Breasts hurt a lot after menstruation. Why do you experience pain in the chest after your period?

Menstruation in women is accompanied by a number of symptoms. The reason is the increased production of estrogen, which is necessary for the development of the embryo in the event of conception. Because of this, women sometimes experience breast pain after menstruation.

The localization of the hormone estrogen is in adipose tissue, so an increase in its amount leads to a significant increase in the volume of those organs that consist of adipose tissue. This also includes female breasts. The glands become noticeably larger, making blood flow more difficult. The result is swelling, a feeling of heaviness, and pain.

Hormonal disbalance

The causes of disorders in the female body may be as follows:

• diseases of the mammary glands or organs of the reproductive system;
• conception;
• the beginning of menopause;
• taking contraceptives or other hormonal medications;
• taking antidepressants;
• severe stress.

It is important to consider the nature of the pain - cyclical or non-cyclical:

• Cyclic pain is directly related to the female menstrual cycle. Monthly hormonal changes in the female body affect the well-being and condition of the mammary glands. Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone cause them to increase and become painful.
• Non-cyclical pain is not related to a woman's cycle. If your chest hurts a week after your period, most often it is not associated with the menstrual cycle, you need to find out the causes of mastalgia.

Breast diseases

Another reason why breasts become enlarged and engorged after menstruation is illness:

• . This pathology begins against the background of hormonal imbalance. Symptoms are pain and tightness in the chest, a feeling of heaviness. Discomfort occurs regardless of the cycle - before, during or after menstruation.
• Mastitis. Characterized by the development of an inflammatory process in the tissues of the mammary gland. Develops as a result of damage to the glands by a bacterial infection. Often develops in nursing women, but may not be associated with lactation.
• Cysts. Neoplasms in the mammary glands that appear as a result of impaired fat metabolism in the body.
• Malignant tumors. Characterized by constant pain and rapid growth. The danger lies in the appearance of obvious symptoms already in the later stages. Therefore, if your breasts are swollen and painful, and this has nothing to do with your period, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

If you have problems of this nature, you should contact a mammologist. It is this specialist who diagnoses and treats mammary glands in women.

Gynecological diseases

If your breasts hurt after menstruation, this may be due to diseases of the reproductive organs. In this case, the lower abdomen often hurts.

Discomfort is possible when a woman has the following inflammatory diseases of the genital organs:

• endometritis;
• endometriosis;
• adnexitis;
• vulvitis;
• inflammation of the fallopian tubes or ovaries.

Gynecological diseases often cause hormonal imbalance, which ultimately affects the general well-being of a woman, the condition of the mammary glands and leads to symptoms of mastalgia.

Diseases of other organs

Chest pain after menstruation can occur in the presence of diseases not related to reproductive function.

Possible reasons:

• Hormonal imbalance due to diseases of the thyroid gland or other endocrine organs.
• Osteochondrosis.
• Inflammation of the lymph nodes in the armpit area.
• Heart diseases.
• Mechanical chest injuries (bruise, compression, blow).

What to do?

If the symptoms are cause for concern, the woman should visit a mammologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and make a diagnosis.

Prescribed diagnostic methods:

• mammography;
• ductography;
• biopsy (puncture).

Based on the data obtained, the doctor will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatments aimed at eliminating the cause of the pain. These could be anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal therapy, or surgery in the presence of tumors.

Following these recommendations will help reduce discomfort or prevent its occurrence:

• Correct selection of underwear. The bra should be made of good fabrics and of high quality, be comfortable and hold the bust well without squeezing it.
• Regular sex life.
• Getting rid of bad habits.
• Daily routine and proper nutrition.
• Correct selection of hormonal contraception (the drugs should be selected by a gynecologist based on test results).

• exclude fatty, smoked, spicy, salty foods from the diet;
• include fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily diet;
• before menstruation, reduce the consumption of chocolate and coffee.

There are many reasons that cause pain and discomfort in the chest. A woman can only determine or exclude pregnancy on her own. If she is sure that there is no conception, she urgently needs to visit a mammologist.

Video about mastopathy

Gynecologists say that normally, during the period of ovulation, soreness and swelling of the mammary glands can be observed. In some cases, the breasts begin to thicken and increase in volume immediately with the onset of menstruation. However, this should not happen in the period between menstruation. But how then can we explain the situation when a woman’s breasts hurt after her period? Let's try to figure it out.

