Mastalgia

Mastalgia is a disease that is accompanied by constant pain in the mammary glands.

Let's consider the main causes of this pathology, symptoms, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

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Causes mastalgia

The disease occurs with frequent neuroses and in girls at puberty. Changes in hormonal levels and frequent stress are another cause of severe chest pain, which is not periodic. Mastalgia can be a sign of breast cancer and other malignant neoplasms. The use of certain medications also affects the appearance of painful sensations in the chest, which becomes chronic.

The causes of mastalgia, that is, painful sensations in the mammary gland, are varied. If it is a cyclical form, then the reason for its appearance lies in hormonal imbalance. The cause of acyclic pain is not related to hormonal status, as it appears due to anatomical changes in the mammary gland. We are talking about breast trauma, various neoplasms or recent surgeries. Another cause of non-cyclic pain is not related to the gland itself, that is, discomfort occurs due to joints, chest walls or muscles.

The reasons may be related to the imbalance of fatty acids in breast tissue. With an imbalance, the sensitivity of breast cells to hormones increases significantly. This explains the pain-relieving properties of primrose oil, which is often used to treat mastalgia. The oil contains gamma-linolenic acid, which restores the balance of fatty acids and reduces the sensitivity of glandular tissue to hormones.

Cyclic pain may be caused by the use of hormonal drugs for infertility or contraceptives. In this case, the pain is a side effect of progesterone and estrogen. This theory explains why some women continue to have pain after menopause, so they have to take hormones. Taking antidepressants can also trigger mastalgia.

The following reasons can be identified:

• Hormonal changes associated with the female cycle.
• Chest trauma.
• Pregnancy and lactation.
• Mastitis, thrombophlebitis, suppurative hidradenitis.
• Stretching of the pectoral ligaments.
• Use of hormonal drugs and antidepressants.
• Arthritis of the neck and chest.

If the pain that occurs in one or both mammary glands has a specific cause, then it is not differentiated from cancer. But if the cause of the pain is not determined, then differential diagnostics is carried out. Since all malignant neoplasms of the mammary gland are accompanied by severe pain in the last stages of development.

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Symptoms mastalgia

Symptoms of mastalgia are painful sensations of different localization and intensity. The pain can be light, heavy, in one or both mammary glands at the same time. Unpleasant sensations can occur both in one place and throughout the chest. In the initial stages of the disease, small seals are felt, the appearance of which is associated with the phases of the menstrual cycle and causes discomfort. If at this stage due attention is not paid to painful symptoms, then the seals can transform into malignant neoplasms. Clinical signs of a cyst are very similar to mastalgia and mastopathy. In this case, the pain is directly related to the phases of the cycle, affects the hormonal background, causes discharge from the nipples and various gynecological diseases.

Symptoms of mastalgia regularly appear in 70% of women. Most often, the disease occurs in young girls or in the premenopausal period. In rare cases, the disease is diagnosed in postmenopausal women. Every woman at least once in her life, but experienced discomfort in the chest. But in some cases, the pain becomes prolonged for five or more days. The pain can last throughout the menstrual period. Mastalgia does not affect the activity of a woman and her sex life.

Mastalgia of the mammary gland worries many women. Painful sensations can be a sign of cancer or indicate a hormonal imbalance in the female body. The pain can be cyclical, non-cyclical and not related to the gland.

• Cyclic

Causes severe pain that occurs due to menstrual cycle disorders. The disease is accompanied by increasing and sharply weakening pain. Discomfort occurs in the arms and armpits. Often, a small lump in the mammary glands appears, bilateral localization in the upper areas of the glands is possible. Pain may occur when taking hormonal drugs.

• Acyclic

The disease is not associated with the menstrual cycle and most often appears in women after 40 years. Pain occurs in the middle part of the chest and around the nipple, unpleasant sensations can be both constant and periodic. Most often, the pain is burning, sharp, cutting and one-sided. Unpleasant sensations can be associated with the presence of benign neoplasms (fibroadenomas) or cystic tumors.

