Breast pain

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Breast pain

Female breast

Pain - breast; Mastalgia; Mastodynia; Breast tenderness

For tips on how to manage pain from fibrocystic breasts, see breast lumps.

Talk to your doctor about possibly taking birth control pills. These can help relieve pain.

If you have a breast infection, you will need antibiotics. Look for signs of infection like localized redness, nipple discharge, or fever. Contact your doctor if you have these signs.

Just after an injury to the breast occurs, apply a cold compress such as an ice pack (wrapped in a cloth -- don't apply directly to the skin) for 15 to 20 minutes. Take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen to reduce the likelihood of developing persistent breast pain or swelling.

Call your doctor if you have:

• Discharge from your nipples, especially blood or pus
• Given birth within the last week and your breasts are swollen or hard
• Signs of a breast infection, including localized redness, pus, or fever
• Noticed a new lump associated with the pain that does not go away after your menstrual period
• Persistent, unexplained breast pain

Your health care provider will perform a breast examination and ask questions about your breast pain, such as:

• How long have you had the symptoms?
• Are one or both of your breasts affected?
• Do you have any nipple discharge?
• Do you perform breast self-examination?
• Have you noticed any lumps or anything unusual when you examine your breasts?
• When was your last mammogram?
• What other symptoms are present? Do you have fever?
• What medication are you currently taking?

• Breast biopsy
• Culture of nipple discharge to test for infection
• Cytology (microscopic evaluation) of nipple discharge
• Mammography
• Fine needle aspiration -- a small needle is inserted into the breast to remove fluid that may have collected in a cyst (usually not cancerous)

Treatment may include the following:

• Pain relievers may be prescribed.
• Changes to your diet may be suggested.
• Certain medications may be changed or discontinued.

Your health care provider should schedule a follow-up visit in case the symptoms have not resolved in a given period of time. He or she may recommend consultation with a specialist if the symptoms do not go away or if you have a complicated condition.

Review Date: 05/23/2005
Reviewed By: Sharon Roseanne Thompson, M.D., M.P.H., Clinical Fellow, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.