If, after menstruation, the breast continues to hurt, it remains heavi and there is an increase in the density of adipose tissue, this indicates an increased level of estrogen in the blood. An example of such a situation would be pregnancy.

In some cases, the fact that a woman’s breasts are swollen and sore after menstruation may be one of the first signs of conception. At the same time, the woman herself sometimes does not pay attention to this, linking this phenomenon with recently occurring critical days.

As a rule, after the process of fertilization, a change in hormonal levels occurs in a woman’s body. Thus, the synthesis of estrogen and progesterone increases. This, in turn, leads to the fact that after menstruation the breasts do not stop hurting and increase slightly in volume. Only after about 10-14 days, when the concentration of progesterone in the blood of the pregnant woman increases significantly, the pain will disappear, because This hormone promotes the outflow of excess fluid, as a result of which the breasts stop increasing in volume and pain disappears.

In addition, with the onset of pregnancy, a hormone such as human chorionic somatotropin (placental hormone) begins to be synthesized. It also promotes enhanced breast growth.

Why do my breasts hurt immediately after my period?

The second most common cause of breast pain after menstruation is mastopathy. This disease is characterized by thickening of the glandular tissue in the mammary gland, and develops against the background of a hormonal imbalance in the girl’s body. The disease is so insidious that pain in the chest can appear at almost any time (at the beginning of the cycle, in the middle, during menstruation and after it).

Among women of childbearing age, this disease is quite common - approximately 60% of women under 45 years of age experience its manifestations. To diagnose it, after undergoing an examination by a gynecologist, a blood test for hormones and an ultrasound are prescribed, the results of which are used as the basis for making the final diagnosis and prescribing treatment.

Quite often, the reason that a girl has pain in the lower abdomen and chest after menstruation is. Normally, in the absence of such a disorder, with the cessation of menstruation, breast swelling disappears along with moderate pain. However, if hormonal levels are disrupted, similar phenomena can occur after the end of menstruation.

If we talk about the reason for the development of the disorder in women, then most often it is:

• long-term use of hormonal drugs (oral contraceptives, for example);
• the presence of benign formations (tumors) in the body;
• sexually transmitted infections (for example,).

Medical indications

During menstruation, a woman may experience the following pain:

• cyclic;
• non-cyclical;
• chest pain.

Breasts develop in girls aged 11-14 years. Due to changes in the level of estrogen in the blood plasma, growth of stromal and parenchymal tissues, from which the mammary glands are formed, is observed. At 21 years old, the breasts are fully formed. In 90% of girls, the mammary glands do not have a symmetrical shape.

The right gland is smaller than the left. During pregnancy, childbirth and lactation, various changes occur in the breast (the influence of female hormones). If the breasts are insignificant, then the female body is normal. If chest pain has disappeared before the cycle (previously it was regular), then a full examination of the patient is carried out. This phenomenon indicates the development of a pathological process.

Before ovulation, the breasts become more sensitive. At the same time, the amount of epithelium increases. The mammary glands swell (increasing their sensitivity and density). If the woman is healthy, then such symptoms are mild. In women of reproductive age (during the menstrual cycle), breasts become enlarged due to the proliferation of glandular tissue. If your period and pain have passed, then the help of a doctor will not be required.

Most often, such sensations bother women 1-2 weeks before the onset of menstruation. If this period lasts more than 2-3 months, then you will need to make an appointment with a doctor. Cyclic pain in the mammary gland is associated with changes in the amount of estrogen and progesterone in the female body. This phenomenon is permanent and is observed in women aged 30-40 years.

Patients exhibit the following symptoms:

• damage to 2 mammary glands;
• heaviness and irritation in the chest.

This feeling goes away 7 days before the start of your period. Non-cyclic pain is non-periodic in nature, and it occurs in women under the age of 40 years. Constant burning pain in the chest may appear before or a week after the cycle. Mammologists identify the following reasons why non-cyclic pain in the mammary glands appeared after menstruation:

• the activity of the thyroid gland is impaired;
• mastopathy is diagnosed in women aged 30-50 years, with severe breast pain after menstruation and liquid discharge from the mammary gland;
• stress and nervousness;
• mechanical injuries;
• the influence of ultraviolet rays (when visiting a solarium, the breasts are covered with a cloth or smeared with a special cream);
• uncomfortable underwear;
• malignant seals;
• overweight;
• bad habits.

