With a pain in the nipples, sooner or later, every woman faces. It should be noted that this symptom may be a sign of any pathological condition. However, most often the pain in the nipples in women occurs against a background of cyclical hormonal changes. Also, such a symptom is not considered a pathology in pregnancy. In this case, especially in the early gestation period, the final formation and reconstruction of the ducts of the mammary glands takes place. Therefore, soreness and discomfort in the chest is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy.
Painful sensations during breastfeeding can occur due to the presence of microcracks, as well as damage to the nerve endings in the nipple. Of course, one can not exclude both mastitis and stagnation in the gland.
Causes of pain not related to breast disease
To begin with, we will analyze, in what cases the pain under the nipples should not be perceived as a disease.
- The appearance of pain syndrome in the middle of the menstrual cycle and its gradual increase is associated with cyclic changes in the hormonal background. It is during this period that the level of progesterone and prolactin in the blood increases. In this case, in the mammary gland, as in the whole body, fluid and electrolyte retention occurs. Hence the feeling of heaviness, soreness in the chest, its tension. Nipples become sensitive, rough and swollen. As a rule, with the onset of menstruation, soreness disappears without the need for additional medication correction. Similar sensations in the mammary glands associated with periods of the menstrual cycle are called mastodinia. It is worth noting that not only the imbalance of sex hormones causes this symptom. This is also observed in the pathology of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, thyroid gland, as well as in severe liver diseases with a violation of its basic functions.
- The pain around the nipples develops as a side effect of hormonal contraceptives. It is not excluded the appearance of pain as a result of wearing tight, uncomfortable underwear.
- In some cases, pain under the nipple arises from the defeat of the muscular apparatus. For example, this is possible with an incorrect posture, when not only the muscles of the back, but also the breasts are in constant tension.
- If you are painful to touch the nipples, then perhaps this is just a consequence of their heightened sensitivity.
Soreness in the nipples with pathological conditions and diseases of the mammary glands
The following symptoms indicate the pathological cause of pain in the nipple of the chest:
- Presence of discharge from the nipple . Particularly alarming is the appearance of impurities of pus or blood.
- Deformity and asymmetry of the mammary glands. Often, tumorous neoplasms or large abscesses cause changes in the shape and size of the gland.
- Puffiness of the breast, a symptom of "lemon peel".
- The presence of breaches of the integrity of the skin in the area of the breast, nipple. For example, soreness in the nipple is observed as a consequence of cracks, ulceration or erosion.
- The presence of enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit, above and below the collarbone. This sign can appear due to acute inflammatory process in the chest. Also, it is impossible to exclude the involvement of lymph nodes with metastases in cancer pathology.
If the pain in the nipple is accompanied by the symptoms listed above, then you should immediately contact a specialist. After all, the reason for this may not be harmless. It is necessary to exclude the following diseases:
- Paget's disease is a special form of cancer, characterized by a lesion of the nipple;
- cancer;
- acute mastitis;
- Dermatological diseases, such as eczema, herpetic and candidiasis;
- trauma to the nipple;
- mastopathy.