Women's Health

Breast Care

Breast Disorders

Breast Pain

Breast pain is a common complaint and a source of great distress for many women. The medical term for breast pain is mastodynia. Breast pain can occur in a cyclic fashion corresponding with the onset of your periods, or it can be non-cyclic. Non-cyclic breast pain does not have easily identifiable triggers.

The key to the evaluation of breast pain is to make sure there is no underlying problem that is the source of the pain. This includes a complete breast examination as well as a mammogram and/or ultrasound depending on the woman’s age. If there is no underlying abnormality as the cause of the pain, it is generally due to hormonal stimulus.

Post-menopausal women on estrogen supplements may find a relief in their breast discomfort by lowering the dose of the supplemental estrogen or by discontinuing it entirely. For women not on supplemental estrogen, a variety of tools can be utilized to manage the pain. This may include anti-inflammatory medications such as Motrin or Aleve or or in some cases hormonal manipulation.

For women who have cyclic breast pain, controlling the breast pain may require use of oral contraceptives to modulate the hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. In addition, the drug, Danazol, most commonly used for management of endometriosis, can be very effective in reducing breast pain. For mild cases evening primrose oil, a fatty acid supplement, can provide relief of symptoms if taken regularly over a period of several weeks.

Fortunately, most breast pain is not constant or severe and is often self-limiting.