Symptoms of the disease

If the breasts are swollen and appear, it means that estrogen production has increased. This hormone indicates a possible pregnancy. Doctors identify the following main causes of chest pain after menstruation:

• pregnancy;
• mastopathy;
• hormonal disbalance;
• mechanical damage;
• tumor.

During pregnancy, 15% of women may have periods. At the same time, expectant mothers have breast pain, the size of the mammary glands increases, and hormonal levels change. The hormone responsible for pregnancy increases the number of blood vessels, stimulating the formation of additional blood volume. Estrogen is responsible for the outflow of excess fluid, which helps stop active swelling and swelling of the breast (after 1-2 weeks).

Progesterone during pregnancy stimulates the growth of the ducts, causing pain and breast enlargement. In this case, placental hormone is formed. Another cause of pain in the mammary glands is mastopathy. This disease develops against the background of hormonal imbalance. Pain syndrome can appear at the beginning, middle or after the cycle.

If hormonal levels are normal, then chest pain goes away after the start of menstruation.

Otherwise, the hormonal balance is disrupted. This phenomenon is caused by the following factors:

Often the chest hurts after menstruation due to a bruise, excessive compression, or blow. With a severe injury, the syndrome can be observed for a long period of time (months or years).

This phenomenon may be caused by an oncological tumor. This diagnosis is often given to women living in industrial regions. The prognosis of the disease depends on the stage of the malignant tumor. If necessary, the doctor partially excises the mammary gland. The anesthesiologist pre-selects anesthesia. Surgical treatment of a malignant tumor is carried out using the following techniques:

• lumpectomy (installation of drainage to prevent fluid accumulation);
• quadrantectomy (the surgeon excises a quarter of the breast);
• mastectomy (excision of the gland, muscle and lymph nodes of the 3rd level).

Doctors include metastases of cancer cells among the consequences of such treatment. In this case, repeated surgery is not effective.

If your chest hurts after menstruation due to cardiac dysfunction, then it is recommended to make an appointment with a cardiologist. This syndrome can occur at any age. In this case, the following signs are observed:

• changes in blood pressure and pulse;
• intense exhalations and inhalations;
• frequent heartbeat.

If your chest hurts constantly after your period, then it is recommended to keep a diary. It is necessary to note the moments when pain occurs. The doctor must determine the location and intensity of the symptom. If menstruation has ended, but discharge from the breast continues, then the patient is interviewed and the mammary glands are palpated.

The doctor should analyze the condition of the axillary nodes. If solid formations are detected, ultrasound and mammography are prescribed. If the doctor identifies a cyst or other tumor, then surgery is performed. If necessary, chemotherapy is prescribed.

• give up alcohol and smoking;
• avoid stress and hypothermia;
• take a warm bath;
• complete and proper nutrition (you can’t eat fatty and spicy foods);
• wearing comfortable underwear (made of natural fabric).

You can get rid of minor chest pain with the help of painkillers (Danazol, Ibuprofen, Naproxen). It is recommended to take these medications after consultation with your doctor.

To prevent pain, the following recommendations must be followed:

• caffeine withdrawal;
• lead an intense sex life;
• don't be nervous;
• It is recommended to undergo a monthly examination; the doctor should feel the chest and armpit area; if there are lumps and nodules, the help of a mammologist will be required;
• You must use oral contraceptives prescribed by your doctor;
• It is recommended to wear underwear that fits properly so that it does not press against your breasts.

Prevention of chest pain after menstruation involves constant consultation with a mammologist.

Everyone is familiar with the situation: just before the start of menstruation, the breasts are swollen and painful. It hurts with every unnecessary sudden movement, if it gets caught somewhere. After your period ends, your breast size returns to the same size and the pain decreases or goes away completely. Sometimes swelling and pain can accompany a woman for a month or more, then it becomes interesting or exciting why the mammary glands hurt after menstruation.

When swollen breasts are normal

Breasts may become engorged on different days associated with the menstrual cycle. She can become engorged and sick during ovulation. This phase occurs in the middle of the cycle; in a normal menstrual cycle, this date is 12–14 days after menstruation. Also normal and natural is swollen breasts a few days before, the period of menstruation and a few days after.

