Painful Breast Lump And Its Causes
When a woman performs breast self-examination (BSE) and all of a sudden discovers a lump in her breast, her normal response is to freak out. Finding a breast lump, however, should not make any woman react in severe terror. In actual fact, almost all women of child-bearing age suffer from a benign condition of the breast referred to as fibrocystic breast changes. With that said, it is not surprising to find women who suffer from breast lumps. One question that you might have in your head is, can a painful breast lump be suggestive of cancer? Even though a painful breast lump usually turns out to be benign, it’s still recommended that a woman seek the advice of a doctor and not make her own conclusion. A painful breast lump may be suggestive of quite a number of conditions and it would be wise to know for certain what caused it than to simply make an assumption.
Breast lump formation is usually due fluctuations in hormones and/or inflammation. Believe it or not, only a few of these lumps are end up as cancers. Some of the possible causes of a painful breast lumps are listed below.
1.) Hormonal changes – A painful breast lump is normally caused by hormonal fluctuations common during menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and approach of menopause. Painful breast lumps are most uncomfortable just before your period is due and typically improves when the period starts. These lumps are likewise prevalent in pregnant women during the first trimester. A painful breast lump often appears in women who are in pre-menopause stage and usually disappears on its own unless certain medications are taken.
2.) Breast infection – Infection of the breast tissue, also called mastitis, can cause painful lumps in the breast especially during the time of breastfeeding. This occurs when bacteria are able to gain entrance to the breast tissue through a crack in the nipple. The infection normally causes pain, redness and swelling.
3.) Medications – A painful breast lump might result from the intake of medications just like aldactone, anadrol, aldomet, digoxin, and chlorpromazine.
4.) Cancer – As mentioned earlier, the majority of painful breast lumps is benign and should not cause women immediate alarm. There are instances, however, where these uncomfortable lumps are already an indication of breast cancer, especially when they’re hard and immovable.
In conclusion, remember that:
1.) Eighty percent of painful breast lumps are not malignant,therefore, should not cause any woman to freak out.
2.) Painful breast lumps can be suggestive of a whole bunch of conditions so it’s best to seek the advice of a doctor.
3.) Just because painful breast lumps are usually benign doesn’t mean that it’s not cancer.
