Mammary Gland Pain (Mastodynia): Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate mastodynia (breast pain):

Leading symptoms

• Breast pain premenstrual (before menstruation), or occurring cyclically.
• Tension states of the breast, occurring cyclically.

Notice. To distinguish from the mastodynia is the mastalgia, which is a feeling of tension in the breast or breast pain, which are independent of the cycle. In mastalgia differential diagnosis also think of angina pectoris (“chest tightness”; sudden pain in the heart area).

Warning signs (red flags)

• Pain on deep breathing + irritable cough → think of: Pleurisy (sicca)/dry course of pleurisy.
• Pain associated with physical exertion + woman ≥ middle age → think of: Angina pectoris