This process is explained by the fact that the body prepares for pregnancy not only in the pelvic organs, but also in general. These days, estrogen production increases. They are contained in adipose tissue, and accordingly, they enlarge organs rich in these cells. They are also contained in subcutaneous fatty tissue, but there it happens unnoticeably, since it is distributed evenly throughout the body. And in the mammary gland there is a whole accumulation of it, so the breasts become enlarged, which leads to disruption of blood flow. This provokes an even greater increase in breast size due to swelling. It becomes pasty and painful.

On days other than those described above, the breasts should not become engorged and sore, the reason for this is the increased level of estrogen.

Causes of chest pain on other days

Estrogen levels may remain high for the following reasons:

• Pregnancy
• Hormonal disbalance
• Mastopathy
• Mechanical damage
• Osteochondrosis
• Oncology

Pregnancy

The first thing a woman immediately thinks about if her breasts hurt after her period is pregnancy. In most cases, this is true. For some women, menstruation may continue for several months after conception. Then swollen and painful breasts after menstruation become one of the few signs of a future addition to the family.

Estrogens help the body prepare for motherhood. Constant swelling and pain accompanies this period. Since estrogens and progesterone ensure the attachment of the egg to the uterus, growth and formation of the placenta. Thanks to them, the blood volume increases, since now the mother has 2 circulatory systems, and 1 heart pumps blood for two. Estrogen also stimulates the growth and formation of new blood vessels for the child. And progesterones prepare the mammary glands for feeding. In this case, new ducts grow and the mammary gland itself grows. The ratio of adipose tissue to gland changes. Now there are more ducts.

When the preparatory work is completed, the hormonal level decreases and the breasts stop hurting, but remain enlarged in size due to the formed milk ducts.

Hormonal disbalance

If the test is negative, your period has already passed, and your breasts still hurt, the cause may be a hormonal imbalance.

The main factors of hormonal disorders can be:

• Taking hormonal contraceptives
• Stress and nervous fatigue
• Age (chest pain during menopause, when the body tries to accumulate as much estrogen as possible)
• Some sexually transmitted infections (often high estrogen levels with syphilis)
• Heredity
• Hormone-producing ovarian tumors

In these cases, estrogen levels can be very high. It can be produced as reserves for the future, as the body anticipates that normal hormone production will soon end. Estrogen can be produced in large quantities in response to stress and illness. This is how the female body fights excessive pain and emotional overload. Thanks to this hormone, women are more resilient. Nature arranged it this way, which is also a kind of preparation for the birth process.

Mastopathy

Mastopathy occurs when the mammary gland becomes infected with an infectious agent. The microorganism can enter through damage to the integrity of the skin or through the blood if there is inflammation of another organ. For mastopathy to appear, suppression of the immune system is necessary. A decline in immunity can occur when a woman is ill or takes immunosuppressive drugs - glucocorticoid hormones, cytostatic drugs. They are used for various autoimmune diseases to prevent the body from producing antibodies against its own cells and destroying itself. Also, a weakened immune system can occur after hypothermia.

Mechanical damage

There is always the possibility of falling or bruising your chest. And this moment may coincide with the end of menstruation. If proper attention was not paid to a fall or blow, then a woman may think that her breasts have not stopped hurting after menstruation. An incorrectly chosen bra can compress the breasts, rub and irritate the skin of the mammary glands.

Osteochondrosis

This insidious disease can cause pain along the nerves in any organ. In fact, the organ is completely healthy, but irritation of the nerve that is pressed causes pain in the place that innervates the affected nerve. So many can be deceived and think that they have a diseased heart, stomach, pancreas, gland, lower back and other organs. More often, with thoracic osteochondrosis, intercostal neuralgia is tormented. They cause pain in the mammary glands. To distinguish intercostal neuralgia from true gland pain, you need to observe whether the pain is associated with movements. With neuralgia, the pain decreases or intensifies with exhalation and inhalation, intensifies with sudden movements, while wearing tight clothes.

