TALK ABOUT BREAST PAIN

Breast pain. Your not the only one.

So you suffer from breast pain? The chances are that you've not come across anyone else with this condition before. But you'd be surprised to know that nearly seven out of every ten women suffer from breast pain at some time in their lives. And in a quarter of the cases the pain is really quite severe.

Thousands of women have suffered from this condition, you're not the only one. And this leaflet tells you more about the condition and what you can do about it.

Is it cancer?

The one question that's often on many women's minds is whether the pain and discomfort they are experiencing is cancer. In fact, that's probably the biggest reason why people don't discuss the condition with their doctor. The fact is, breast pain and cancer are usually not connected.

Your doctor can examine you to see if you hove any breast lumps or anything that needs further tests. Worrying about cancer con cause you as much distress as the breast pain itself. Talk to your doctor about your pain and about any concerns you have.

At the back of this booklet there is a short checklist that will help you talk to your doctor about your condition.

What is the pain like?

The term breast pain is not completely accurate. The pain con extend down your arm, over your chest, and even into parts of your back.

People describe the pain in many ways: like a burning feeling, like a boil, throbbing, or even like constant toothache.

Most people will also say how they can't bear to be touched and are scared of being bumped or accidentally hitting their breasts.

Breast pain affects different people in different ways. Some people find that it is a minor inconvenience. Others say that it is a serious problem that interferes with their lives in a number of ways.

Think back over your own experience.
Does it sometimes stop you sleeping?
Can you do your job and housework without the pain troubling you?
How does the discomfort affect your relationship with your husband or partner?
Does it come between you and your children or grandchildren?
If you are an active person and take part in sport, has your breast pain limited your enjoyment?

Cyclical or not cyclical. How to tell the difference.

Most women are aware of changes in their breasts from time to time. This may be due to taking the contraceptive pill or pregnancy. The most frequently noticed change is one related to their monthly cycle.

Some women find that their breasts feel larger 10 to 14 days before their period.

Think about when you experience pain, tenderness or discomfort. Is it all the time? Or is it every month at about the same time?

If it happens regularly at a certain time it's likely that your breast pain is what is known as cyclical (in other words related to your menstrual cycle) and it is connected with the changes that occur in your body's hormone levels during your monthly cycle.

What causes Breast pain?

It is now generally accepted that breast pain is not actually caused by having high hormone levels in your body.

In fact, most women with breast pain have normal hormone levels.

All that happens is that your breasts become more sensitive to your body's hormones.

This sensitivity appears to be linked to having low levels of substances called fatty acids in your body.

In particular, some women with breast pain seem to have low levels of a fatty acid known as gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) and this is believed to be due to the fact that their bodies don't process the GLA from their diet as efficiently as they should.

Talking to your doctor

Remember this. Most breast pain is not cancer.

Many cases of breast pain can be successfully treated.

There is no need to suffer in silence.

Your doctor will be happy to listen to you and talk about this problem if you have it. And your doctor will be prepared to treat your concerns seriously.

Talk to your doctor about this condition if you suffer from it. If you find it hard to raise the subject just fill in the form at the back of this leaflet and hand it to your doctor, leave it with the receptionist or bring it with you on your next visit.

Breast pain checklist. Things to tell your doctor

Read these simple questions carefully and fill in the answers or tick the boxes that apply to you.
NAME
I am...............years of age
I have.............children
I have suffered from breast pain for:.........months........years.
It affects my:
left breast
right breast
both breasts
The pain also affects other parts of my body such as............
It happens at a certain time each month
It happens nearly all the time
I do examine my own breasts for lumps
I do not examine my own breasts for lumps
The last time I had a breast examination was ..............months............years ago.
I would describe the pain as (USE YOUR OWN WORDS)
The pain affects these aspects of my life:
Sleeping
Housework
Gardening
Shopping
Sport
Working
Driving
Physical activity
My relationship with my husband/partner
My relationship with my children.