What causes breast tenderness?
In premenopausal patients, the breasts are hormonally responsive, like the uterus, and cycle on a monthly basis. The breasts increase in size and volume by 50% prior to the onset of menses. This increase in size and volume likely causes inflammatory changes causing the associated breast tenderness. Tenderness usually begins a week or two prior to the onset of menses and generally resolves within the week following menses. In postmenopausal patients, breast tenderness is usually constant and more likely is related to arthritic changes and may respond to anti-inflammatory agents such as, aspirin, Advilâ or Celebrexâ, etc.
