Every woman has probably complained that her breasts are swollen. In many cases, those affected complain of a tense, slightly or even greatly enlarged bosom, which is sometimes also very sensitive to touch. Behind the swollen breasts, however, there does not always have to be a disease; but it is also not said that every swollen breast has a harmless background.
What characterizes swollen breasts in women?
In many cases, those affected by swollen breasts complain of a tense, slightly or even strongly enlarged bosom, which is sometimes also very sensitive to touch. The woman notices that her breasts have become noticeably larger. The skin may be under a relatively uncomfortable feeling of tension; in many cases the breast is noticeably harder. Those affected also complain of sensitivity to touch. Even very gentle touches lead to pain. The pain can also be relatively severe. In many cases, women also feel that their breasts are significantly warmer than the rest of the body. Sometimes swollen breasts can be due to the menstrual cycle. In this case, physicians speak of so-called mastodynia, although the term mastalgia may also be used. However, other causes can also cause corresponding complaints. Many patients also complain of movement-related pain. Thus, the breasts hurt in the context of sports activities.
Causes
The female menstrual cycle causes swollen breasts. For this reason, it is no wonder that many women know the feeling of swollen breasts. In the context of this, the medical profession speaks of PMS – premenstrual syndrome. This syndrome occurs before menstruation and is sometimes the reason why women – during this time – suffer from mood swings. First of all, breasts swell – in that phase – because the concentration of hormones in the body fluctuates. Estrogen level increases after the period; water retention takes place in the tissues of the breasts. It is this water retention that causes the breasts to swell and gently ache just before the onset of menstruation. Swollen breasts can also occur when women have a disturbed hormone balance. If too much estrogen (or even too little progesterone) is produced, the woman’s breasts swell. The fact is that swollen breasts always result from hormones. Either extreme fluctuations or also disturbances of the hormone balance are present.
Diseases with this symptom
- Breast inflammation during lactation
- Benign breast tumors
- Lipoma
- Hormonal disorders
- Heart failure
- Chest inflammation
- Mastopathy
- Pathological mammary gland secretion
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Kidney inflammation
- PMS
- Breast cysts
- Breast cancer
- Progressive systemic scleroderma
- Renal impairment
Diagnosis and course
Possible causes of swollen breasts are PMS – premenstrual syndrome or hormonal disorders or hormonal fluctuations. It is important that not only the symptoms are reported to the medical professional, but sometimes also the duration as well as the frequency. The physician must palpate the breast in the context of the symptoms and very well examine the breast tissue for any changes. As a rule, the physician feels a hardening of the tissue; this hardening is perceived by the women as tension. In many cases, the physician also performs an ultrasound examination so that the breast tissue can be examined even more closely. If a tissue change is suspected, a mammogram is ordered as part of further examinations. However, several examinations do not mean that the physician suspects that any other causes may be the decisive reason for the swollen breasts. Often it is a purely precautionary measure, which should not give any reason for uncertainty.
Complications
Swollen breasts in women are not uncommon, depending on the stage of life and circumstances. If they are due to pregnancy, they are completely normal and healthy. A breastfeeding woman, on the other hand, should be alert if she notices swollen breasts. It is possible that a milk stasis is forming because the baby will not latch on or is not emptying the breast.Milk stasis occurs when milk accumulates in the breasts. In these cases, it must be emptied in time – either the baby drinks it empty after all or the milk is pumped out and stored or disposed of. If this does not happen, there is a risk of mastitis, which is even more painful for the woman and is treated with antibiotics. For the baby, this means that the switch to the bottle must follow, as he or she must not receive breast milk during this time. Swollen breasts outside of pregnancy or breastfeeding period should always be a warning signal. If the woman is definitely not pregnant, there may be other hormonal causes – harmless examples are women who notice swollen breasts as a symptom before or during their menstrual period. At worst, the hormone balance is out of whack, which can have many causes. Menopause, hormonal imbalances or diseases of the organs responsible for hormone production in the body could be the cause of swollen breasts.
When should you go to the doctor?
