Breastfeeding women are most likely to get breast infections (mastitis), but they occasionally occur in other women, too. If you have a breast infection, you may have a fever and symptoms in one breast, including:
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling
If you think you may have a breast infection, it’s important to see a doctor. Treatment typically includes antibiotics and pain relievers.
7 Breast pain could be a medication side effect.
Some medications may cause breast pain as a side effect. Talk to your doctor about the medications you’re on and if this could be the case for you. Some drugs with this known side effect include:
-
- Oxymethone, used to treat some forms of anemia
- Chlorpromazine, used to treat various mental health conditions
- Water pills (diuretics), drugs that increase urination and are used to treat kidney and heart disease and high blood pressure
- Hormone therapies (birth control pills, hormone replacement or infertility treatments)
- Digitalis, prescribed for heart failure
- Methyldopa, used to treat high blood pressure
8 You have a painful breast cyst.
If a tender lump suddenly appears in your breast, you may have a cyst, says Wright. “These fluid-filled lumps aren’t dangerous and often don’t need to be treated as they may resolve on their own. But it’s important to get any lump in your breast evaluated by a doctor.”
To diagnose a cyst, your doctor may recommend a mammogram, ultrasound or aspiration (drawing fluid from the lump). Draining fluid from the cyst is also a form of treatment. If the cyst isn’t bothersome, you may not need any treatment at all.
Learn more about breast cysts and other noncancerous breast lumps.
9 You’re experiencing painful complications from breast implants.
Some women have complications with breast implants, whether made of silicone or saline. One of the most common causes of pain after breast augmentation surgery is capsular contracture, when scar tissue forms too tightly around implants. Breast pain can also be an indication that one of your implants has ruptured. Talk to your doctor about any pain you’re having to determine if it could be related to the breast implants.
10 Breast pain can sometimes be a sign of breast cancer.
It’s unusual for breast cancer to cause pain, says Wright, but not impossible. Inflammatory breast cancer often causes pain but it’s rare, accounting for 1% to 5% of breast cancer cases in the United States. Symptoms of this aggressive disease often come on suddenly and progress rapidly. Inflammatory breast cancer may cause the breast to become:
- Red or discolored
- Swollen or heavy
- Painful
Skin on the breast may also thicken or dimple. If you’re concerned about inflammatory breast cancer, see your doctor immediately.
When to See a Doctor for Breast Pain
Although most cases of breast pain are minor problems, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your concerns. “If you have persistent breast pain, you should be evaluated,” says Wright. “And anyone who has a lump — painful or not — should see their doctor for an exam to make sure there isn’t a problem.”