Oncology

Swelling and pain after menstruation can be caused by a hormone-producing ovarian tumor. Then a lot of estrogen and progesterone are produced. The natural reaction of the gland to high levels of hormones is similar symptoms. Such problems can also be caused by a tumor in the mammary gland itself. A tumor can be malignant or benign. The tumor grows, blocks blood vessels, and blood flow in the tissue is disrupted. And ischemia occurs. This causes pain and swelling. Also, the new tissue pushes aside the gland and puts pressure on it, which is accompanied by discomfort and visual enlargement. In any case, if there is a tumor, you should immediately consult a doctor.

In order to notice this terrible disease in time, you need to love yourself and monitor possible changes. You should not skip annual gynecological examinations. You need to feel your breasts every day while using the toilet. You need to start from the periphery to the center and palpate the gland with soft massage movements. If you find a lump or changes in sensations, immediately run to the doctor. The tumor is also characterized by some symptoms:

• Pad symptom - if you take the mammary gland and stretch it, you will notice a certain area, similar to a pad, that stands out and catches your eye in relation to the soft consistency around it
• Symptom of nipple retraction - When you pull on the found lump, the nipple is pulled inward and, as it were, follows the tumor
• Orange peel symptom - at the site of tumor attachment, skin tightness and excessive lumpiness are formed, very reminiscent of an orange peel.

You should always remember them and if you have any of them, contact a mammologist and not delay it. The sooner you cure, the greater your chances of winning.

What to do if your chest hurts

Breasts during and after menstruation can also hurt due to poor nutrition, work habits, and excessive physical and emotional stress during the cycle.

If this is the reason and there are no organic or hormonal changes that cause symptoms, you can try to normalize the regimen and give up bad habits. To do this you need:

• Refusal to drink alcoholic beverages
• Quit smoking
• Don't get too cold
• Visit your doctor on time
• Treat diseases at an early stage, rather than allowing them to become chronic
• Avoid emotional stress, do not succumb to stress - fight it. Yoga and hobbies (embroidery, wrestling, knitting) will help with this.
• Taking soothing baths with the addition of sea salt and various herbs
• Proper nutrition that will provide the right amount of proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and microelements. To do this, you need to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, change different types of meat, and include fish in your diet.
• Take a course of vitamins in autumn and spring
• Buy underwear according to size and comfort

If everything is normal in the body, knowing your characteristics, you can prepare for the onset of pain and swelling of the breast. To reduce these unpleasant sensations during menstruation, you can apply several tips:

• To reduce swelling during menstruation, you need to avoid coffee and strong tea, chocolate, Pepsi
• Wear soft, non-compressive bras
• Avoid strenuous exercise and sports
• Stay in one position as little as possible, take frequent walks in the fresh air
• Drink more than 2 liters of still water, juices, compotes
• Herbal teas are useful for reducing pain. It is recommended to brew tea from St. John's wort, chamomile, lemon balm and thyme
• A decoction of strawberry leaves is useful. To do this, you need to brew strawberry leaves per 200 ml 1 teaspoon
• Warm compresses through clothing relieve pain well
• Reduce intake of fatty foods for the period of menstruation, eliminate smoked foods

When to see a doctor

It’s not for nothing that doctors recommend being examined by a gynecologist once a year, or twice a year when taking hormonal contraceptives. No matter how scary it may sound, oncology of the breast, ovaries, and cervix are in the forefront. Recovery is possible if a woman contacts her as soon as she notices a change in the normal functioning of these organs. And in most cases, cancer takes years to develop, so an annual visit can reduce the complication and progression of the disease many times over.

• If you notice the symptoms of a tumor listed above, go to the doctor
• Before taking OK, be fully examined by a doctor. If you take OK for a hormone-producing tumor that is just developing undetected, we will only help its rapid growth
• If you notice breast tension, excessive pain, redness, local hyperthermia - this may be mastitis, and you need medical treatment
• If your cycle changes or there is a hormonal imbalance, you should also contact a gynecologist so that your normal cycle and hormone levels can be restored as soon as possible, then the glands will stop hurting
• If your breasts have not previously hurt after menstruation, that is, this is not due to heredity and a normal reaction, you need to go to a gynecologist

Chest pain on the eve of menstruation occurs quite often among the female population and is included in the concept of premenstrual syndrome. Its nature can be different: from uncomfortable sensations to a state where it is impossible to even touch the mammary glands. What if your breasts hurt after your period? Is this normal or pathological? The reasons for the development of this condition can be different: from hormonal imbalance and pregnancy to oncology. It is not always possible for a woman to understand on her own what the problem is. But by carefully analyzing your condition, you can make the most likely assumption and subsequently prevent discomfort.

