Treat Breast Tenderness

A number of things can cause mastalgia, the medical name for breast pain. Hormonal shifts cause cyclic breast discomfort. The onset of puberty renders a girl’s breasts more sensitive. Many teenage girls and women experience heaviness and soreness just before menstruation, a symptom that may be part of the great constellation of premenstrual syndrome.

Breasts enlarge during pregnancy—more so just after the birth. Before nipples toughen, breastfeeding can initially cause soreness. During that time, women are vulnerable to breast infection, called mastitis. Sometimes the discomfort has nothing to do with hormones. Obviously, surgery and accidental trauma will hurt. If you’re bustier, the sheer weight can be uncomfortable—especially when exercising.

Further, many women develop fibrocystic breast changes. Fibrous tissue and cysts (fluid-filled sacs) cause the breasts to feel lumpy. Premenstrual hormonal shifts can enlarge the cysts and may lead to tenderness. Fibrocystic changes do not increase a woman’s cancer risk, though they can make screening tests more difficult to interpret.

Speaking of breast cancer, it usually does not cause pain. Neither do benign (noncancerous) enlargements called fibroadenomas. You should see your doctor immediately if you detect a new lump, regardless of whether it’s tender. A biopsy may be needed to determine whether the mass is benign.

Recipes to Treat Breast Tenderness

Monthly Breast Exam
This recipe comes from the American Cancer Society. Practice it once a month. If you notice any changes, such as a lump, thickening, dimpling, discoloration, or nipple discharge, contact your doctor immediately. You
A mirror
A shower
A bed
Preparation and use:
In the mirror:
Look carefully at your breasts to see whether there is any difference in their position, shape, or size or if there is any skin discoloration. Note anything unusual, such as dimpling or sores. Are your nipples peeling, or is there a change in their direction? Review the outer parts of your breasts: Place your hands on your hips and press down to tighten your chest muscles. Inspect your breasts as you turn side to side to look for unusual changes as mentioned above. Roll your shoulders and elbows forward to tighten your chest muscles. As your breasts fall forward, look for any changes in their “forward” shape, as well as in coloration or skin consistency from the last mirror exam. Look carefully at the area underneath your breasts, lifting each breast with your hands to examine it. Place your thumb and forefinger on the tissue around each nipple and pull out, toward the nipple’s tip. Look for fluid discharge.
In the shower:
Check for any lumps or thickening in your underarm area. Place one hand on your hip. With your other hand, check for lumps or thickening in the opposite armpit. Check both sides. Feel for lumps or thickening above and below your collarbone. Lift one arm behind your head to spread your breast tissue. With the fingers from the other hand, press gently into the breast in an up-anddown motion, moving from bra line to collarbone, over the full breast. Repeat on the other side.
In bed:
Lie flat and place a small pillow under your right shoulder. Put your right hand behind your head. Place your left hand on the upper portion of your right breast with your fingers together and flat. Think of your breast as the face on a clock and start at the top, or twelve o’clock. In small, circular motions, move toward one o’clock. Continue around the entire circle until you reach twelve o’clock again. Your fingers should be flat and always in contact with your breast. Next, complete another similar circle around the nipple. Then, feel the upper outer areas that extend into your armpit. Finally, place your fingers flat and directly on top of your nipple, feeling for changes under the nipple. Press your nipple inward. It should move easily.
Yield: monthly application
How it works:
Examine your breasts regularly at the same time each month. In that way, you know their normal texture and can better recognize changes. To learn more, ask your doctor or check online sources, such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and BreastCancer.org.

Beneficial Black Bean Salad
This magnesium-rich recipe works toward reducing PMS symptoms, including breast tenderness. 1½ cups (355 ml) water ¾ cup (146 g) uncooked brown rice 1 can (14 ounces, or 400 g) black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup (164 g) cooked corn kernels 4 scallions, chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 medium-size tomato, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil 2 tablespoons (28 ml) lime juice 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano ½ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro 1 avocado
Preparation and use:
Combine the water and rice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Combine the beans, corn kernels, scallions, peppers, and tomato in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and oregano. Drizzle this into the large bowl and mix. Refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to serve, toss in the cilantro. Peel, pit, and slice the avocado and arrange on top of the salad before serving.
Yield: 8 servings
How it works:
Some studies show that magnesium supplementation reduces premenstrual syndrome symptoms, such as water retention and breast tenderness. The recommended daily intake is 310 milligrams for women. Beans and lentils are rich in magnesium. Other good sources include wheat bran (89 milligrams per ¼ cup [25 g]), almonds (80 milligrams per ounce [28 g]), cooked spinach (78 milligrams per ½ cup [90 g]), cashews (74 milligrams per ounce [28 g]), and peanuts (50 milligrams per ounce [28 g]).

Simply Good Broccoli 
This easy nondairy recipe delivers important calcium and magnesium, which helps guard against premenstrual breast pain. 1 broccoli crown, broken into 8 or so florets 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil ¼ cup (25 g) crushed almonds Sea salt
Preparation and use:
Wash and slice the broccoli florets. Combine the broccoli and garlic in a skillet. Cover with the olive oil and toss. Place the skillet over high heat and stir-fry the broccoli mixture continuously for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and then toss in the crushed almonds and sea salt to taste. Serve while steaming hot.
Yield: 2 servings
How it works:
Broccoli and almonds both provide calcium and magnesium. Studies show that calcium supplements (1,000 to 1,200 grams a day) have decreased premenstrual symptoms, including pain. Magnesium supplements are often recommended for treating PMS symptoms.

When Simple Doesn’t Work
Over-the-counter pain relievers can help relieve breast pain: aspirin (but not for women under the age of twenty or breastfeeding mothers), acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and naproxen (Naprosyn, Alleve). Take as directed. Hormonal contraceptives (for example, birth control pills) can reduce cyclic breast tenderness. However, for some women hormonal contraceptives cause breast tenderness. A half-dozen studies show that extracts from the berries of chaste tree (vitex agnus castus), taken for three continuous months, reduce premenstrual symptoms, including breast tenderness. Doses vary, depending upon how the herb is prepared. Follow the package instructions. The usual daily dose is 2 droppersful (½ teaspoon, or 2.5 ml) of tincture diluted in water, or 20 to 40 milligrams of a concentrated solid extract. Take in the morning. These extracts are not recommended for women who are pregnant or long-term in women who are nursing or taking hormonal contraceptives. Evening primrose oil, taken as a supplement, may also help. The oil contains gamma linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. One study found that supplemental vitamin E and/or evening primrose oil brought relief to study participants.

When to call the Doctor
Keep up with yearly breast exams by a doctor, nurse, or other qualified health practitioner. Ask whether he or she recommends you get a mammogram. There’s currently some controversy about the timing and frequency of this screening test. Call your doctor’s office if you notice anything new or unusual, such as:
• a new lump, regardless of whether it’s tender, in your breast or armpit
• nipple discharge (unrelated to breastfeeding an infant)
• pain
• puckering, dimpling, thickening, or discoloration of the skin If you’re breastfeeding a baby and have any problems, including a suspected breast infection, call. More serious cases of mastitis may require antibiotic treatment.