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Breast Cancer: Why Does My Breast Hurt When I Press It?

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written by: Adetoro Abdulhakeem

Feeling pain when pressing on your breast can be alarming. You may wonder about the cause, and your mind might go to several worst case scenarios.

The good news is that most breast pain is caused by normal shifts in your hormones or by simple-to-treat conditions. Breast pain typically isn’t a symptom of breast cancerTrusted Source. That said, it’s still important to figure out why your breasts hurt when you apply pressure. It isn’t a symptom you should ignore.

In this article, we go over some of the most common causes of breast pain (also known as mastodynia and mastalgia), why it happens, and when you should see a doctor.

Hormone shifts

Your body goes through a series of hormone shifts every month that are tied to your period. These shifts are meant to prepare your body to host a pregnancy, and to discard unnecessary tissue if a pregnancy doesn’t begin.

These shifts in hormones can also cause pain and tenderness in your breasts. This sensitivity is known as cyclic mastalgia or fibrocystic changes. Around 50 percentTrusted Source of all women over the age of 30 experience this.

Right before your period starts, your breasts may feel especially tender if you press on them, or they may ache. If both of your breasts feel heavy and swollen, if your armpit areas also feel tender, and if you’re expecting your period soon, cyclic mastalgia could be the cause.

Mastitis

Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue. Mastitis mostly affects women who are breastfeeding, and it can be related to a blocked milk duct or bacterial infection within the duct.

Mastitis can be accompanied by pain, swelling, redness, itching, and a sensation of heat on your breast. It also can cause you to have a fever.

Typically, only one breast will be affected with these symptoms at a time. Mastitis can develop into complications, such as a breast abscess, and often requires treatment from a medical professional.

Medications

Some prescription medications can cause breast pain as a side effect. Some of these medications are linked to your hormones, which can lead to breast pain that comes from swollen breast tissue. Others are prescribed to treat heart and cardiovascular conditions, which can lead to breast pain that comes from your chest wall.

Medications with breast and chest pain as a side effect include:

Breast cysts

Breast cysts are sacs of fluid that can appear in your breast. They can be small or large, and then can swell or shrink throughout your menstrual cycle.

Breast cysts are extremely common, and researchers estimate that somewhere between 70 and 90 percentTrusted Source of people assigned as female at birth will have a breast cyst during their lifetime.

Breast cysts can feel painful when you press on them, and they may also feel smooth and circular. Most breast cysts are benign, but some do need to be removed.

Breast abscesses

A breast abscessTrusted Source is a sign of an infection in your breast tissue. They can be a complication of mastitis, or they can develop in people who aren’t breastfeeding.

It’s estimated that between 5 and 11 percentTrusted Source of women who develop mastitis while breastfeeding will go on to develop a breast abscess.

If you’re not breastfeeding, risk factors for developing a breast abscess can include being outside of the weight range recommended for your height and having pierced nipples. African Americans seem to also be at increased riskTrusted Source.

Breast tumors

Tumors found in your breast can be benign, or they can be cancerous. Most changes in your breast tissue are benign, with only 3 to 6 percentTrusted Source estimated to be cancerous. What’s more, pain in your breast is rarely a sign that you have a cancerous tumor.

Fibroadenomas are a benign type of tumor that affects up to 25 percentTrusted Source of people assigned female at birth. They are usually painless, but you can sometimes feel them moving through your breast tissue when you apply pressure.

Cancerous breast tumors can cause pain if they’re inflammatory.

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer that develops quickly. It accounts for somewhere between 1 and 5 percentTrusted Source of breast cancer diagnoses, according to the American Cancer Society. Other symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer can include redness, swelling, and tenderness.

Breast injuries

Your breasts can become bruised or otherwise injured just like the rest of your body.

If you have redness, swelling, or visible discoloration at the sight of your breast pain, it’s possible that you’re healing from a bump or bruise. This can happen as the result of an accident, a slip or fall, or playing sports.

You may also experience breast soreness from working out your chest muscles.

