Swelling of the mammary glands may indicate the development of a serious illness, which, in turn, can be triggered by poor diet, frequent stress, or taking medications. Also, often with these symptoms, the lower back also bothers you. It is very important to seek medical help at the first warning signs. Only an experienced specialist will be able to determine the true reason why the breasts are swollen. Only after the studies and tests have been carried out, the doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment, which in turn will help prevent the destruction of the soft tissue of the mammary gland.

What causes breast swelling

Swelling during pregnancy

Everyday problems

Other causes of breast pain and swelling

Possible diseases

Breast enlargement and the presence of severe pain may be the first precursors to the development of mastopathy or a neoplasm of a negative nature in the breast.

Each of the diseases is dangerous in its own way and can be accompanied by the following symptoms: lower back pain often, body temperature rises to 37 degrees or higher, weakness of the body, and fatigue.

To prescribe drug treatment, it is necessary to conduct special studies and a test of a certain direction. Only based on the results obtained, doctors can draw conclusions about what medications need to be taken so that the chest stops hurting, and how long the treatment will last.

How to make an accurate diagnosis

To correctly understand why your breasts swell, you need to undergo the following examinations:

1. Mammography.
2. Breast MRI.
3. Ultrasound diagnostics of internal organs.
4. MRI of the back (in cases where lower back pain occurs).
5. Biochemical blood test.
6. Test to determine the level of hormones in the thyroid gland.

Of course, it is impossible to know for sure on what day this situation may occur, but it can be prevented. To do this, you need to pay a lot of attention to your health, proper nutrition and daily routine. It is also important to wear the right underwear and take medications strictly as prescribed by your doctor!

The breast is made up of different tissue structures. One of them, fat, is subject to fluctuations in fluid volume. This may cause breast swelling, accompanied by increased sensitivity and pain. But there are other reasons that lead to breast swelling. We'll talk about them in the article.

Main symptoms of breast swelling

• feeling of heaviness in the chest;
• tenderness or discomfort in the area around the chest and armpits;
• changes in the texture of the skin on and around the breasts.

These symptoms are not always a cause for concern, but they may be a sign of breast cancer. Therefore, they cannot be ignored.

Why do breasts swell?

• premenstrual syndrome;
• pregnancy and postpartum period;
• consuming foods and drinks high in salt and caffeine;
• taking medications (for example, hormonal contraceptives);
• mastitis and milk duct infections (particularly during breastfeeding);
• fibrocystic mastopathy (benign formations in the breast);
• mammary cancer.

Breast swelling due to premenstrual syndrome

Breast swelling due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is more of an inconvenience than a serious medical problem. But it may indicate fibrocystic disease. Women with this condition may feel it between periods. The lumps may move when you press on them, and with the onset of menstruation they usually shrink or disappear altogether.

Causes of breast swelling during PMS

An increase in estrogen and progesterone levels in the second half of the menstrual cycle can lead to increased sensitivity, swelling and tenderness in the mammary glands. Usually these symptoms disappear with age, with the onset of menopause. Read more about chest pain during menstruation -.

Medicines containing estrogens may also cause breast swelling and tenderness. These include contraceptives and medications prescribed during menopause.

• the appearance of many new or changes in old, benign lumps in the breast;
• nipple discharge, especially brown or bloody discharge;
• chest pain that interferes with sleep and daily life;
• unilateral lumps that appear in only one breast.

The discomfort that accompanies premenstrual breast swelling can be relieved with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Naproxen sodium, Acetaminophen). The doctor may also prescribe diuretics to relieve swelling.

Diet can also help with breast swelling associated with PMS. Discomfort increases with caffeine, alcohol, and foods high in salt and fat. Accordingly, eliminating these foods from the diet or reducing their consumption in the middle of the cycle will help relieve chest discomfort.

Other causes of breast swelling

Hormonal causes of breast swelling and tenderness also include pregnancy and menopause.

During PMS, discomfort in the chest appears in the second half of the menstrual cycle and disappears after or during menstruation, because. progesterone levels decrease. At the beginning of pregnancy, these symptoms can be mistaken for premenstrual syndrome - they usually appear in the first or second week after conception. And they continue for some time, due to an increase in progesterone levels.

In the absence of other pathological symptoms described above, breast swelling during pregnancy is considered normal. A low-salt diet will help, as will a supportive bra.

