain should not be ignored.
The following are some of the possible causes of breast pain in females:
Hormonal alterations in women are one of the common causes of breast pain in women. Hormonal changes may occur during menstruation and pregnancy.
Hormonal changes that may result in breast pain may include increased levels of progesterone and testosterone. Elevated levels of these hormones may cause breast swelling and tenderness.
Breast injury may also result in constant pain in the breast until the injury is healed.
Studies reported an association between breast injury and fat necrosis. Fat necrosis may mimic breast carcinoma during examination. It may occur after breast trauma. Fat necrosis may result in persistent and painful lumps in the breast.
Other injuries related to blunt breast trauma, motor vehicle collisions, and breast injury as a result of falls may also lead to breast pain.
Several conditions develop during breastfeeding that may result in breast pain. Some of these include mastitis, engorgement, and improper latching. Studies reported that almost 3% to 20% of the women with breastfeeding have mastitis.
Mastitis is a condition characterized by inflammation in the breast tissues that may lead to pain and burning sensations. It may cause swelling of the breast skin.
Engorgement is a condition that includes overfilling the breasts with milk. It results in hardening and enlargement of the breasts, which are warm to the touch. Patients may also experience pain and tenderness in the breasts.
Women may experience pain if the baby is not correctly latched to the nipple due to sore or cracked nipples. Experts advise that breastfeeding should not cause pain and discomfort.
Breast infection is also one of the common reasons for breast pain. Infective mastitis may result in traumatized or cracked nipples, which expose the internal tissues to pathogens.
The patients may initially experience non-infective inflammation that progresses to the formation of an abscess. The symptoms of infective mastitis may include redness, pain, and swelling. Patients may also experience flu-like symptoms.
Breast pain may also occur due to various medications. Some of these drugs include hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, cardiovascular medications, psychotropic drugs, and antibiotics. Patients on these medications should consult with a doctor if they experience breast pain.
As women age, breast tissue is replaced by fat because of involution. This may lead to the development of cysts that may result in the formation of more fibrous tissues. This is known as fibrocystic breast tissue.
In some cases, women may experience pain due to fibrocystic breast tissue. The fibrocystic breasts may be tender and lumpy. These lumps may grow in size during menstruation. It is important to consult the doctor if lumps develop in the breast.
Women may also experience breast pain during their menstrual cycle. Hormonal variations during the cycle may result in breast swelling leading to pain and tenderness. The swelling, lumpiness, and tenderness in the breast during the menstrual cycle are usually bilateral.
The women experience breast pain a few days before the menstrual cycle, which reduces during the cycle and disappears after the cycle. Breast pain during the menstrual cycle is more common in women in their 30s and 40s.
During pregnancy, women experience both physiologic and anatomic alterations in the breasts to prepare them for lactation. The ductal system expands, developing branches in the adipose tissue because of elevated estrogen levels. Breast pain is usually the initial sign of pregnancy, which may occur a few weeks after conception.
Certain lifestyle factors may also result in breast pain. These include using an ill-fitted bra, performing high-impact exercises, such as jumping and running (causing pressure on the breasts), and excessive consumption of caffeine and nicotine.
The symptoms of cancerous and noncancerous breast pain overlap. Women experiencing lumps, swelling, pain, tenderness, or discomfort in the breasts should consult with a doctor to rule out serious conditions.
Benign lumps and associated pain are usually cyclical and may be linked to hormonal alterations. The pain is usually localized with swelling or tenderness. It disappears once the menstruation is completed. Non-cyclical, noncancerous breast lumps occur due to infection or injury.
Cancerous breast pain is usually persistent and noncyclical. Women may also experience other signs and symptoms of breast cancer, such as nipple discharge, lumps, changes in the shape and size of the breast, and skin dimpling. Hormonal fluctuations do not affect the cancerous breast pain. Some reasons for breast cancer include increasing age, BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, family history, and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Additional Reading: In rare cases, breast cancer is diagnosed in very young women. To know more about breast cancer symptoms in teens, read this article here: What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Teens?
Patients experiencing painful breast lumps may not always be diagnosed with breast cancer. The majority of the painful lumps are caused by less serious, noncancerous conditions, such as fibrocystic changes, breast injury, and infections.
The lumps, due to these conditions, are generally movable and tender and may be affected by hormonal fluctuations. In contrast, cancerous lumps are usually painless, hard, immobile, and irregular. However, some patients with breast cancer may experience breast pain.
Breast pain is usually benign and is associated with hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause. However, women should consult with gynecologists if they experience, along with the breast pain, other breast tumor symptoms, such as the presence of lumps, persistent pain with progressive severity, nipple discharges, especially with blood, changes in breast skin, such as dimpling, redness, or thickening, and unexpected changes in the breast shape and size.
HCG is one of the leading cancer hospitals in India for the diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancer, including breast cancer. The hospital is equipped with advanced diagnostic techniques, such as mammograms, to detect breast cancer at an early stage. Further, the breast cancer specialists at the center are experts in managing various types of breast cancer with customized treatment plans.
Breast pain can occur for various reasons, and in most cases, it is not related to cancer. Common causes of breast pain are hormonal alterations, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, breastfeeding, breast infection, formation of breast cysts, and breast injury. It is important to consult a doctor when one experiences breast pain accompanied by other breast cancer symptoms. The doctor, through various examinations, will determine the exact cause of the breast pain and recommend appropriate medical interventions.
Dr. Roshni Dasgupta
Consultant - Medical Oncology
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology), MRCP UK, MRCP SCE in
Medical Oncology, ESMO Certification
Dr. Roshni Dasgupta is a distinguished medical oncologist with over a decade of experience in managing a wide range of cancers through systemic therapies. She is available for consultations at HCG Cancer Centre, a leading cancer hospital in Bengaluru. Her educational credentials include an MBBS degree from IMPGM&R (Kolkata), an MD in general medicine from NRSMCH (Kolkata), and a DM in medical oncology from BJMCH GCRI (Ahmedabad). Additionally, Dr. Roshni has completed her MRCP UK diploma and MRCP SCE in Medical Oncology, along with ESMO certification.
To book an appointment with Dr. Roshni Dasgupta, please click here.
