BREAST PAIN

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Female Breast

Breast pain

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Breast pain

Home Care

For tips on how to manage pain from fibrocystic breasts, see breast lumps.

Certain birth control pills may help relieve breast pain. Ask your doctor if this therapy is right for you.

If you have a breast infection, you may need antibiotics. Look for symptoms of infection such as redness in the area, nipple discharge, or fever. Contact your doctor if you have these symptoms.

If you have a breast injury, immediately apply a cold compress such as an ice pack (wrapped in a cloth -- don't apply directly to the skin) for 15 to 20 minutes. Take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen to reduce your chance of developing persistent breast pain or swelling.

Call your health care provider if

Call your doctor if you have:

• Discharge from your nipples, especially blood or pus
• Given birth within the last week and your breasts are swollen or hard
• Signs of a breast infection, including localized redness, pus, or fever
• Noticed a new lump associated with the pain that does not go away after your menstrual period
• Persistent, unexplained breast pain

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your health care provider will perform a breast examination and ask questions about your breast pain, such as:

• How long have you had the symptoms?
• Are one or both of your breasts affected?
• Do you have any nipple discharge?
• Do you perform breast self-examination?
• Have you noticed any lumps or anything unusual when you examine your breasts?
• When was your last mammogram?
• What other symptoms do you have? Do you have fever?
• What medicines do you take?

Tests that may be done include:

• Breast biopsy
• Culture of nipple discharge to test for infection
• Cytology (microscopic evaluation) of nipple discharge
• Fine needle aspiration -- a small needle is inserted into the breast to remove fluid that may have collected in a cyst (usually not cancerous)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Mammography

Treatment may include the following:

• Diet changes
• Medication changes
• Pain relievers

Your health care provider should schedule a follow-up visit in case the symptoms have not gone away in a given period of time. Your doctor may recommend that you see a specialist if the symptoms do not go away or if you have a complicated condition.

Reviewer Info: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., 12/31/2008