Breast swelling during menopause

Hormonal causes of breast swelling can manifest as a feeling of heaviness, pain when touching the breast, as well as an increase in its size.

What will relieve discomfort in the chest during menopause:

• Reduce caffeine and salt intake. These substances can cause fluid retention, including in the chest.
• Taking vitamin E. This vitamin effectively helps with swelling and tenderness in the breasts.
• The right bra. This is the simplest and most effective way to reduce unpleasant breast sensitivity.
• Warm compresses. They will relieve soreness and swelling in the chest, especially in the evening before bed.

Pathological causes of breast swelling

When to see a doctor

Hormonal breast swelling, manifested during PMS or in other cases, should not cause too serious inconvenience that interferes with leading a normal, familiar life. If the swelling is accompanied by severe pain, discuss this with your doctor.

• cracked nipples;
• changes in the color of the nipples or breast skin;
• dimples or wrinkles on the chest;
• the appearance of solid tumors in the breast tissue that do not disappear or change in size during the menstrual cycle;
• wounds on the chest that do not heal;
• nipple discharge.

Unobvious symptoms of breast cancer (video)

Thank you

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Lumps in the chest in men

The main reasons for the formation of lumps in men:

• hormonal imbalance - when the balance between female (estrogens) and male sex hormones (testosterone and androgen) is disturbed;
• puberty;
• taking narcotic drugs, hormone replacement, antidepressant and antitumor drugs, as well as cardiac glycosides;
• hereditary predisposition;
• chronic diseases of the liver, prostate, testicles, adrenal glands, diabetes mellitus, metabolic disorders and other diseases;
• unbalanced diet.

The structure of the mammary glands

In places where the ducts expand, movable peas, or milky sinuses, are formed. Between the lobes there are connective fibers (stroma) and a layer of glandular tissue. The entire gland is pierced by blood vessels. The rounded shape is given by adipose tissue. Throughout life, women's breast tissue changes, especially during menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause and other hormonal changes. The organ has a heterogeneous structure, so it is not always possible to detect a painless lump in the mammary gland without the help of modern diagnostic methods.

Causes of lump formation in women

• Injuries to the uterus and mammary gland: from 5-45% of compactions are formed in the affected areas, while fat cells degenerate, fat necrosis forms with the appearance of round tumors.
• Wearing a tight bra with iron wires that compresses the breasts.
• Lactation period: a painful lump in the mammary gland is formed due to blockage of the milk ducts, resulting from insufficient or irregular emptying of the breast, as well as from the development of inflammatory processes. The appearance of pain, high fever and redness on the skin may indicate mastitis.
• Before menstruation, women often experience painful, compacted areas that change shape and location.
• When cysts, abscesses and tumor processes form in the breast, which can be benign or malignant. The appearance of nodes is often accompanied by mucus discharge from the nipples and pain in the mammary gland.
• Thrombophlebitis: a side effect of the disease can be blood clots in the mammary gland.
• Excessive secretion of estrogen.
• Diseases of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands, abortions, gynecological diseases, early menopause, regular stress, etc.

Breast lumps during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Breast lumps in children

Non-dangerous diseases that cause lumps in the chest

• Breast cyst- a liquid tumor or a sac similar to a bubble forms inside the tissues; lumps can be painful.
• Sebaceous cyst(atheroma).
• Fibroma- seals made of fibrous tissue.
• Adenoma(formation of glandular tissue).
• Fibroadenoma or mixed tumor, may have a leaf-shaped or nodular shape. In this case, nodular fibroadenoma of the mammary gland is characterized by the appearance of a single node, and leaf-shaped fibroadenoma has a layered structure.
• Neoplasms can form from blood vessels - this is hemangiomas, from adipose tissue - lipomas.
• During inflammatory processes, nodules are formed from the connective tissue of the gland ( granulomas).
• Mastopathy- the most common lump in the mammary gland. Symptoms of the disease manifest themselves in the form of a cluster of nodules, or in the form of tissue proliferation throughout the entire volume. Nodular mastopathy is dense single or multiple nodes, usually mobile and slightly painful. Diffuse mastopathy - the appearance of numerous cysts, proliferation of glandular and fibrous tissue, characterized by swelling of the glands and discharge from the nipples.

