What causes breast pain that is unrelated to breast cancer?
There are multiple noncancerous breast conditions that may cause you to experience painful breasts at various times. Most women with breast pain have fibrocystic breast changes, a common condition discussed above. Other causes of breast pain include: Mastitis, most commonly seen after delivery with breast-feeding, is usually due to blockage and inflammation of a breast duct, trapping breast milk and allowing growth of bacteria leading to infection. The area is usually red, warm, tender and lumpy. Abscess, a localized infection in the skin overlying the breast or deeper within the breast, is treated by surgical drainage with or without antibiotics. Two other less common causes of breast pain are: • Sclerosing adenosis, which is excessive growth of breast lobules, can be painful. It is usually associated with fibrocystic changes. These firm lumps usually require biopsy to exclude possible cancer. • Mammary duct ectasia, seen more often in the menopausal years, is a blocked, dilated duct