• Mastitis

The disease is accompanied by painful sensations, high temperature, chills, general weakness and other symptoms of intoxication. Improper treatment of mastitis leads to the appearance of mastalgia with uncontrollable pain.

• Breast cancer

In some cases, the symptoms of breast cancer are mistaken for mastalgia. A woman experiences pain of varying intensity in the upper area of the mammary glands. In this case, proper diagnostics are necessary in order to promptly recognize the oncological process and prescribe effective treatment.

When the first signs of mastalgia of the mammary gland appear, it is necessary to conduct a self-examination of the breast and seek medical help. If you manage to feel seals of different shapes during palpation, then this is a reason to visit a mammologist and gynecologist.

Every woman should regularly examine her mammary glands and undergo preventive examinations by a mammologist. If painful sensations appear, the shape or size of the gland or skin changes, or a feeling of compaction appears, it is necessary to seek medical help. The earlier the disease is diagnosed and treatment is started, the higher the chances of a full recovery.

Forms

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Cyclic mastalgia

Cyclic mastalgia is a disease directly related to the menstrual cycle. In some cases, it can be a symptom of premenstrual syndrome or dysplastic benign changes in the gland tissues. Painful sensations occur during certain periods of the menstrual cycle and are bilateral. During pregnancy and menopause, the unpleasant symptoms disappear.

The pathology occurs due to hormonal status disorders. Under the influence of hormones in the second phase of the cycle, fluid is retained in the mammary glands and the body, which provokes pain. The most common cause of the cyclic form is the premenstrual state. During this period, a large number of substances are formed in the woman's body - mediators that act on nerve endings and cause chest pain. Long-term use of combined oral contraceptives, drugs with gestagens and estragon is another factor causing the disease.

Characteristic signs of cyclic mastalgia:

• The painful sensations are of a bursting nature, causing swelling and enlargement of the breasts.
• The pain has a specific localization in the outer and upper parts of the chest or is total in nature, encircling the entire gland.
• Most often, women of childbearing age suffer from this pathology.
• Constant discomfort and pain leads to a depressed psycho-emotional state, depression and neuroses.

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Acyclic mastalgia

Acyclic mastalgia is a pathology that can be associated with various diseases of the mammary glands (inflammation, mastopathy, cysts, malformations and anatomical features, malignant neoplasms). As a rule, acyclic pains are one-sided and constant. The degree of discomfort directly depends on the nature of the pathology. Thus, with extensive lesions of the glands, the pain has minimal intensity for a long time. But when an abscess forms, sharp, pulsating and abrupt pains appear. Painful sensations can radiate to the armpits and occur throughout the gland.

In addition to discomfort and unpleasant sensations, the disease is accompanied by swelling and nodes that can be palpated. The color and structure of the skin above the painful area may change. Changes may affect the structure and shape of the nipple. Acyclic mastalgia most often occurs in women after 40 years of age. The disease is not associated with the menstrual cycle. The appearance of sharp localized pain may be a symptom of benign tumors, cysts or fibroadenomas. If the pain is accompanied by swelling and redness of the skin, then this is a sign of an infectious lesion of the breast. In this case, a woman often has a fever, headaches and a feeling of general weakness.

Since acyclic pain is equally associated with various diseases of the mammary glands, it is necessary to immediately contact a mammologist. The doctor will collect anamnesis and conduct a series of studies that will help to establish the true cause of painful sensations. Let's consider the main diseases that can be hidden under the symptoms of non-cyclic mastalgia:

• Breast cancer.
• Reactive sclerosis of connective tissue of the breast.
• Adenoma, fibroadenoma, liposclerosis.
• Sclerosing adenosis.
• Teitz syndrome.

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Diagnostics mastalgia

Mastalgia diagnostics is a set of different methods that allow you to establish the true cause of painful sensations. If side symptoms appear, a woman should conduct a self-examination and palpation of the breast. To do this, you need to stand in front of a mirror, examine the glands from the sides and from the front in four projections: arms up, down, on the hips, the body tilted forward. Palpation should be carried out in a lying position, with one hand behind the head. When palpating the breast, you need to gradually move from the periphery and the side to the nipple. Pay special attention to the nipple, press it and make sure there are no pathological discharges. Also, do not forget to examine and palpate the armpit area.