Malignant neoplasms

Precancerous breast tumor- sarcoma, the formation of clear coarse lumps, rapidly developing and prone to ulceration.

Lymphoma mammary gland- with the disease, clear, even, round-shaped compactions are formed. Before use, you should consult a specialist.

Lumps in the breast are a common reason for visiting a mammologist. The phenomenon occurs and develops in each woman individually: during pregnancy, lactation, menstruation. But in none of the periods does the sign correspond to the norm. In 9 out of 10 cases, the clinical picture is complemented by the presence of pain and discharge from the mammary glands. The specialist differentiates and then eliminates the emerging pathology. Initially, the woman will have to undergo a full diagnosis - based on the results, the doctor will draw up a treatment program.

Why do breasts get hard?

Mastopathy is a common disease among women of any age. Elimination of this pathology takes up 50% of the practice of mammologists. Breast thickening is manifested by:

1. Sebaceous gland cyst. Occurs due to blockage of the milk ducts. Significantly increases in volume after damage or increased hormonal levels. A painless, non-disturbing condition requires no treatment without aggravating consequences. In complicated cases, surgical intervention is performed: the tumor sac is removed through a minor incision in the skin. The surgical method completely eliminates the recurrence of the pathology.
2. Breast cyst. Does not provoke the development of cancer, similar to the previous one (except for localization). Hard sacs with fluid can be found anywhere in the chest and are characterized by mobility under the physical influence of the fingers. Women under 50 years of age are susceptible to the disease due to high levels of hormones during the menstrual cycle. Pathology is rarely characterized by the appearance of pain. The prescribed therapy involves drainage of the cyst followed by aspiration of the contents.
3. Breast lipoma. Round compaction of different sizes and locations. Sometimes several non-cancerous tumors are detected simultaneously in women with a large amount of adipose tissue.

Palpable balls in the mammary glands of girls under 16 years of age are one of the symptoms of mastopathy. Benign neoplasms occur before the onset of menstruation. The volume and arrangement of elements vary. Sometimes the presence of nodes is complemented by the appearance of dark, bloody mucous discharge from the nipples. The clinical picture indicates a high risk of tumor transformation into a malignant form.

Hard breasts during pregnancy

Swelling and increased sensitivity of the breast are natural phenomena that accompany the period of gestation. Symptoms are caused by hormonal changes in the body. If the mammary glands harden during pregnancy, this is an unfavorable sign, in 50% of cases indicating its fading. The only correct tactic is to immediately contact. It is possible that curettage of the uterine cavity will be required.

When planning the volume and nature of the intervention, the gynecologist is guided by the patient’s complaints, the results of the examination and ultrasound of the uterus.

Only in 1 case out of 50 does a woman find out about her pregnancy when the mammary glands harden.

Hard breasts after feeding

The appearance of lumps inside the mammary glands is often found among women during breastfeeding. Irregular or incomplete expression of milk contributes to blockage of the canals. Simultaneous pain, increased temperature, redness, and swelling indicate inflammatory processes. Sometimes the listed clinical manifestations indicate the initial stage of mastitis. To prevent negative consequences, you must adhere to the basic rules of lactation:

1. Systematically breastfeed your baby without interruptions. If the child refuses to feed, express milk.
2. Do not squeeze the mammary glands with clothing, so as not to interfere with the passage of milk through the channels. The release of milk outside of feeding is considered normal, but only in the first stages of lactation, while the body gets used to the regime.
3. Choosing the right breastfeeding position. There are a lot of educational materials that can help a new mother.

Firm breasts after mammoplasty

Increased density and hardening of the breast in plastic surgery is called capsular contracture. The condition is not caused by excessive rigidity or other characteristics of the implanted material, but by the body's reaction. In certain cases, the prosthesis is regarded by the immune system as a foreign body.

The density of the gel contents gives an idea of ​​what the breasts will feel like after surgery. A kind of protective shell is formed in the mammary glands, consisting of connective tissue and inflamed structures. They are like a capsule or a hard ball that envelops the location of the surgical intervention.

On average, it will take at least 2 months of recovery period with supportive drug therapy. Additionally, the patient should refrain from physical activity in order to:

• stop swelling;
• annihilate pain;
• restore sensitivity;
• normalize well-being.

The denser the capsules are formed, the firmer the breast becomes. The time frame for normalization of the condition of the mammary glands is individual for each individual case and the surgical intervention performed. The return of the necessary softness to the breast occurs after complete rehabilitation.