Read in this article

Is this a problem?

Ideally, the mammary glands should not cause significant discomfort to a woman, much less disrupt her normal life activities. Increased sensations are allowed during the period of ovulation and on the eve of menstruation, and in the first two or three critical days all troubles should go away. This is due to changes in a woman’s hormonal levels.

Estrogens are responsible for breast growth and development. These hormones cause the typical changes in the glandular tissue of the organ during the period of ovulation, which leads to minor pain for several days.

On the eve of menstruation, the level of progesterone in the blood increases. This causes fluid to be retained in the mammary glands, causing them to swell, become sore and uncomfortable. Some women even notice that the size increases by a position or two. As soon as spotting appears, the intensity of the symptoms decreases. And normally, after your period, your breasts should not cause concern. This period is considered optimal for examination and any kind of examination of the mammary glands.

The level of breast health reflects the condition of the woman’s genital organs and the coherence of the relationship between various structures in the body.

Causes of pain

When wondering why your breasts hurt after menstruation, it is definitely sometimes difficult to give the correct answer without additional examination. Discomfort and unpleasant sensations more often develop during puberty when hormonal levels become established, during pregnancy and in the premenopausal period. Mastalgia is the medical term for such conditions and involves cyclical or irregular pain in the mammary glands.

Pregnancy

Immediately after fertilization, a restructuring of the woman’s entire body occurs, including due to hormones and active substances released by the developing embryo. Progesterone in the second phase prepares the mammary glands for pregnancy. Thanks to it, breast tissue increases and the structure of the lobules changes. But ultimately, the process of subsequent lactation and the intensity of milk production is influenced by prolactin, which is secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland of the brain. Under the influence of these two hormones, the mammary glands increase by several sizes even before the delay, become heavy and “full”, soreness and increased sensitivity to all kinds of irritants appear.

Therefore, if your chest hurts after a scanty period, pregnancy should first be ruled out. In this situation, spotting may reflect the implantation process or be a symptom of threatened miscarriage.

Painful sensations are typical for a short period of time, then the mammary glands become less sensitive.

Mastopathy

In every second woman, a thorough examination can reveal signs of mastopathy. There are several types and degrees of severity of symptoms. – inadequate or excessive response of mammary tissue to hormonal stimulation. It develops more often in women who constantly use birth control pills, who neglect the rules for using emergency contraception, who have never given birth, who never breastfeed, etc. The lifestyle of modern girls predisposes to the development of mastopathy.

The pathology is characterized by the appearance of irregular shapes and different sizes. At the same time, the pain syndrome is pronounced; women often note that after menstruation, the breasts are swollen and sore. Inspection and palpation, as well as ultrasound, help confirm the pathology.

Hormonal disbalance

Painful sensations in the mammary glands, caused by changes in hormonal levels, should normally decrease significantly after the onset of menstruation and stop. But with significant changes, the discomfort remains much longer. Factors that may cause failure and the appearance of pain in the mammary glands:

• Use of various medications, mostly oral contraceptives. More often, girls who take these pills to normalize their own hormonal levels report pain in the mammary glands, for example, with hyperandrogenemia - an increase in the level of male sex hormones, or with.
• In case of excessive use of medications for the purpose of emergency contraception.
• During the period of formation of menstrual function.
• During this period, women often notice a burning sensation, discomfort and pain in the mammary glands.
• Excess body weight. This is due to the fact that adipose tissue is hormonally active.

Injuries

The chest can be injured not only by bruising, but also as a result of wearing incorrectly selected underwear. Bras with wires or a push-up effect often cause such symptoms. By giving the breasts a forced position, they injure the tissues and cause discomfort regardless of the phase of the cycle.

Oncological diseases

Pain in malignant tumors indicates advanced disease and a high risk of detecting metastases. Moreover, it occurs regardless of the phase of the cycle and has a different character - from a persistent constant to an acute periodic one.

Sexual infections

Sexually transmitted infections can cause hormonal imbalances and cause pain in the mammary glands. Therefore, when your chest and stomach hurt after your period, you should think about this situation.

