Tension, tugging, pressure, even pain in the breasts: what can you do?

Increased sensitivity, tightness in both breasts, throbbing, tension or uncomfortable pressure: breast pain is as much a part of women's lives as hair loss is of men's. As a American study shows, around 70% of women experience sudden breast pain at some point in their lives.

I explain the possible causes, how to take care of your breasts, and when to seek help.

Mastodynia: a pain with hormonal causes

In most cases, the pain is due to hormonal changes. Once a month, the body prepares for a possible pregnancy. Oestrogen levels fall with ovulation, and the body secretes more progesterone (a natural progestogen). Symptoms such as fluid retention, breast swelling and pain may then appear. These generally disappear with the onset of the rules.

These hormonal fluctuations often make breasts sensitive and painful during pregnancy, breastfeeding, after stopping the pill or at the menopause. Specialists call these cyclical pains "mastodynia."

Mammary pain that is independent of the menstrual cycle is grouped together under the term "mastalgia".

What are the other causes of breast pain?

Sudden breast pain is a source of concern for many women. Don't panic; it's rare for serious illnesses such as breast cancer or coronary heart disease to be the cause.

In fact, a recent study published in the British Journal of General Practice (in English) shows no significant link between breast pain and breast cancer. Moreover, breast cancer does not manifest itself as pain, at least not in the initial stage. If the pain persists for more than a month and nodules are noticeable or the nipples secrete blood, consult your gynaecologist.

Most of the time, breast pain has benign causes. Mastalgia can have very common causes:

1. You're not wearing the right bra size

Breasts change over the years. At some point, your favourite bra will probably stop fitting. Bras that are too tight and ill-fitting can put pressure on the chest and make your breasts suffer on a daily basis, which can irritate the skin and cause back and shoulder pain. The same goes for sports bras. Sudden movements put a strain on your tissues, which need good support. The bra should not compress your breasts too much, but support them according to the intensity of the exercise. Studies show that 60-80% of women wear an unsuitable bra.

2. You have muscle soreness

Let's get back to sport. Intense weight training sessions can lead to soreness. Now, what you think are chest pains are usually just soreness in your pectorals radiating into the breast tissue. Cold or hot compresses and a good stretching session can already give you some relief.

3. You have mastopathy

Reassure yourself, mastopathy is a benign condition that alters breast tissue. It can cause tightness, heaviness and pain. It is caused by an imbalance between oestrogen and progesterone levels. Treatment is not always necessary; it all depends on the intensity of the pain experienced. Cysts and small nodules may also form. If in doubt, consult a doctor.

4. You have an infection

Breast pain can also be of infectious origin. This can be an inflammation of the breast tissue and glands, known as "mastitis". Mastitis is triggered by an infection, for example when milk engorgement occurs during breastfeeding. Non-breastfeeding women may also be affected. Mastitis generally involves swelling, redness and pain. It requires antibiotics to be taken.

5. You have tension in your back, neck or shoulders

Mammary pains often do not originate in the chest and should not worry you. They can be the result of tension, injury or poor posture in the back, neck or shoulders. One study (in English) even shows that a pinched nerve in the neck is often to blame. In this case, physiotherapy will undoubtedly provide relief.

Pain in the breasts: what to do

In many cases, you can remedy the situation yourself, but go for a consultation if the pain persists, or if you feel nodules or changes in your tissues.

1. Choose the right bras

In fact, the solution can be as simple as buying yourself a new bra. Preferably choose a simple model, without push-ups or iron underwires that compress your breasts and force them into an unnatural shape. The ideal is to wear soft, seamless bras without underwires, in the right size. This also applies to sports bras: choose them according to the intensity of your workouts (the more intense they are, the tighter the model) and opt for the support and size that suit you. 60-70% of women surveyed in a study (in English) said that a bra adapted to their breasts gave them relief.

2. Apply hot or cold compresses

Applying cold or hot compresses can relieve acute pain. Hot compresses help with milk engorgement or tension, and cold compresses work against swelling and pain. Apply them and leave them on for up to 20 minutes, ideally before going to bed.

Cold compresses of soothing oils such as lavender or chamomile are also beneficial.

3. Take a nice warm bath

There are many causes of breast pain. If you're feeling tense or achy, or if your breasts are tight, a bath can help. This is because the heat has a relaxing effect, reducing tension and soothing the muscles.

A relaxing bath can work wonders, especially for breastfeeding women! The heat dilates clogged mammary glands and combats inflammation and engorgement.

4. Use evening primrose oil and vitamin E

Some studies (in English) have illustrated the promising effects of vitamin E and evening primrose oil in the treatment of breast pain. Evening primrose oil rebalances the fatty acids in the cells. Vitamin E has an antioxidant effect and relieves pain. Scientists recommend taking 130 mg of vitamin E twice a day for three months, in combination with evening primrose oil.

5. Take care of your skin

The skin on your breasts may simply be irritated. To avoid unpleasant tightness, taking care of it is often all you need. Opt for a lipid-replenishing treatment that moisturises the skin without drying it out. Here again, evening primrose oil is recommended, as are special pregnancy oils and analgesic oils and creams. Gently massage your breasts to maintain skin elasticity, prevent engorgement and detect tissue changes early.

6. Drink plenty

Tensions can also be due to hormonal water retention. By drinking enough (preferably water and unsweetened herbal teas), you help your body to dehydrate. It may seem paradoxical, but the body stores liquids when it doesn't get enough. When you drink a lot, you avoid water retention. The principle is the same in the case of hormonal water retention. Nettle tisanes and dandelion tisanes have a particularly draining effect.

When you drink camomiletisane, you not only combat water retention, but also breast pain. In fact, several studies (in English) have demonstrated its anti-inflammatory and analgesic action.