Pain when pressing on the outer side of the breast under the arm

For women, if pressing the outer side of the breast under the armpit causes pain, it is important to understand the specific cause. Generally speaking, this condition is closely related to breast hyperplasia. Of course, women are also prone to breast swelling during their menstrual period and in the early stages of pregnancy. This requires specific analysis based on the specific situation. Let us briefly understand this aspect.

Dull pain in the breast under the arm

1. The initial symptoms of mastitis are pain on the outside of the breast, which may be accompanied by redness, swelling, heat and pain, and some patients may also have fever.

2. Breast pain during adolescence. Little girls will have a slight pain in their breasts after they begin to develop. Usually, this pain will disappear automatically after menstruation comes.

3. Premenstrual pain. About one-third of women will experience breast pain and discomfort before their period, and some even have granular nodules. In fact, this is caused by increased estrogen levels in the body.

4. Mastodynia. The pathogenesis of mastodynia is the same as that of primary dysmenorrhea. Its main feature is that the pain in the two breasts is different, and it may even radiate to other parts around the breasts. Mastodynia is closely related to abnormal secretion of sex hormones and autonomic nervous system.

5. Breast cancer. Breast pain is one of the most important manifestations of breast cancer. Clinically, it is believed that if the breast pain is unbearable, it is usually a sign of advanced breast cancer. Only 6% of breast cancer patients experience breast pain in the early stages of the disease. Breast cancer is a disease that is highly prevalent among women aged 20 to 40, so it must be given sufficient attention.

What to do if you have breast pain

Breast pain is divided into three degrees: first degree is pain when touched with the hand and no treatment is required; second degree is pain when moving and you can consider taking medicine; third degree is pain when still, that is, pain even when lying in bed and you should see a doctor.

In addition to breast pain, the hardness of the breasts can also be graded: one degree is as soft as the lips, two degrees is moderately soft and hard like the nose, and three degrees is as hard as the forehead. But whether it is soft or firm, it does not indicate any disease.

Many women feel a lump in their breasts while experiencing pain. If the left and right sides are symmetrical, then it can be considered as normal hyperplasia; if the tumor changes before and after menstruation, then there is no need to worry about cancer.

Experts say that all women over 35 should undergo regular breast screening, because Chinese women generally develop breast cancer earlier than European and American women, with the peak incidence concentrated in the 40s and 50s. If a woman under 35 has severe breast pain that affects her daily life and she feels a lump, she should seek medical treatment. Clinically, it is found that if cyclical breast pain is assumed to be related to menstruation, the treatment effect is often more obvious. The more irregular the pain, the more difficult it is to treat, because it may not be affected by hormone levels.