There are many reasons breasts can be painful. Breast pain by itself is unlikely to be a symptom of cancer.
Breast pain is usually linked to periods
Symptoms of breast pain caused by periods:
- dull, heavy or aching pain – from mild to very bad
- pain that begins up to 2 weeks before a period, gets worse and then goes away when the period ends
- usually (but not always) affects both breasts and sometimes pain spreads to the armpit
How to ease the pain yourself
You can:
- take paracetamol or ibuprofen, or rub painkilling gel on your breasts
- wear a properly fitted bra during the day and a soft bra to sleep in
There’s little evidence that vitamin E tablets or evening primrose oil help with breast pain.
See a GP about breast pain if:
- it’s not improving or painkillers aren’t helping
- you have a very high temperature or feel hot and shivery
- any part of your breast is red, hot or swollen
- there’s a history of breast cancer in your family
- you have any signs of pregnancy – you could do a pregnancy test first