Breast Pain As A Warning Sign

by Stephan Grindley

It is very common for those experiencing breast pain to be concerned that it is a symptom of breast cancer. Of course this may be the case, but there really is no need to be concerned, the best thing to do is to get it checked by your doctor as soon as you can, and get a mammogram done. This will help your doctor to know if there are any lumps in your breast that do need to be checked out.

It is extremely important to tell your doctor about every symptom of breast pain. When you have this pain, write it down. What is the location of the pain? Rating it on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is your pain? What is the length of time that you have pain? Is it pounding pain or a stabbing pain? Although you may believe that you would recall how your pain feels, it is best to write it down when you are going through the pain to be certain you describe it accurately.

If you are having breast pain don't feel as though you are alone. It's been shown that 1 in 10 women have pain in their breast, ranging from moderate to severe, more than five days in a given month. It can last all the way through a woman's menstrual cycle. This type of experience happens mostly among younger women but can be experienced by women of any age.

As to be expected, a lot of women have pain in their breasts become worried they might have breast cancer. This is a good reason to have regular breast exams. While your doctor needs to perform these every so often you can also give yourself a self assessment as another line of early detection. There are plenty of websites that can show you how to do this, or you can ask your doctor for instructions.

The good news is that pain in the breast rarely signifies cancer. There are several reasons you might be experiencing breast pain. The most likely reason has to do with reproductive hormones. Your monthly menstrual cycle can bring along tenderness and or soreness in the breasts. This type of pain will usually affect both of your breasts.

It is clear that there are many causes of breast pain. A doctor will work to rule out the serious causes and offer methods of pain relief. Over the counter analgesic medications are one such method for relieving pain in the breast area and its associated symptoms. Depending on the exact cause of the pain, another pain relief method is to wear a more supportive bra.

You might worry about cancer when you feel breast pain. It is very important to note all your symptoms: Where is the pain, how long does the pain last, is it a throbbing or a sharp pain. Write it down while experiencing them to be accurate. Many women worry that the pain in their breasts could be cancer. It is rare that pain in the breast is a symptom of cancer. There are a variety of possible reasons for pain in the breast. The mammogram will give your doctor a chance to examine your breast for lumps or masses. You can also perform self assessment breast exams.

Published August 30th, 2008

Filed in Women