Due to the implantation of breast implants, abscess diagnosis is much less common. The condition is characterized by pain in the area of ​​infection and is observed in any part of the breast. Inflammatory symptoms are pronounced: redness, hardening of the surface, the skin becomes hot to the touch. Treatment includes placement of drainage and a course of antibiotics.

Hard breasts after childbirth

Fat necrosis is a dangerous breast disease in which healthy breast cells mutate into round, hard tumors. The diagnosis is confirmed by a change in skin color around the tumor: the surface of the epidermis turns blue or red. There may be no pain.

The pathology is provoked by hormonal imbalance and subsequent sudden weight gain after childbirth, as well as mechanical and other damage to the breast. The consequences of the injury can appear even after several years, including the formation of scar tissue. During this period, the vital activity of fat cells undergoes significant changes that do not require special treatment.

If hardness is accompanied by pain

Acquiring a pathological character, areas of the mammary gland have varying degrees of hardening with irradiation of pain from the seals to the armpit. The condition gives false signs of osteochondrosis: only an experienced specialist can identify mastodynia. If symptoms are accompanied by discharge from the nipples, it is likely to confirm galactorrhea or a secreting mammary gland (depending on the color of the fluid). Also, hard breasts with pulling or throbbing pain are a sign of:

1. Intraductal papillomas. They are palpated in the form of compacted unnatural anatomical structures. Often lead to discharge of bloody fluid from the nipples. The closer a patient approaches menopause, the more likely it is that fewer lumps will form. Diagnosis of papillomas in both glands simultaneously occurs exclusively at a young age.
2. Adenomas are non-cancerous neoplasms of a round, smooth shape. They change their location and degree of hardening depending on the period of the monthly cycle and the individual characteristics of the body.
3. Thrombophlebitis of the great vein. The blood vessel is localized in the armpit area. The blood clots inside it move closer to the mammary gland and manifest themselves as numerous compactions. Along the entire length of the vein with abnormal neoplasms, inflammation, redness, and elevated temperature are recorded.
4. Oncological neoplasm. Involves immediate surgical intervention with complete or partial amputation of the mammary gland. A cancerous tumor is heterogeneous in its structure, easily palpable, like dense tissue that stretches directly from the skin far into the chest.

Diagnosis of the condition includes ultrasound, mammography, histological, clinical and biochemical examination. Additionally, pneumocystography and ductography will be required. After confirmation of the diagnosis, the treatment complex is supplemented with laser, magnetic, and restorative physiotherapy.

Hard nipples

Natural physiological hardening of nipples in women is due to the following factors:

1. Sexual arousal.
2. The body's reaction to a sharp change in temperature (often cold snap).
3. Pregnancy after the 2nd trimester, when the nipples increase in size and become more sensitive.
4. The premenstrual period, accompanied by emotional swings and relative breast tenderness.

If external conditions do not correspond to any of the listed points, the cause of hard nipples should be sought in their disease. Eczema or herpes is manifested by redness, swelling, rash, soreness, itching, the appearance of hard crusts on the skin, and erosions. Sometimes excessive dryness of the epidermis or damage to the mammary gland followed by a hematoma in this area is mistaken for a pathological hardening of the nipple. It is necessary to differentiate all the symptoms so that the diagnosis is based on the most accurate information.

What to do if your chest becomes stone-like

Most women experience a similar condition after childbirth or a little earlier, when colostrum is replaced by milk. In addition to the natural increase in volume, increased sensitivity, and a feeling of heaviness of the breasts, a woman reveals petrification of the mammary gland. In obstetrics, this symptom is known as breast engorgement, accompanied by nipple hardening, inelasticity and pain in the areola. Sometimes the unpleasant sensation even interferes with feeding the baby. There is a decrease in nipple prominence.

These phenomena contribute to the deterioration of milk production due to increased swelling. An additional inconvenience is that pumping is difficult. To alleviate the condition, it is necessary to improve the capacity of the ducts and reduce swelling. Simple but effective methods include:

• Frequent latching of the baby to the breast.
• Physiotherapy by Jean Cotterman (pressure softening technique).
• Adequate drinking regimen (to avoid dehydration).
• Cold therapy - applying ice cubes wrapped in a towel.
• Use cabbage leaves between feedings (until they wilt completely), previously washed with soap.

