Chest pain before menstruation

Many girls experience breast distension or stomach pain before their period every month. The pain will improve significantly after their period comes, and young girls are very worried about this situation. This is a very normal situation during menstruation, but if the pain still exists after menstruation, you need to pay special attention, as it may be caused by hormonal disorders in the body. The following introduces several classifications of premenstrual breast pain. Let’s take a look.

Why do I have chest pain before my period?

As a part of the female reproductive organs, breasts are greatly affected by hormones. When the endocrine system is disrupted before menstruation, it will have a certain impact on the breasts.

If necessary conditioning or treatment is not given, more discomfort will occur, such as: premenstrual headaches, irritability, insomnia, even premenstrual body pain, mild edema, etc. These symptoms gradually disappear after menstruation and occur repeatedly once a month. Medically, they are called premenstrual tension syndrome. If this continues for a long time, breast disease will develop, the most common of which is breast hyperplasia.

Many women have experienced breast fullness, hardness, and tenderness before menstruation. In severe cases, the breasts may become swollen and painful with just a slight vibration or collision, and the original granules or nodules may become more obvious. This is especially true for those with abnormal menstruation, fuller breasts, or excessive mental stress.

After menstruation comes, the secretion levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease, the proliferation of breast tissue stops, and the edema of the breast interstitial tissue subsides, so the feeling of fullness is relieved and the pain gradually disappears.

This type of breast pain occurs before menstruation and relieves on its own after menstruation, so no special treatment is required. However, you can also take Yimu Gao half a month before menstruation. If the pain is severe, it can be relieved by regulating menstruation.

Common classifications of premenstrual breast pain

1. Liver and kidney yin deficiency

Women in this situation may experience irritability, insomnia, headaches, and general weakness in addition to breast pain. At this time, breast pain reminds you that it is time to take care of your body.

Treatment should focus on nourishing the kidney and liver. Commonly used medicines include Adenophora Root, Ophiopogon japonicus, Rehmannia glutinosa, Toosendan Fructus, Cyperus rotundus, White Peony Root, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and Eupatorium fortunei.

2. Liver depression and qi stagnation

Most of these women have a history of emotional distress or excessive stress in life. In addition to breast nipple pain that cannot be touched, they also suffer from irritability, chest tightness, rib cramps, irritability, nausea, swelling and pain in the lower abdomen, dark blood clots in menstruation, uncoordinated sexual life, and dark spots on the face.

Treatment should use traditional Chinese medicine that regulates the liver, qi and stomach. You can choose Linderae strychnifolia, Curcuma aromatica, Citrus citron, White peony root, Citrus aurantium, Atractylodes macrocephala, malt, etc., which can relieve chest pain before menstruation.

3. Liver depression and spleen dampness

Common symptoms include premenstrual breast tenderness, obvious tenderness, lower abdominal pain with a feeling of heaviness, poor appetite, weakness in the limbs, easy diarrhea, excessive vaginal discharge, and light-colored menstruation. Treatment requires invigorating the spleen, eliminating dampness and promoting qi circulation. Commonly used medicines include Poria cocos, Atractylodes macrocephala, Coix seed, Magnolia officinalis, Toosendan fruit, Albizzia julibrissin bark, etc.

What to do if you have chest pain before your period

1. Isolate caffeine

Experiments have shown that drinking coffee can aggravate the symptoms of premenstrual breast swelling and pain, and this condition will be significantly improved when coffee is quit. Of course, the coffee here is caffeinated chocolate, cola, tea, and even caffeinated painkillers, which can relieve pain.

2. Eat low-fat and high-fiber foods

In the week before menstruation, try to eat low-fat, high-fiber foods such as coarse grains and whole wheat to improve the body's nutritional balance and relieve bloating and pain.

3. Fitted bra

If a bra is too small, it will compress the breasts, causing poor blood circulation and thus causing swelling and pain. If a bra is too large, it will cause the breasts to be unstable and get hurt during exercise.

4. Reduce salt intake

High-salt foods should be avoided 7-10 days before your period as they can cause breast enlargement. People who often eat three meals a day in restaurants need to pay attention. The food in restaurants often adds a lot of condiments, so the salt content is much higher than that of home-made dishes.

If you eat very salty stews or snacks, do not drink a lot of water immediately, because this will not only fail to neutralize the salt, but will also allow the salt to penetrate into the blood through the liquid and compress the blood vessels.

5. Hot compress

Hot compress is an immediate and effective relief method. When you feel breast tenderness, wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and apply it to your chest. If the effect is not ideal, you can also prepare a basin of cold water, soak a towel in it, and apply it alternately with hot and cold water.

Alternatively, you can also use castor oil as a hot compress. Because castor oil contains substances that enhance the function of lymphocytes. Drop castor oil on gauze and then apply it on your face. In order to prevent your clothes from getting dirty, it is best to wrap it with plastic film and then apply hot compress with a hot water bottle or hot towel for about 1 hour.

6. Vitamins, lower prolactin

Prolactin can cause breast swelling, so you can eat more foods rich in vitamin C and B vitamins to regulate the production of prostaglandin E and help inhibit the production of prolactin.

7. Chest massage relieves pain

Stimulating the area around the breasts can promote blood and lymph circulation. Massaging every night 7-10 days before menstruation can also relieve swelling and pain.

Technique: First, use the palms of both hands to gently wrap one breast from both sides. Then tighten your hands and use your thumbs at the base of the breasts to push the breasts upward from the bottom. Repeat 10 times on each side. Note that when your breasts are swollen and painful, it is best not to massage them to avoid excessive stimulation to the breasts.