While some causes of breast discomfort can be effectively treated at home, see a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• A lump or firmness
• Soreness in only one breast
• A change in your breast self-exam
• Nipple discharge on one side (Lactating breasts may secrete white/yellow discharge for up to a year after nursing is discontinued.)

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While you can’t always escape the natural fluctuations in hormones, there are things you can do to make yourself and your breasts more comfortable.

Wear a supportive bra. Breasts often swell with fluid during periods of hormonal fluctuation. Susan Woodruff, B.S.N., childbirth and parenting education coordinator at Tuality Community Hospital in Hillsboro, Oregon, advises women to wear a supportive bra, especially if their breasts are large. “You may have to wear it 24 hours a day when the breasts are tender,” she says. “Try one of those soft athletic bras that provide comfort and good support.”

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For many women, breasts are a source of sensual pleasure. For breast-feeding mothers, they are a part of the bonding between mother and baby and a way of nurturing a new life. But at certain times in a woman’s life, breasts can be uncomfortable or downright painful. They may even become the focus of worry and anxiety.

Breast discomfort is a normal part of being a woman. It is almost always not a sign of breast cancer. Breasts are mammary glands that are responsive to natural hormonal changes, especially fluctuations in estrogen, that occur at menstruation, menopause, and pregnancy. Hormonal changes can cause breasts to become hot, swollen, tender, and painful to the touch. “Breast discomfort is really common for women,” says Amanda Clark, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. “We see it a great deal during early pregnancy, with menstruation, and during early hormone therapy at menopause.”

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