Menopause and Perimenopause Breast Pain and Soreness: Causes and Treatment

Key takeaways

• Menopause occurs when an adult assigned female at birth hasn't had their period for at least one year. While perimenopause is the transitional phase that comes before menopause and can cause irregular periods. 
• Sharp, stabbing, throbbing, or burning pain in the breasts can occur during the menopausal and perimenopausal periods. 
• Lifestyle changes such as reducing coffee intake and taking medications like ibuprofen may help reduce breast pain associated with menopause. 

People with ovaries will experience menopause and perimenopause at some point in life. It is a natural aging process and not a medical condition.

Some people enjoy the cessation of periods associated with menopause, while others may not embrace it, mostly due to other associated symptoms.

Knowing the symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause, including breast changes, can help you make informed choices and may help reduce anxiety.

Understanding menopause and perimenopause

Menopause occurs when a person's menstrual period has entirely stopped for at least one year. It isn't a disease; rather, it's part of the natural aging process of women. People who have removed both of their ovaries surgically also experience menopausal symptoms.

Menopause usually occurs between 45 to 55 years. The average age is 51 years. 

Perimenopause is the transitional phase that comes before menopause. During this phase, a person starts experiencing menopausal symptoms like menstrual irregularities, hot flashes, and mastalgia. The perimenopause phase ends after there's been no menstruation for 12 months.

Perimenopause can last for several years, with an average of 4 years. Therefore, half of perimenopausal women experience these symptoms for less than 4 years, while the other half experience it for more than 4 years.

Symptoms of menopause and perimenopause

Symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include:

• Mastalgia (breast pain)
• Hot flashes (a sudden hot feeling usually in the upper body and face)
• Night sweats (hot flashes at night)
• Irregular and unusual periods (longer or shorter cycles)
• Lighter or heavier flow, skipping months between periods)
• Vaginal dryness 
• Uncomfortable or painful sexual intercourse
• Mood swings
• Difficulty sleeping
• Forgetfulness

Causes of breast pain and soreness during menopause and perimenopause

Breast pain during menopause and perimenopause is usually due to hormonal changes. Estrogen and progesterone hormones decline during this period. They may also rise and fall until menopause fully starts. 

In addition to these hormonal changes, other factors that typically cause breast pain may also cause discomfort during this period. They include:

• Injuries to the back and neck
• The use of oral contraceptives
• Taking medications like antihstamines and certain antidepressants, e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
• Consuming caffeine drinks
• Wearing ill-fitting bras
• Stress (this can worsen breast pain)
• Depression
• Breast abscess (pus in the breast due to infection)

Breast cancer can also cause constant breast pain, but this is unusual.

What menopause breast pain feels like

Perimenopausal and menopausal breast pain can be:

• Sharp
• Stabbing
• Throbbing
• Burning

The pain feels different for different people. Also, it can affect one or both breasts.

Remedies for menopause breast pain

You can use lifestyle changes or medications to reduce and manage breast pain. These remedies may help:

• Gaining knowledge: Learn more about your body and symptoms. Breast pain isn't usually associated with breast cancer. Understanding that breast cancer isn't likely the cause of your breast pain can alleviate stress and anxiety, thereby reducing breast pain.
• Dietary changes: Coffee, chocolate, and carbonated drinks can worsen breast pain. Consider eliminating or reducing this from your diet to reduce breast pain.
• Use of supplements: Research has shown that perimenopausal women who take supplements containing evening primrose oil and vitamin E can reduce their breast pain.
• Use of hot compresses: To ease pain, apply warm washcloths and heating pads to the breasts.
• Use of cold compresses: A cold washcloth and ice pack wrapped in a towel and placed on the breast can relieve pain. Try hot and cold compresses to determine your preferred one.
• Using a well-fitting bra: This may reduce breast pain.
• Trying pain medications: Over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen and paracetamol can relieve breast pain.
• Consider danazol use: The FDA has approved this drug for the treatment of breast pain. However, do not use it without your doctor's prescription. It can cause side effects like acne, weight gain, and hot flashes, and should be taken with caution.
• Changing or stopping certain medications: If you're taking antidepressants or other medications that may be causing breast pain, your doctor may change your medication. 

Other ways menopause affects the breast

Aside from breast pain, here are other ways menopause can affect the breast:

• Smaller and less full breasts: Due to reduced estrogen production during menopause, there's less fat in the breasts, causing them to reduce in size.
• Sagging breasts: As one gets older, breast tissue becomes less elastic, and the breasts begin to sag.
• Breast lumps: These can occur during perimenopause and menopause, but they're usually noncancerous. Still, see a doctor if you find lumps in your breasts.
• Nipple changes: The nipple and the area around it (areola) may also become smaller.

When to worry about breast pain and what to do

Breast pain is common during perimenopause and menopause; however, if you experience the following symptoms in addition to breast pain, you should see a doctor. 

• Breast pain and breast lumps: Though these two can occur during perimenopause, there's an increased risk of breast cancer as one gets older. We recommend seeing a doctor so they can examine you and conduct some investigations to make a diagnosis.
• Breast pain and a high temperature: If you're feeling very hot and also experiencing breast pain, you should contact your doctor. 
• Hot, red, and swollen breasts: If your breast pain is associated with these, see a doctor immediately. It may be a breast abscess.
• Breast pain and dimpled breasts: If you notice small dimpled areas on your breasts, it could be caused by a variety of factors, including infections and breast cancer. 
• Breast pain with certain nipple changes: If there's a rash on your nipple, around it, or your nipple has moved inside (nipple retraction), it's best to see a doctor. Also, experiencing nipple discharge is a significant reason to seek medical attention.
• Breast pain and shape change: If your breasts change shape, this is different from getting smaller; you should see a doctor.

Conclusion

Though breast pain is common during perimenopause and menopause, you don't have to endure this pain. You should see a doctor or use some of the remedies listed to manage your pain.