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Localized pain in the breasts is called mastalgia. This pain can be bilateral or involve only a single breast. It may feel like burning, cramps, heaviness, or as breast tenderness with the appearance of superficial veins.

The breast pain are usually benign, but still worried about women because the causes are not to be minimized. Thus, in case of persistent pain in case of disturbing pain, it is always wise to consult a doctor to know the cause to feel reassured.

The doctor will consider several parameters in interrogation and exams:

- The age of the patient: the breast pain is usually common among females (the onset of menstrual cycles with rapid development of breasts) and young adults (in which benign tumors are very common)

- Medical history

- Personal risk factors and family history of breast cancer

- Hormonal status (contraception, menstrual disorders, ...)

- Emotional disorders, stress, psychological trauma

According to the conduct of the examination, a mammogram or breast ultrasound may be necessary. The examinations may be normal during a hormonal disorder.

In general, pain in both breasts (bilateral) is related to a hormonal cause.

The pain is usually punctuated with the menstrual cycle, which remains disrupted with signs such as a long or short cycle, irregular cycles, menorrhagia, frequent pain in the lower abdomen, ... The pain is particularly due to the imbalance between the secretion of estrogens (excess) and progesterone, and causing swelling of the mammary glands. Thus, the breasts are usually tense and painful from ovulation until the onset of menstruation. These pains are regular and occur every month before menstruation. In most cases, breast pain related to a hormonal disturbance does not occur in isolation but are associated with gynecological signs.

Several other factors may be involved in the onset of breast pain:

- Hormonal medications (pills), may be the cause of swelling and pain of the breasts due to the effects of excess estrogen.

- Pregnancy

- An ovarian cyst

In addition to the hormonal causes, breast pain may be related to

- The psychological stress, emotional distress, fatigue, anxiety, ....

- Overweight or obese

- Vertebral anomalies or costal

- An intense sporting activity, a port of heavy objects

- A tissue abnormality in the breast: cyst, fibroadenoma, a benign tumor

- Infection in the breast: galactophorites, abscesses, ...

These last two factors are often the cause of unilateral pain.

A breast pain related to a hormonal disorder does not always require treatment. When cycles are normal, and the patient is not under hormonal contraception disorders may disappear spontaneously with age.

However, some cases of hormonal imbalance requires medications containing progesterone to balance the effect of estrogen.

A patient taking regular birth control pills, and having a breast pain should talk to their doctor for more appropriate treatment.

Organic disease of the breast (usually benign) usually causes unilateral pain, and is the cause of inflammation. This case necessarily requires a medical consultation.

Before a breast pain, it is also advisable to make sure to check some conditions that may cause pain in some people:

- Size bra

- Excess food and exciting products: alcohol, coffee, pepper, tobacco

- Lack of physical / sports