Breast Problems - Breast Lumps, Pain, Discharge

Women experience changes in their breasts as they age. Along with this come breast problems such as breast pain, tenderness, nipple inversions, breast lumps and breast discharge. These issues are common in women and may not necessarily be a sign of something serious like breast cancer. During puberty, girls develop breasts starting off as tender bumps under the nipple. They may fear these lumps to be of concern, but it a part of the breast development.

Different breast problems are dealt with differently depending on the change and problem caused. We will look at the different problems in details as below:

1. Breast Lumps: Breast lumps arise when there is a growth of a tissue in the breast region. This swelling or thickening may be benign or cancerous. The most common lumps are fibroadenoma and cysts. These can form in the breast due to various reasons like infection, inflammation, papilloma, fibrocystic disease, periductal or due to tumors. Lumps are often caused by hormonal changes in the body and can occur before menstrual periods. It normally goes away after the period has ended. If you are above 30 years, and the lump does not go away, you will need a mammogram done to find the cause of the lump. Needle aspiration is one of the ways to withdraw fluid from the lump if it is filled with fluid but if it is a solid lump, one may need to have a biopsy.

2. Breast Pain: Breast pain could be just due to hormonal changes especially during menstrual periods. These changes in the levels could result in pain and is not a serious problem. The other kind of pain which is not related to the menstrual cycle can occur in only one breast or only one specific area of the breast. The cause of this could be some injury, strain or other organ problems. In some cases the reason could be breast cancer. There are medications available in the market to get relief from such pains. Another simple way is to wear a well fitted bra or a sport bra and avoid wearing bras that are too tight and uncomfortable.

3. Breast Discharge: Discharge from the breast is common if one is pregnant or breast feeding. Some women may experience yellowish, brownish or greenish discharge when the nipples are squeezed which is due to other reasons. A spontaneous breast discharge may be a matter of concern and needs to be diagnosed by conducting a mammogram, ductogram or ultrasound. Certain medications, over stimulation and widening of the milk ducts can also cause breast discharge in a woman.

If you are experiencing any of the above breast problems such as breast pain, breast discharge and breast lumps, it is advisable to visit a doctor and get a checkup done. It may not be an emergency or a serious issue, but delaying the diagnosis may lead to complications ahead. But if the breast problems are due to breast cancer, it is best if it is detected as early as possible so that it can be treated successfully. The two ways to detect it are by doing a breast examination and by conducting a mammogram.