Breast pain is almost never due to breast cancer- more likely hormonal changes, muscle ache, or poor bra fit/support. But it is the most common symptom that bothers and alarms ladies, that brings them to see a doctor. A small percentage will happen to also have cancer- but it is not the cancer that cause the pain. Dr Tan Yia Swam will assess your condition, arrange any necessary breast imaging, and make some recommendations to reduce the future occurrence of breast pain.
For some ladies, they are very aware of breast discomfort in relation to their menstrual cycles. This is cyclical pain, and is considered a normal variation.
In some ladies, it may be due to a skin infection (eg infected sebaceous cyst), muscle ache (myalgia/costochondritis), or referred pain from another area (eg heart, bones of the spine/shoulder/ribcage). Another common, but unrecognised problem is simply that of poor bra fitting: when the bra is too tight, the pain is felt in the underbust, or over the shoulder straps. When the bra is too loose, the weight of the breasts will cause pulling pain in the upper outer parts of the breasts.
Dr Tan Yia Swam has also observed that a few of her patients have severe excruciating breast pain, without any medical cause. After Dr Tan Yia Swam completes her medical evaluation, she will take even more time to know the patients better, to try to identify any contributing stresses or triggers. If identified, she may make recommendations to other therapists for this select group of patients. Emotional and psychosocial counselling may help to reduce this type of pain.