Breast pain is called mastalgia and is a benign breast condition. It occurs in two primary types, cyclical and noncyclical. The pain may be mild or debilitating, and may cause anxiety about possible connection to breast cancer; however, there is no direct connection per se between breast pain and risk of cancer.

Cyclical breast pain
The most prevalent type of breast pain is associated with the menstrual cycle and almost always has a hormonal basis. Most women have at least a certain amount of tenderness or pain around the time of ovulation. The discomfort can continue until the beginning of their menstrual cycle. This common condition is called cyclical breast pain.

Care: If a woman is unsure about the pattern of the pain, some healthcare providers will ask her to chart the breast pain over a few months to determine if the timing is cyclical or not.

Treatments can include:

• caffeine avoidance;
• anti-inflammatory medicines;
• evening primrose oil (a naturally occurring triglyceride);
• and a low-fat diet.

Noncyclical breast pain
Breast pain that is not cyclical is fairly uncommon, feels different than cyclical mastalgia, and does not vary with the menstrual cycle. Generally, the pain is present all the time and is in only one specific location.

Noncyclical breast pain can be due to trauma to the breast or can be caused by cysts in the breasts. Other causes can include arthritic pain in the chest cavity and in the neck, which radiates down to the breast.

Care: If your healthcare provider determines that the pain is caused by a cyst, the treatment recommendation may range from leaving the cyst alone, to aspiration (needle inserted to withdraw fluid), to surgical removal. Depending on where the pain originates from, treatment may also include analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and compresses.