When to talk with a doctor 

Most causes of breast pain are not a concern, and many will go away without any treatment. However, persistent breast pain isn’t something you should wait out or just hope goes away on its own.

You should talk with a doctor for breast pain if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • persistent, sharp pain in one or both breasts
  • redness or swelling that doesn’t go away after a day or two
  • any redness, swelling, colored drainage, fever, or other sign of infection while you’re breastfeeding
  • a lump in your breast

See a doctor right away if you find a lump in your breast

Anyone who finds a lump in their breast should talk with a doctor to find out the cause. Even if the lump isn’t painful, a medical professional should perform a physical exam to determine if additional diagnostic steps need to be taken.

Takeaway 

Breast pain is a common symptom. Most often, the cause is something common or benign. Hormonal changes, benign cysts, and everyday injuries rarely need any type of medical intervention.

Breast pain is common, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t explore and find the cause. There are some rare cases where breast pain can indicate the presence of cancer.

If you’re concerned about any pain or other symptoms related to your breasts, talk with a doctor.

What Causes Breast Pain?

What is breast pain?

The breasts develop due to an increase in estrogen during puberty. During the menstrual cycle, various hormones cause changes in breast tissue that can lead to pain or discomfort in some women. While breasts do not typically hurt, occasional breast pain is common.

Breast pain, also called mastalgia, is a common condition among women. The pain is usually categorized as either cyclical or noncyclical.

Cyclical pain means the pain is associated with your menstrual cycle. Pain linked with the menstrual cycle tends to subside during or after your period.

Noncyclical pain can have many causes, including injury to the breast. Sometimes noncyclical pain can come from surrounding muscles or tissues rather than the breast itself. Noncyclical pain is much less common than cyclical pain, and its causes can be harder to identify.

Mastalgia can vary in intensity from a sharp pain to a mild tingling. Some women may experience breast tenderness, or their breasts may feel fuller than usual.

Causes of breast pain

Breast pain can be caused by a variety of factors. Two of the most common causes are hormone fluctuations and fibrocystic (lumpy) breasts.

Hormone fluctuations

A woman’s menstrual cycle causes hormone fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones can cause a woman’s breasts to feel swollen, lumpy, and sometimes painful.

Women sometimes report that this pain gets worse as they get older due to increased sensitivity to hormones as a woman ages. Sometimes, women who experience menstrual-related pain won’t have the pain after menopause.

If breast pain is due to hormone fluctuations, you will usually notice the pain getting worse two to three days before your period. Sometimes the pain will continue throughout your menstrual cycle.

To determine whether your breast pain is linked to your menstrual cycle, keep a log of your periods and note when you experience pain throughout the month. After a cycle or two, a pattern may become clear.

Developmental periods that affect a woman’s menstrual cycle and potentially cause breast pain include:

Breast cysts

As a woman ages, her breasts experience changes known as involution. This is when breast tissue is replaced by fat. A side effect of this is the development of cysts and more fibrous tissue. These are known as fibrocystic changes or fibrocystic breast tissue.

While fibrocystic breasts don’t always cause pain, they can. These changes aren’t usually cause for concern.

Fibrocystic breasts can feel lumpy and can increase tenderness. This most usually occurs in the upper and outer portions of the breasts. The lumps can also enlarge in size around the time of your menstrual cycle.

Breastfeeding and breast pain

Breastfeeding is a natural and nutritious way to feed your infant, but it isn’t without its pitfalls and difficulties. You can experience breast pain while breastfeeding for a number of reasons. These include:

Mastitis

Mastitis is an infection of your milk ducts. This can cause severe and strong pain as well as cracked, itching, burning, or blistering on the nipples. Other symptoms include red streaks on the breasts, fever, and chills. Your doctor will treat these with antibiotics.

Engorgement

Engorgement occurs when your breasts become overfull. Your breasts will appear enlarged and your skin will feel tight and painful. If you cannot feed your baby soon, you can try pumping or manually expressing your milk.