Syphilis occurs with localization of lesions on the mammary glands. In such cases, these can be both primary lesions and secondary ones in the presence of infection in the genital tract.

Breast inflammation

If your chest hurts and a fever appears after menstruation, then first of all you should rule out mastitis during or outside of lactation. Often inflammation can occur after hypothermia or exposure to a windy place. In this case, the skin over the lesion becomes hyperemic, the breast tissue can thicken, pain appears, and sometimes discharge of a different nature from the nipples appears. Such conditions require surgical treatment.

Related pathologies

Pathology of the spine can often radiate to the mammary glands and sternum, which can be falsely mistaken for pain in the organ itself. Intercostal neuralgia can cause acute pain in this area.

Also, if you intensively apply physical activity to the pectoral muscles, you may subsequently get the impression that the pain that appears due to the accumulation of lactic acid occurs not in the muscles, but in the mammary glands. However, as soon as the body gets used to training, this feeling disappears.

Medications

In addition to birth control, antidepressants can cause some enlargement of the mammary glands and contribute to the appearance of pain. Symptoms go away with drug withdrawal.

How to analyze your condition?

In order to understand what is happening in the body, it is necessary to recall all recent events: unusual physical activity, sexual intercourse, unusual situations, etc. If your breasts are enlarged and hurt after menstruation, this may indicate recent stress, which could be the cause. hormonal imbalance, or training was beneficial.

Next, you should do a pregnancy test, especially if the last critical days were not the same as always: less in abundance and duration, spotting in nature. If there are other signs that conception has occurred, you can immediately take a blood test. This is a more informative and reliable study.

You should make it a habit to do breast self-examination immediately after your period. It is possible for a husband or loved one to do this, a kind of caring for each other. Self-examination in different positions (with hands behind the head and on the sides of the body) can reveal signs of mastopathy and even malignant tumors.

If symptoms of pain continue, you should contact a gynecologist and mammologist for examination and identification of other causes.

Pain prevention

Life situations make their own adjustments to the health of every woman. But still, by following simple recommendations, you can minimize the chances of pathology occurring:

• A healthy lifestyle is a multifaceted concept. It is known that the development of various diseases depends 60% on this. The concept includes proper nutrition. Products should be added to the diet from the point of view of their usefulness, subjected to gentle cooking methods - baking, stewing, etc. A sufficient level of physical activity helps to overcome daily stress, as well as speed up and normalize metabolic processes, including the production of sex hormones. The harmful effects of smoking have long been known to everyone. It has been noted that women who regularly use tobacco are more likely to develop cervical and breast cancer.
• Regular examination by a gynecologist and, if necessary, a mammologist will help identify pathology before irreversible consequences develop. Self-examination of the breast is a simple technique that every woman should know.
• You should choose the right underwear. Supporting “underwires” and the “push-up” effect, of course, visually correct some nuances, but a carefully selected bra made from natural fabrics and without such supporting elements will ensure both beauty and health. If the harnesses fall and traces of laundry remain on the skin, the size and shape are not suitable.

Preventing discomfort

In situations where mastalgia occurs monthly, you can use several tips to reduce pain:

• A week or two before the onset of menstruation, you can take light ones, while observing the drinking regime. Liquid will accumulate in the lobules and between them in the mammary glands less intensely, which will reduce pain and discomfort.
• If a girl plans to take oral contraceptives, then she should choose those that fight such manifestations of premenstrual syndrome.
• Planning pregnancy and preventing irregular sexual intercourse is the key to women's health.

When should you definitely see a doctor?

Every woman should regularly, at least once a year, visit a gynecologist, whose responsibilities include examining the mammary glands. If any pathology is suspected or if there are complaints, the doctor will always refer you for additional examination and consultation. After 40-45 years, it is recommended to undergo mammography every two years.

You should immediately visit a doctor in the following situations:

• When discharge appears from the nipples, even transparent or milky in color. Bloody discharge should be of particular concern.
• For severe chest pain and fever, as well as for other signs of inflammation.
• If pathological formations are detected in the tissues of an organ during self-examination.

Is it normal for breasts to hurt after menstruation? In most cases, these minor symptoms hide some kind of pathology. After analyzing your condition, you can try to understand what the reason is, but only a specialist can finally understand this.