Unilateral chest pain | Chest pain at ovulation

Unilateral chest pain

Unilateral chest pain can occur during pill taking, just before menstruation and around ovulation. They can have various causes and are usually not dangerous. Shortly before ovulation and menstruation, the hormonal situation of a woman’s body changes.

This can cause chest pain because the breasts swell. Some women have pain on both sides, but the discomfort can also occur on only one side. At the beginning of menstruation, this pain can be very strong and unpleasant.

Cooling pads, well-fitting bras and pain-relieving ointments can provide relief. In most cases, this pain subsides after a few days. Furthermore, unilateral pain in the breast can also be caused by an inflamed mammary gland.

An inflammation of the mammary gland tissue can also be related to the hormonal changes during ovulation. Some women then have pain, feel generally listless and are very sensitive to pressure on the affected breast. The affected women may notice a small nodular change in the breast when they palpate themselves.

An inflammation should always be examined by a doctor, as it can quickly develop into an abscess. In general, unilateral breast pain should always be clarified by a gynaecologist. The breast can be depicted very graphically in ultrasound and mammography and the tissue can be examined for changes.

Hormone-related causes are often present, and most of them can be treated by discontinuing the pill or changing the pill. Last but not least, it can also be a lump in the breast that causes the pain. In this case, the mammary gland tissue must be examined more closely for benign or malignant changes in the cells.

Chest pain despite taking the pill

Some women report breast pain while taking the pill. They have more frequent pain and even a permanent feeling of tension. The problems occur more frequently in the second half of the cycle, because the hormonal metabolism is in a similar state there as after ovulation.

The pill has prevented ovulation, but the hormones increase slightly, which can trigger the symptoms. Normally, the pill helps to regulate the hormone balance and can therefore help to prevent precisely these complaints. However, these symptoms can still occur in women.

In some cases, breast pain despite the pill can also be an indication of an existing pregnancy. However, if the pain persists for a long time or returns again and again after taking the pill, the person concerned should consult a gynaecologist for advice. It is possible that the symptoms may improve if the patient tries a new pill. At the same time it can be ruled out that a pregnancy has occurred despite taking the pill.

Breast pain during pregnancy

With the beginning of pregnancy the body undergoes some hormonal changes. Thus the female breast is also prepared for the time after birth, especially for breastfeeding. The hormones oestrogen and progesterone promote the growth of the breast.

More fat cells and mammary glands are produced, which can then produce enough milk for breastfeeding. For many women, this growth of the breasts is particularly painful. The hormone prolactin from the pituitary gland is also involved in these changes and prepares the mammary glands for later breastfeeding.

Most of the enlargement of the glands should take place in the first three months of pregnancy (the so-called 1st trimester). Accordingly, pain is also more frequent during this period. The breast pain during pregnancy is therefore mainly due to hormonal changes and not to the presence of ovulation, as this does not occur during pregnancy.

In addition to the discomfort, prolactin also causes the production of provisional milk (Latin: colostrum). This can also be secreted in large quantities during pregnancy. To counteract the symptoms, pregnant women should take sufficient care of themselves.

Well-fitting pregnancy bras are suitable to avoid irritation of the breasts. They are comfortable to wear and adapted to the sensitivity of the pregnant woman’s breasts. Cooling compresses and lukewarm baths with soothing oils can also help against the feeling of tension caused by the swelling of the breasts.