You can do this by placing your thumb on top of your breast and your fingers underneath your breast. Slowly roll your fingers back against your chest wall and forward toward your nipples to empty your breast.

Improper latch

If your baby isn’t latching on appropriately to your nipple, you will likely experience breast pain. Signs your baby may not be latching properly include cracking nipples and nipple soreness.

A lactation consultant at the hospital where you gave birth can typically help you establish a healthier latch.

Remember: Breastfeeding doesn’t have to hurt. See your doctor or call a lactation specialist if you are having difficulty breastfeeding. You can also visit La Leche League International to find a certified lactation consultant in your area.

Other causes

Breast pain can have other causes, including:

Diet

The foods a woman eats may contribute to breast pain. Women who eat unhealthy diets, such as those high in fat and refined carbs, may also be at greater risk for breast pain.

Extramammary concerns

Sometimes breast pain isn’t because of your breasts, but because of irritation of the chest, arms, or back muscles. This is common if you’ve engaged in activities such as raking, rowing, shoveling, and waterskiing.

Breast size

Women with larger breasts or breasts that aren’t in proportion to their frames can experience discomfort in their necks and shoulders.

Breast surgery

If you’ve had surgery on your breasts, pain from scar tissue formation can linger after the incisions have healed.

Medications

Antidepressants, hormone therapy, antibiotics, and medications for heart disease can all contribute to breast pain. While you shouldn’t stop taking these medications if you have breast pain, talk to your doctor if alternative options are available.

Smoking

Smoking is known to increase epinephrine levels in the breast tissue. This can make a woman’s breasts hurt.

Is breast pain linked to breast cancer?

Breast pain is not usually linked to breast cancer. Having breast pain or fibrocystic breasts does not mean you are at higher risk of developing cancer. However, lumpy tissue may make it harder to see tumors on a mammogram.

If you have breast pain that is localized in only one area and that is consistent through the month with no fluctuations in pain level, call your doctor. Examples of diagnostic tests can include:

  • Mammogram. Doctors use this imaging test to identify abnormalities in your breast tissue.
  • Ultrasound. An ultrasound is a scan that penetrates the breast tissue. Doctors can use it to identify lumps in breast tissue without exposing a woman to radiation.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is used to create detailed images of breast tissue to identify potentially cancerous lesions.
  • Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of breast tissue so a doctor can examine the tissue under a microscope for the presence of cancerous cells.

A doctor can use these tests to determine if your breast pain may be related to cancer.

What can help reduce breast pain?

Treatment will vary depending on whether your breast pain is cyclical or noncyclical. Before treating you, your doctor will consider your age, medical history, and the severity of your pain.

Treatment for cyclical pain may include:

Treatment for noncyclical pain will depend on the cause of the breast pain. Once the cause is identified, your doctor will prescribe specific related treatments.

Always talk to your doctor before starting to take any supplements to ensure they won’t interfere with the medicines you’re taking or any conditions you may have.

When to see your doctor

If your breast pain is sudden and accompanied by chest pain, tingling, and numbness in your extremities, seek immediate medical attention. These symptoms can indicate a heart attack.

Make an appointment to see your doctor if your pain:

  • keeps you from daily activities
  • lasts longer than two weeks
  • accompanies a new lump that appears to be getting thicker
  • seems to be concentrated in one specific area of your breast
  • seems to get worse with time

At your appointment, you can expect your doctor to ask you about your symptoms. Questions could include:

  • When did your breast pain begin?
  • What makes your breast pain worse? Does anything seem to make it better?
  • Do you notice the pain getting worse around the time of your menstrual cycle?
  • How would you rate the pain? What does the pain feel like?

Your doctor will likely perform a physical exam. They may also recommend imaging tests, like a mammogram, to visualize your breast tissue. This could allow them to identify cysts in your breast tissue.

If you have cystic breasts, your doctor might do a needle biopsy. This is a procedure where a thin needle is inserted into the cyst to remove a small sample of tissue for testing.

You can book an appointment with a primary care doctor in your area using our Healthline FindCare tool.

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