Breast pain

There are many reasons breasts can be painful. It's not usually anything serious, but see a GP if the pain does not improve.

Causes of breast pain

Breast pain is usually linked to periods. Sometimes it can be caused by a health condition or medicine.

Breast pain linked to periods

Breast pain linked to periods usually:

• begins up to 2 weeks before a period, gets worse and then goes away when the period ends
• feels dull, heavy or aching
• affects both breasts and sometimes spreads to the armpit

Other causes of breast pain

Other causes of breast pain include:

• injuries or sprains to the neck, shoulder or back – these can be felt as breast pain
• medicines like the contraceptive pill and some antidepressants
• conditions like mastitis or a breast abscess
• pregnancy
• hormone changes during the menopause

Breast pain by itself is unlikely to be a symptom of cancer.

Things you can do to ease breast pain

To help ease breast pain:

• take paracetamol or ibuprofen, or rub painkilling gel on your breasts
• wear a properly fitted bra during the day and a soft bra to sleep in

There's little evidence that vitamin E tablets or evening primrose oil help with breast pain.

See a GP about breast pain if:

• it's not improving or painkillers are not helping
• there's a history of breast cancer in your family
• you have any signs of pregnancy – you could do a pregnancy test first