Breast Pain
Breast pain (mastalgia) is the most common breast related complaint among women; almost 70% of women experience breast pain at some point in their lives. Breast pain might occur in one or both breasts or in the underarm (axilla) region of the body. Its severity differs from woman to woman, roughly 15% of women require treatment. Though breast pain is not normally related with breast cancer, women who experience any breast abnormalities, including this pain need to consult their physicians. Breast pain can range from mild to severe. It can affect you just a few days a month, for example just before your period or can last for 7 days or more each month. It can also continue throughout the menstrual cycle. Women who cross menopause at times have this pain, but it's more common in younger, premenopausal and perimenopausal women.
Causes
At times it's not possible to recognize the precise cause of breast pain. Contributing factors might include one or more of the following:
Reproductive Hormones : Cyclic breast pain appears to have a strong link to hormones and your menstrual cycle. The pain related to breast often decreases or disappears with menopause or pregnancy.
Structure of Breast : Noncyclic breast pain frequently results from things that affect the breast structure, which include breast trauma, breast cysts, prior breast surgery or other factors localized to the breast. The pain might also start outside the breast, i.e. in the chest wall, joints, muscles or heart, for instance and radiate to the breast.
Use of Medicines : Certain hormonal medications such as some infertility treatments and oral birth control pills, might be related with breast pain. Also, the tenderness of the breast is a possible side effect of estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy. Breast pain might be related with certain antidepressants which also include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, such as fluoxetine and sertraline.
Breast Size : Women with large breasts might have non cyclic breast pain related to the size of their breasts. Neck, shoulder and back pain might accompany breast pain due to large breasts.
Assessing The Pain
It's important that women report all complaints of persistent breast pain to their physicians. Physicians would then assess the pain, taking into account the personal and family history, the intensity and duration of pain, the area of pain and the extent to which the pain interferes with her lifestyle. Physicians will also carry out clinical breast examinations, and if required, order for additional breast imaging exams to help detect whether the pain is associated to another breast condition or probably cancer.
Homeopathy for Breast Cancer
Homeopathy believes in the principle of 'like cures like' and treats the entire person rather than the disease itself. Homeopathy treats severe diseases and breast cancer is one of them. So if you are suffering from it then it's time to consult a homeopath.