Many women know it: their breasts are tightening and swollen at the same time. It feels uncomfortable. Mostly, however, women’s swollen breasts are put up with, as they are often related to the female cycle. After a few days, the swelling and the associated tension and occasional sensitivity to touch go down again. To be on the safe side, however, the gynecologist should be consulted here as to whether the swollen breasts are actually cycle-related, as suspected by the woman. If the condition is very difficult for the woman to bear, for example during her working life, the gynecologist can prescribe soothing preparations. However, swollen breasts in women can also be caused by serious diseases. For example, it should be clarified whether the swelling is possibly due to a tumor, especially if the swollen breasts are permanent. Very often, however, an imbalance in hormones causes swollen breasts in women. Doctors use two different terms to distinguish between them: Mastodynia means the cyclically caused swelling, tension and pain of the breasts, mastalgia refers to the phenomenon when this condition does not exist.
Treatment and therapy
The medical practitioner bases his treatment on the cause, symptoms and also the severity of any discomfort and pain. Predominantly, the causes of a swollen breast are harmless, so it does not require special treatments. Especially when the pain is relatively “mild” and pathological causes are not the trigger, many physicians refrain from therapy. However, it is advisable for women who frequently suffer from swollen breasts to consult a physician so that this condition can be clarified. However, if the women complain of enormous discomfort, hormone therapies can provide relief and alleviate the symptoms. The physician determines whether the body is lacking hormones and can react to this, so that he helps the body to get the missing hormones. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that there is an excess of hormones and hormones need to be reduced. In this case, drug therapies are used. Even if these treatments bring good results, they are often characterized by side effects. Because of the side effects, many doctors are of the opinion that only purely herbal products should be used to restore the hormone balance. In the end, these have the same effect, although it can take longer for the remedy to unfold its full power in the body, and it can also take longer for the symptoms to recede or become significantly better. A popular remedy is monk’s pepper. However, it can sometimes take three months before women notice the positive effect. However, herbal remedies can also have a positive effect on the hormone balance within a few days, so that the symptoms can be alleviated quite quickly. However, it also depends on how severe the woman’s complaints are.
Outlook and prognosis
In most cases, swollen breasts are a harmless symptom that does not necessarily need to be treated by a doctor. In many cases, the swollen breasts occur during menstruation and are not only swollen but also painful. If the symptom does not disappear on its own, the cause can be determined relatively easily by a mammogram or an ultrasound examination.In case of long-lasting pain or swelling, hormone therapy can be performed. However, this only helps if the body lacks certain hormones or produces them in excess. As a rule, this therapy quickly leads to success. If the swollen breasts occur during pregnancy, they are a common symptom. They usually disappear after breastfeeding period is over. In case of milk stasis, breast milk can also be pumped out. Menopause can also cause swollen and painful breasts, which is also a common and harmless symptom. There are several self-help options available to the patient. In most cases, however, the symptom is not long-lasting and disappears again on its own.
Prevention
Swollen breasts can hardly be prevented. This is because hormone production is responsible for it. It is advisable that a doctor is contacted at the first signs. In this way, hormonal imbalances can be detected at an early stage and subsequently treated. Thus, the woman can already react before the complaints become stronger and positively influence her body or hormone balance.
What you can do yourself
Women with swollen breasts can apply cooling compresses to the breasts. A well-fitting bra that supports the breasts is also recommended. Against swollen breasts often help also [[Tea (medicinal plant)|Herb teas, for example, with sage or hibiscus. They have a draining effect and reduce the feeling of tightness in the breasts associated with swelling. Some women with swollen breasts also find a visit to the sauna very beneficial. If the swelling is particularly severe, black tea, coffee, chocolate and cola should be avoided. The ingredients teein, caffeine and cocoa can aggravate the symptoms. It also makes sense to eat a low-salt diet. Table salt additionally binds fluid in the tissue and can thus increase pain and swelling. If an elevated prolactin level is the cause of swollen breasts in women, monk’s pepper preparations can help. They inhibit the action of the hormone prolactin in the brain. Preparations include monk’s pepper, a mixture of monk’s pepper, cyclamen, blue buttercup, Ignatius bean and tiger lily. Homeopathic remedies can also provide relief for swollen breasts in women. These include common daffodil, spotted hemlock, saw palmetto and dwarf palmetto. Women with swollen breasts should palpate their breasts monthly shortly after menstruation to detect possible changes early and prevent worsening of the swellings.
