Author: Maria Alfano
Menopause breast pain is no joking matter. I was teased as a young girl because I developed early and was well endowed. As I reached my late teens, I realized the boys took a second look when I walked into the room. It was a good feeling to be considered popular. What they didn’t know was the pain I felt every time I had my monthly cycle. They may have looked pretty but they didn’t always feel pretty.
I had my fingers crossed that once I stopped my menstrual cycle this would all be over. And, it was for a while. But then something happened. Not sure what but there it is again. If you are experiencing menopause breast pain or breast tenderness during menopause you are not alone. Find out why this is happening to you.
They say that approximately 70% of women experience breast pain during the time of their period anywhere from a few days before to a few days after the cycle starts and ends. Cyclical mastalgia is pretty common and comes from extreme fluctuations in hormones. The very first case of mastalgia was reported in the early 1800s. So, ladies, you are in good company knowing that your ancestors have gone through the same thing you are going through now. Not a lot was talked about in the 1800s so having this recorded that early meant someone was paying attention and wanted to understand the issue.
Breast tenderness and pain have plagued women for centuries. Times have changed but the pain is still the same. The causes are not much different either. Science has given us better tools to handle the pain today than our forewomen had at their disposal. Don’t suffer in silence. Help yourself with some of these potential solutions. Many of them are easier than your think and cost very little to implement.
This post is all about menopause breast pain, the causes, the remedies, and potential serious breast issues you should not ignore.
Menopause Breast Pain – Just When You Thought It Was Over
30% of women going through menopause experience non-cyclic mastalgia. Menopause causes so many changes to the female body and this is no different. It is not something to really worry about either as it is a common symptom of the “change”. Women start going through a change of life anywhere from the age of 40 to 58, with the average age of a menopausal woman being 51.4 years old.
It can catch you off guard because you cannot predict when the pain will suddenly hit you. And, it’s not always in the same breast. It can be on one, both, or either side. Unlike prepping for the monthly cycle’s pain. with menopause, the monthly period is gone but the menopause breast pain remains. Some doctors have linked this menopause breast tenderness to the lack of fatty acids in the body. Let me caveat all this by saying not all sore breasts in menopause are a serious problem. Having said that, if you are concerned for any reason see your primary physician right away.
Causes of Menopause Breast Pain
Hormones – perhaps the biggest culprit in the bunch is the change in the levels of both estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones work together to promote a healthy reproductive system that includes the breasts. Breasts give nourishment to new life and they need to stay soft and supple to do that. In menopause that is no longer a requirement. The lack of these hormones will cause the breasts to change and can lead to breast pain.
Milk ducts – with reproduction shut down, the milk ducts will also shut down. You won’t be nursing any babies again so you won’t need them. They become dense, and fattier and can cause the breast to sag.
Stretched ligaments – Cooper’s ligament is the fibrous tissue that connects the breast and the skin. If that gets stretched, it’s like any other ligament injury and will cause you pain. Not to mention, the shape of your breasts will also change, hence the sagging occurs from the overstretched Cooper’s.
Infections – the unused milk ducts can sometimes become infected or blocked with dried-up milk and will cause pain.
Medications – many HRT (hormone replacement therapy) drugs can cause issues with breast pain. Think about it. Menopause is the process of stopping the production of estrogen and progesterone yet the HRTs give you a sudden injection of these hormones. It’s like a roller coaster ride for your breasts.
Braziers – there is no accounting for a well-fitting bra. One that is comfortable and holds the twins up in just the right way does a lot for your breast health. Underwire bras may look nice but they can bruise the delicate tissue around the breast.
Remedies For Menopause Breast Pain
Without sounding remedial some simple treatments like Tylenol or Advil will work for temporary pain relief. Try vitamin E. It can reduce the free radicals that can attack and destroy cells leading to breast pain. Omega 3 fatty acids are a great source of pain relief also.
To Do
Primrose oil – linolenic is an essential fatty acid compound in primrose oil that helps reduce inflammation and encourages the prostaglandins hormones which regulate pain due to inflammation.
Fish oil -is another really good source of omega-3 fatty acids that help the breasts by reducing inflammation. Drinking oil may sound a little offputting but I find this one is pretty easy to ingest. Take one tablespoon first thing in the morning and you’re good to go. Or you can always get odorless and flavorless capsules instead.
Warm compresses – you have gone through this said before especially if you nursed a baby. Milk ducts can get blocked and lead to infection. You may not be nursing but a good way to help remove the pressure from your swollen breast and relieve the symptoms is to apply a warm compress. If your menopause breast pain is related to issues with your milk ducts, give this a try.
Proper bra – a good bra with proper support will do wonders for your sore breasts during menopause. A push-up bra with thin straps looks and feels pretty but it will do nothing to help support your breasts, There are some gorgeous bras on the market today that have wider straps and better support all while making the girls look perky and feel amazing.
This is one of my favorite bras that happens to have not only good support but is also very pretty is this Syrokan wireless bra. It is available in a variety of colors, not just basic black. One of these colors will surely suit your wardrobe. You can find it and others like it on Amazon.
Not To Do
Avoid smoking – there are no scientific tests to back this remedy up but many women have reported a lot less breast tenderness after reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke daily or quitting altogether.
Caffeine – although a cup of java is the favorite way to start the day, it can cause you to have unnecessary breast tenderness. Large amounts of caffeine will throw your menopausal hormones further out of balance than they already are. You want to consider decaf if you insist on your morning coffee.
Non-Menopause Breast Pain
If you experience any of the following symptoms during perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause, do yourself a favor and contact your doctor right away. These could be signs of something more serious. Delaying could mean the difference between life and death – literally!
- Lumps in the breast tissue or under the arm – could be benign cysts but they are also the first sign of cancer. A regular breast exam will help you to find these early. Check out the post below, “A close call – my brush with breast cancer and the three things I learned that you absolutely need to know.”
- Your skin starts to look like an orange peel (full of divots and dimples). This is a form of cancer that makes itself evident on the surface of the skin. It looks like a rash and is often referred to as peau d’orange. Don’t ignore this.
- Nipple discharge is not a common occurrence for a woman going through or having gone through menopause. All the milk should have dried up by that time and any fluids coming out are a sign of infection or something much more serious.
- Change in the shape or size of the breast – if you start having hard lumps or cysts this could change the shape of your breast. As noted above, the sooner you find these lumps through a self-exam. the better.
This post was all about menopause breast pain, what causes it, and what you can do to relieve the pain.
We would love to hear about your experiences with breast tenderness during menopause and some of the ways that helped you alleviate it.