If during the self-examination process you find discharge from the nipple or its retraction into the breast, tissue compaction, redness, changes in shape, size or the appearance of asymmetry of the breast, then this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. In addition to self-examination, it is recommended to record the frequency and nature of painful sensations. This will help the doctor diagnose the type of mastalgia, determine the cause of its occurrence and make a treatment plan.

Some women who suffer from mastalgia may be diagnosed with cancer. That is why the process of breast examination and differential diagnosis is very important. Let's consider modern diagnostic methods used to examine the mammary gland when mastalgia is suspected:

• Ultrasound examination is the simplest and safest method, it can be performed during pregnancy and lactation. It allows to detect fibrocystic neoplasms and other tumor conditions. If it is used for differential diagnostics, it requires additional methods.
• Mammography and X-ray methods – with their help, pathological changes in the tissues of the mammary gland can be detected. As a rule, they are used to examine patients over 40 years old. They are not used to diagnose young girls and women, as they affect reproductive function.
• Fine-needle aspiration biopsy – performed during ultrasound examination for differential diagnosis of tumor neoplasms. As a result of the puncture, tissues are obtained from the gland, which are sent for cytological examination.
• Electrical impedance mammography is a highly informative method that allows visual examination of the condition of the gland tissue. This method is less common than ultrasound or mammography.
• Microwave radiothermometry is a temperature method for detecting abnormalities characteristic of oncological processes. Diagnostics are performed in specialized institutions and only by doctor's prescription.
• Analysis of sex hormone production – allows you to accurately determine the phase of the menstrual cycle and the level of hormones. Since hormonal imbalance is the main cause of chest pain.

Regardless of the chosen diagnostic methods for mastalgia, it is very important to establish the real cause of the painful sensations and begin treatment of the disease.

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Treatment mastalgia

Treatment of mastalgia depends entirely on the diagnostic results, the type of disease (cyclic, acyclic), the patient's age and other characteristics of the body. Painful sensations can be reduced with the help of medications that are available without a doctor's prescription. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are another way to eliminate the pathology. This category of drugs includes: Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Aspirin. Oral contraceptives can be used to treat mastalgia, but most often it is the side effects of such drugs that cause painful sensations in the mammary gland.

You can reduce discomfort with magnesium preparations. It is recommended to take magnesium 14 days before the start of the menstrual cycle. This will reduce inflammation and pain. Another treatment method is dietary nutrition. Reducing fat consumption by 15-20% is a proven method.

Let's look at the medications prescribed to patients with mastalgia:

• Bromocriptine

A hormonal drug used in gynecology to suppress prolactin secretion and stimulate dopamine receptors. The drug is used in neurology and endocrinology. Very often, this drug is prescribed to patients after an abortion, since the active substances suppress the production of breast milk, prevent its secretion, restore the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Bromocriptine is an excellent preventative for tumor lesions of the mammary glands, prevents cystic neoplasms, relieves pain, and normalizes the balance of estrogen and progesterone.

In the first days of using the drug, side effects are possible: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, general weakness and headache. In rare cases, the drug causes orthostatic hypotension. If the dosage is not followed, drowsiness, hallucinations, visual impairment, confusion appear. The drug is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to its components, as well as during pregnancy, lactation, arterial hypertension, tremor.

• Prozhestin-KR

Hormonal antitumor agent. The main indications for use of the drug: mastalgia, mastodynia, benign mastopathy against the background of progesterone deficiency. The drug is produced in the form of a gel for external use. The gel is evenly applied to the mammary glands, rubbing until completely absorbed. The course of treatment should not exceed 30 days. Prozhestin-KR is contraindicated for use in case of hypersensitivity to its components.

Any medications for the treatment of mastalgia can only be used as prescribed by a doctor. Pregnant women and women over 40 should pay special attention to pain in the chest. If discomfort and unpleasant symptoms occur, you should immediately contact a mammologist. The doctor will conduct diagnostics and prescribe an effective remedy for the treatment of mastalgia.

