Breasts are a major feminine asset in term of feminine elegance and men’s sexual attraction. But they are fragile and subject to pain and diseases. For instance, breast cancer is the second most common cancer overall. It is scarry for a woman to experience breast pain. But the truth, sometimes the pain is not related to any cancer at all, but a benign cause.
The sensations we have in our breasts often vary according to our cycle: sometimes heavy and tense, sometimes mild. And often, these signs can show up without warning. It is not always easy to interpret the changes our chest experiences. However, scientists have discovered certain behaviors that can lead to breast pain and diseases.
In this article, you will discover 12 things that not only harm your breasts but can also cause pain and discomfort. Fortunately, I will show you some simple remedies you can use to help you get rid of your breast pain in case it is not a serious medical condition.
1. Coffee
Too much coffee can cause breast pain and sensitivity. Coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks can make the breasts more sensitive and painful. A study conducted by Duke University found that 615 of women experiencing breast pain had reduced breast pain when they cut out caffeine.
The researchers believe it is because caffeine causes blood vessels of the breasts to dilate, which can lead to swelling and pain.
2. Stress
Clinical stress can lead to hormonal imbalances, which in turn can disrupt your cycles and cause chest pain even after you have had your period. Breast pain can occur at atypical times, as a result of prolonged periods of stress. If you therefore experience pain in both breasts, it may be due to stress-related hormonal imbalance.
If you have a history of a breast cyst, stress may be exacerbating your symptoms and the associated pain. The best treatment? Learn to control your stress, with methods applicable to everyday life, such as listing to recomforting Christian sons, meditation, and gardening.
3. Wearing wrong size bras
According to many surveys, only one in four women wear a bra that is appropriate for her size. Often, we tend to choose it smaller, thinking that it will support our chest better. However, it would be better to choose it too big, because a bra that compresses the blood vessels can lead to health complications, or even increase the risks of contracting early breast cancer.
An unsuitable bra can absolutely be the cause of your breast pain. And while all breasts can be affected, women with large breasts suffer the most. “Same thing for women who do a lot of sport”. This is why it is important to choose the right sports bra, depending on the type and intensity of the activity.
4. Hormonal treatment
Any hormonal treatment, including hormone replacement pills, can affect your breasts if you take a different dose than your body needs. While scientists are not clear on what causes these pains, they have known for a long time that there is a connection between the two.
Other medicines like those prescribed for high blood pressure, acne, or hair loss are also known to cause occasional breast pain. Psychiatric treatments are also suspected, especially SSRI antidepressants, commonly prescribed in the United States for depression.
5. Removing nipple hair
Most of us have hair on our nipples. Nothing abnormal about that; you can keep or get rid of it. You can safely remove your nipple hair with sugaring or waxing, but this can be painful. If you know what you are doing, don’t your own depilation on your nipples. It is better to go to a salon or waxing center to get the removal done.
In addition, if you damage the skin on your nipples by forcefully removing the hair with tweezers, it will become more and more fragile, with the possibility of infection.
6. Infection
Chest infections are common in women who are breastfeeding. Most often, they form between the tissues and cause a condition called mastitis. It also happens that the milk ducts become blocked, which often cause chest pain. Women who do not breastfeed can also be prone to infections, but in this case the cause is often external: nipple piercings, injuries, and others. The difference here is that the pain is going to be relatively localized. You may also have redness and relatively hard breasts, sometimes with nausea and fever.
If you think you have an infection in your breasts, it is important to see a physician promptly. Normally, antibiotics and warm compresses are used. You can also relieve the breasts by massaging them with black seed oil and essential oils. An untreated infection can turn into an abscess, which will need to be operated.
7. Wearing a bra at all times
Wearing bra is not a vital help for our breasts; it is just a comfort. Although there is no scientific evidence that confirms wearing a correctly fitting bra during the day can cause health problems, a bra that does not fit properly can cause pain in the neck as well as the chest muscles.
Considering 3 out of 4 women do not wear a right-size bra, this is common cause of breast pain.
8. Certain sports
In addition to your sports bra pressing on your breasts, sports itself can cause chest pain. Two types of muscles can be sore after a sport session:
The pectoral muscle, which is located just under the breast fat, are the ones that are mobilized when you lift weights. To relieve the pain, remember to rest, apply ice cubes, and take painkillers if needed.
The breastbone muscle: this muscle locates in the middle of the chest, and support the rib cage. It may become inflamed after an intensive workout, which tends to cause a type of localized pain between the two breasts called costochondritis. Symptoms caused by costochondritis might be similar to those of a heart attack or other heart conditions. The pain usually goes away on its own with some stretching and pain relievers.
9. Strap Tamers, tapes or patches
Not all the tricks sold to prevent bra straps from showing are safe to use. Depending on the material and comfort, some would cause not only bruises, allergies and eczema, but also deformities, if worn too often.
The solution is to avoid wearing them as long as you can, or wear tamers made of healthy materials.
10. Breast Cyst
Chest cysts are not always painful. But when they are, it’s because they put too much pressure on the breast tissue. The symptoms can be accompanied by cyclical pain, which means they can come and go with your period.
Cysts do not require special treatment unless they become painful. If you are really uncomfortable, do not hesitate to talk to your physician who can advise you an appropriate treatment. Women who have cysts on a regular basis may benefit from applying cabbage leaves to the painful or swollen breasts.
11. Prolonged dry skin
The skin on your breasts is extremely thin; therefore, leaving them in an atmosphere that is too dry, for a prolonged period, they could become sensitive, lose elasticity and sag. This can cause minor pain in some women.
Remember to drink plenty of water and juice, and keep the skin of your chest soft and well hydrated, by applying an oil-based moisturizer. If you can find one that contains petroleum jelly it is even better.
12. Nervous system disorder
There are a number of nervous problems that can cause breast pain. But when the problem is related to a nervous system disorder the symptoms will rarely be isolated; that is, they will be accompanied by other discomforts. For instance, you may experience a pinched nerve in the neck that can radiate to the chest, arms and shoulders. Likewise, fibromyalgia usually spreads to all parts of the body, not just the chest.
So, if you only have chest pain, in one specific location of your body, it is surely not due to a nervous problem. If in doubt, talk to your physician who can test the signals sent by your nerves.