Massage techniques have become especially popular; when used correctly, swelling of the mammary gland is eliminated in almost a few days. Their implementation is paramount before the pumping procedure, which can be extremely painful and impractical for this breast condition.

Seal prevention

To avoid lumps inside the mammary glands:

• correct attachment of the baby during breastfeeding;
• full expression of both glands (even if the child is not hungry);
• protection from damage and injury (at home, at work);
• rejection of bad habits;
• prevention of hormonal disorders - proper alternation of work and rest;
• Maximum compliance with personal protective equipment when working in conditions of evaporation of chemicals.

Regular visits to the gynecologist allow you to identify pathology at an early stage of its development.

If you notice breast hardening and pain, it is recommended to immediately contact the clinic. Similar symptoms manifest not only mastopathy, but also postpartum mastitis, hypogalactia, cracked nipples. Through the joint efforts of specialists (gynecologist, mammologist, oncologist surgeon), it is possible to defeat any type of pathology, resorting to the latest diagnostic techniques.

Most women pay enough attention to the condition of their breasts, more often to their size. But it is also necessary to remember about possible diseases of the mammary glands, which may manifest themselves with some symptoms (or not manifest themselves).

Among the main possible such symptoms are the following:

• Pain
• Discharge
• Seal

Below we will look at why lumps occur in the chest and how to behave correctly if you discover some unusual or painful formation.

Induration of the mammary glands can be associated with several factors. The reason for their appearance during lactation is due to blockage of the milk ducts. This phenomenon occurs due to incomplete or irregular emptying of the gland. If it is accompanied by fever, pain and redness of the skin, there is a possibility of mastitis, an inflammatory process in its tissue.

Some girls and teenagers experience breast tenderness and lumps (balls) before menstruation. In this case, similar areas can form, which periodically change location and size. In this case we are talking about mastopathy - a benign neoplasm. This disease is considered one of the most common in mammology. The appearance of nodes is sometimes accompanied by discharge from the nipples. If the mucus becomes bloody or brownish in color, there is a risk of developing cancer.

The appearance of a lump in the breast in women may indicate the onset of a tumor process. However, most of these neoplasms are usually benign.

REASONS FOR HARDENING OF THE MAMMY GLANDS

Often, having discovered a lump in her mammary gland and heard from a mammologist the diagnosis of “mastopathy,” a woman does not attach much importance to it, because according to statistics, mastopathy occurs in 60-90% of women. Should I be concerned if there are lumps in the mammary gland, painful, in the form of a ball? Undoubtedly. Diseases of the mammary glands, diagnostic methods for the presence of lumps in the mammary gland and their treatment will be discussed in this article.

Cysts and tumor abscesses

Fatty breast tumors

Neoplasms

Thrombus

Blood clots in the veins (thrombophlebitis) may feel like a lump in the breast. Phlebitis affects a large vein that normally crosses the chest at the armpit (axillary fossa). Symptoms include pain, redness, warmth and swelling along the path of the vein.

HAVE YOU FOUND A DENSE LOCATION IN YOUR CHEST?

Lumps in the mammary gland have a soft or denser consistency and sometimes shift. Pain from the area of ​​lumps in the mammary gland can radiate to the armpit, which a woman often mistakes for symptoms of osteochondrosis. Along with lumps and pain in the mammary glands (mastodynia), discharge from the nipples is often white (galactorrhea), yellowish or green (secreting mammary gland).

Which doctor should a woman consult if she wants to undergo a breast examination if she has tenderness, “balls,” or lumps in the mammary gland? Both a gynecologist and a surgeon can identify the disease. But only a mammologist-oncologist will conduct the most complete examination, including, if indicated, ultrasound of the mammary glands, mammography, ductography, pneumocystography, cytological and histological examination.

Our mammologist treats not only mastopathy, but also postpartum mastitis, cracked nipples, and helps to cope with the problem of hypogalactia (insufficient milk for breastfeeding), using modern treatment methods such as magnetic therapy, laser therapy, and the latest physiotherapeutic complexes.

WHERE TO GO IN MOSCOW

If you are concerned about discharge and pain in the mammary gland, lumps or other problems, a specialist from our center will give qualified advice. In our clinic, doctor's appointments are held daily, by appointment.