How to Reduce Breast Pain Before Period

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Breast pain before periods, known as cyclic mastalgia, affects as many as seven out of 10 females, with nearly a third experiencing extreme discomfort. It is thought to be caused by fluctuations in hormones during the luteal phase when high levels of estrogen and progesterone cause milk ducts and glands to swell, trapping fluid inside the breasts.

Cyclic mastalgia is most common in females 30 to 50 years old. Hormonal therapy, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, and heating pads are just some of the ways to deal with this common premenstrual symptom.

The article describes the causes of cyclic mastalgia and offers tips on how to reduce breast pain before periods. It also looks at noncyclic causes of breast pain and how they differ from cyclic mastalgia.

Woman rubbing her chest
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A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology

Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.

  • Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.
  • Gender describes a person's internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.

Research studies sometimes don't use the terminology in this way. Terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like "female," "male," "woman," and "man" as the sources use them.

What Causes Breast Pain Before Period?

Mastalgia is the general term describing breast pain (with mast- derived from the Greek for "breasts" and -algia derived from the Greek for "pain" or "ache"). The pain may be cyclic (related to normal hormonal fluctuations) and non-cyclic (related to other causes).

Cyclic Mastaliga

Cyclic mastalgia arises during the latter half of your period due to increases in hormone levels. It can affect younger females but is more common after the age of 30 and tends to subside after menopause when menstruation ceases. Cyclic mastalgia affects both breasts.

While most experts agree that increases in hormones affect changes in the breasts—causing swelling, pain, and fluid retention—it is unclear why some females experience cyclical mastalgia and others don't.

Cyclic mastalgia typically occurs during the last phase of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase. This is when high levels of estrogen and progesterone cause tissues in the uterus (womb) to thicken in preparation for a fertilized egg.

High estrogen levels also stimulate the growth of milk ducts in the breast, while high progesterone triggers the expansion of mammary glands that produce milk. These effects trap fluids in the breast, causing pain and tenderness mostly on the top and bottom sides of the breasts. The pain and swelling can sometimes extend to the underarms.

Cyclic mastalgia tends to develop a week or so before your period, causing a dull and achy pain that can turn extreme for some people.

During and after your period, estrogen and progesterone levels will drop precipitously along with your breast pain.

Noncyclic Mastalgia

A second type of mastalgia—noncyclic mastalgia—has no link to the menstrual cycle. With noncyclic mastalgia, the pain is present all the time in a specific location. Noncyclic mastalgia is more common after menopause but can occur at any age.

Noncyclic breast pain may be dull and achy but is more often sharp and burning, particularly when touched or with certain movements. The pain may be felt in both breasts (bilateral mastalgia) but is more likely to be one-sided (unilateral mastalgia) or be felt in one breast more than the other.

Possible causes include:

Does Breast Cancer Cause Pain?

Breast or nipple pain is not a common sign of breast cancer. Breast cancer is more often recognized by such tell-tale symptoms as:

  • A lump in the breast
  • Swelling in and aorund your breast, collarbone, or armpit
  • Redness, dryness, flaking, or thickening of breast skin
  • Dimpling of the breast skin
  • Nipple discharge
  • Nipple inversion (retraction)


Other Causes

In many cases, the source of breast pain may start somewhere else besides the breasts. This is referred to as extramammary mastaglia.

In cases like this, the pain may arise from underlying tissues (such as muscles or tendons) or be referred (meaning that it originates elsewhere in the body and radiates to the breast through nerves). This can give the false impression of breast pain.

Possible causes of extramammary mastalgia include:

What Are the Symptoms of Breast Pain?

The symptoms of mastalgia can vary based on whether it is cyclical or non-cyclical. The symptoms can signpost the underlying cause of your pain and help direct the appropriate treatment.

Cyclic Mastalgia
  • Occurs roughly a week before your period

  • Pain subsides after your period

  • Pain is felt in both breasts

  • Pain is felt on the top and bottom sides of the breast

  • Pain tends to be dull and achy

  • Commonly seen between ages 30 and 50

Noncyclic Mastalgia
  • Can occur at any time

  • Pain is usually persistent

  • Pain is typically felt in one breast

  • Pain is usually very localized and specific

  • Pain can be sharp and burning

  • More often seen in postmenopausal females

How Is Breast Pain Treated?

The treatment of cyclic mastalgia can vary based on the severity of your symptoms. Sometimes all that is needed are simple at-home remedies to provide relief. Severe cases may require OTC or prescription medications.

Natural Remedies

Try a few natural options if you experience breast pain in tandem with your periods and don't want to take medication:

  • Apply warm or cold compresses, as needed.
  • Wear a comfortable sports bra. If the volume of your breasts has increased due to swelling, your usual bra may be too tight. The underwire may be especially uncomfortable. You may wish to choose a soft, supportive cup instead of forcing your swollen breasts into your usual bra.
  • Limit your caffeine intake. It isn't clear how much caffeine it takes to set off cyclic breast pain. But the potential for pain increases with the amount of caffeine consumed.
  • Add flaxseed to your diet. Some evidence suggests that ground flaxseed can help reduce cyclic breast pain. Sprinkle flaxseed in smoothies, add it to baked goods before baking, or top your cereal with a spoonful.
  • Supplement with chaste berry. There is some evidence that chaste berry (Vitex agnus-castus) supplements can help reduce the symptoms of cyclic mastalgia. The typical dose of chaste berry used in studies was between 20 to 40 milligrams daily.
  • Take vitamin E. A multivitamin might be a good option.

Medical Treatment Options

If these natural approaches don't help, your healthcare provider may suggest:

Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any herbal supplements you may be taking. There is a chance they could interact with these medications.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If severe, cyclic mastalgia can undermine a person's quality of life. It is important to speak with a healthcare provider if the pain repeatedly interferes with your ability to sleep, have sex, or participate in your usual daily activities. The same applies if the pain is affecting your mental well-being. Treatments are available that can help.

Summary

Cyclic mastalgia is linked to the menstrual cycle, and noncyclic mastalgia is more likely to affect post-menopausal females. The pain can be severe and worrisome—but it's rarely a sign of breast cancer. Sometimes medication can help, and there are several natural ways to ease the pain if you prefer to steer clear of medication.

9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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  4. Breastcancer.org. Mastalgia (breast pain).

  5. Eren T, Aslan A, Ozemir IA, et al. Factors effecting mastalgia. Breast Care (Basel). 2016;11(3):188-93. doi:10.1159/000444359

  6. American Cancer Society. Breast cancer symptoms: what you need to know.

  7. Goyal A. Breast pain. BMJ Clin Evid 2014;2014:0812.

  8. Vaziri F, Zamani Lari M, Samsami Dehaghani A, et al. Comparing the effects of dietary flaxseed and omega-3 fatty acids supplement on cyclical mastalgia in Iranian women: a randomized clinical trial. Int J Family Med. 2014;2014:174532. doi:10.1155/2014/174532

  9. Ooi SL, Watts S, Mcclean R, Pak SC. Vitex agnus-castus for the treatment of cyclic mastalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2019;2019:7770. doi:10.1089/jwh.2019.7770

By Andrea Chisholm, MD
Andrea Chisolm, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN who has taught at both Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School.