What Are Sore Breast a Sign Of?

Sore breasts can be scary, but they are rarely bad news.

Sore breasts are usually symptomatic of hormonal changes for a variety of reasons. Causes can also include problems with breast feeding, a breast injury, cystitis, or in worst cases, cancer.

Hormonal Causes

Young women menstruating for the first time often complain of sore breasts; later, PMS may cause breast pain before and during menstruation. Hormone replacement therapy and birth control pills also may cause sore breasts.

Pregnancy

Pregnant women often complain of sore breasts; for many women, it's the first symptom of pregnancy. During hormonal surges in the first few months of pregnancy, breasts usually grow in size and develop bluish veins, a sign of increased blood flow.

Soreness Linked To Lactation

A woman who has just had a baby will almost always have sore breasts, whether she breastfeeds or not. Sore breasts that do not improve may be symptomatic of mastitis, a blockage and sometimes infection in the milk glands.

Breast Abcesses

Breast pain may be caused by an abcess, a pocket in the flesh filled with pus. These abcesses will feel like mushy lumps and have a variety of causes, from cracked nipples allowing bacteria to enter the breast to problems with breastfeeding. Whatever the cause, an abcess must be treated by a doctor.

Breast Cancer

Only in late stages does breast cancer cause breast pain. If you are regularly checking yourself for breast lumps and having your annual mammograms, it is very unlikely that your breast pain is caused by cancer.

References

• Sore Breasts During Pregnancy
• Mastitis, from Mayo Clinic
• Breast Abcess, from Ask Dr. Sears