Treatment of mastalgia with folk remedies

Treatment of mastalgia with folk remedies is popular among patients of all ages. The advantage of such treatment is that a woman does not have to take medications that have side effects on the body. All therapy is carried out with medicinal plant components.

At the initial stages of the disease, when the pain is temporary, doctors do not recommend using medications, since mastalgia is perfectly treated with folk remedies. Let's look at several folk recipes for chest pain:

• The best folk remedy for chest pain is a vegetable compress. Grind or grate beets, mix them with honey and spread evenly on a slightly chopped cabbage leaf (so that the cabbage releases juice). This compress should be applied to the chest and wrapped in a scarf overnight. Of course, the compress is not very convenient to use, but it effectively eliminates the symptoms of mastalgia and dissolves small seals and nodes.
• Juice from fresh burdock leaves is an excellent remedy for treating mastalgia. This recipe is best used in the warm season, when the burdock sheds its leaves. The plant should be torn finely, chopped in a blender, strained and taken internally until the pain disappears completely.
• Black elderberry, ground with sugar or mixed with honey, will effectively relieve chest pain of any intensity. The medicine should be taken one teaspoon 3-4 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals.

Prevention

Prevention of mastalgia is quite simple and accessible to all women. A healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, regular exercise, healthy sleep and a minimum of stress are the best prevention of not only painful sensations in the chest, but also other diseases of the mammary glands and the body as a whole. The best way to protect yourself from painful sensations is to avoid trauma to the chest. If you play sports, wear a sports bra and do not forget to conduct self-examination and palpation of the glands for timely detection of pathologies.

Let's look at some general recommendations that will help eliminate pain associated with mastalgia.

• First of all, you need to review your diet, limit the consumption of fats, salt, smoked foods, sweets and caffeine. Food should be nutritious and healthy for the body. The diet should include foods rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, zinc, iodine, magnesium. It is necessary to minimize the consumption of salt. Table salt retains water in the body, which leads to swelling of the body and mammary glands.
• In addition to nutrition, changes should also affect lifestyle. One of the important factors influencing the appearance of mastalgia is excess weight. Adipose tissue in women works as an endocrine gland, that is, it produces and accumulates estrogen, which leads to swelling and soreness of the breasts. Normal weight is the key to a healthy female body.
• An active lifestyle and physical exercise are therapeutic for mastalgia. Regular exercise that does not increase the symptoms of mastalgia (running, jumping) will improve blood circulation and eliminate the painful manifestations of the disease.
• Pay special attention to the liver. At first glance, it may seem that the liver and mammary glands are not connected, but this is not so. Many problems with the mammary glands are associated with poor functioning of this organ. To stimulate the liver, you can use this folk method: mix the roots of dandelion, burdock, sorrel and mahonia in equal parts, add a little citrus zest and pour boiling water. The drink should be infused for 15 minutes, then it must be filtered and taken three glasses a day.
• If all the above methods did not help to eliminate the painful symptoms of mastalgia, pay attention to your underwear, namely your bra. Wear underwear that will not squeeze your breasts and will not allow them to sag. It is best to choose sports bras with wide elastic straps on the back.

Pain in the mammary gland always requires determining the cause of its occurrence, especially if it is acyclic pain, which never occurs without a reason. The older the woman, the more concern should be caused by any painful sensations in the mammary glands. Compliance with all preventive measures and regular examinations by a mammologist is the best way to protect yourself from mastalgia and other pathological diseases of the breast.

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Forecast

The prognosis for mastalgia is usually favorable. But if a woman is diagnosed with an acyclic form of pathology, this can lead to malignization of the process. That is, the cells of the gland undergo pathological changes that can lead to the formation of various tumors and their malignancy.

Mastalgia of the mammary gland is a disease that causes painful sensations, swelling and redness of the breast. Regular preventive examinations, a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition will prevent the development of pain in the mammary glands and relieve discomfort and pain, keeping a woman's breasts healthy and beautiful.

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