Why does my breast feel fuller

Breast soreness is very common. It affects most women at some time in their lives. The degree of soreness, and where and how it is felt, differs for each woman.

It might be sharp, stabbing, dull, throbbing or aching. It might be felt in all or part of the breasts, one breast or both. It can also affect the armpit area. For many women, the soreness is barely noticeable.

For others, the pain is so great that it affects their everyday lives. Usually the condition goes away in time. This is also referred to as cyclical mastalgia. This happens when the tissue in their breasts responds to hormones. The most common hormonal breast soreness comes from an increase in the level of oestrogen before a period. This causes milk ducts and glands to swell, trapping fluid in the breasts. Many women have tenderness or pain in the lead-up to a period, and sometimes right through it.

The hormones that cause breast soreness might also cause cyclical swelling or lumpiness. They can also affect the size, shape or sensitivity of cysts and fibroadenomas. Breasts also contain connective tissue and ligaments along with nerves, blood vessels, and lymph nodes. Obviously, breasts go through a variety of changes throughout your life.

It's normal for breasts to change in size, appearance, and shape over time. Swollen breasts may be a natural occurrence caused by changes in the female body. A traumatic event may cause bruising but is not likely the cause of the swelling. The following details may help you better understand your symptoms; however, see a physician for persistent breast swelling. The breast is very sensitive to fluctuations in the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

These hormones are essential to the menstrual cycle and a woman's reproductive system. Before the beginning of each menstrual cycle, estrogen levels increase, causing the breasts to enlarge and retain water. This results in breast swelling and associated symptoms. Pregnancy can cause hormone fluctuations that can result in breast swelling and tenderness. Breastfeeding can also cause swelling due to infection and engorgement. Growths or lumps in the breast are not necessarily a sign of cancer.

However, there are several distinct symptoms to look out for that could indicate a malignant cancerous lump. The list below shows results from the use of our quiz by Buoy users who experienced swollen breasts.

This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have. Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue that results in breast pain, swelling, warmth and redness of the breast. Mastitis most commonly affects women who are breast-feeding lactation mastitis , although sometimes this condition can occur in women who aren't breast-feeding. Top Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, breast pain, signs of breast inflammation like redness, swelling or fever, fever.

Symptoms that always occur with breast infection mastitis : breast pain, signs of breast inflammation like redness, swelling or fever. If you're making milk faster than it's getting expressed, it can get backed up in the duct. When this happens, the tissue around the duct may become swollen and inflamed and press on the duct, causing a blockage. A breast cyst is a fluid-filled sac like a tiny balloon inside the breast. Breast cysts are common in women. They might cause a little pain, but they are usually benign not cancerous.

Top Symptoms: breast pain, breast lump, painful breast lump, movable breast lump. A breast abscess is a collection of infected fluid, or pus, within the breast that is generally painful, and may cause fever, chills, fatigue, and body aches.

A breast abscess is a complication of mastitis, an infection of the breast tissue, that develops most commonly in breastfeeding women. Fibrocystic change is a generalized term used to describe a variety of benign changes in the breast. Symptoms of this condition are breast swelling or pain, as well as nodules, lumpiness, or nipple discharge.

Top Symptoms: breast lump, hard breast lump, nipple discharge, rope-like breast lump. Premenstrual syndrome PMS is a condition that can produce emotional and physical symptoms in women in the days leading up to their menstrual cycle. Common symptoms include bloating, cramping, headaches, irritability, fatigue, and sleep and appetite changes. These symptoms.. Nonspecific breast pain, also called mastalgia or mastodynia, refers to tenderness or pain in the breast with no obvious cause.

It almost always proves to have a benign non-cancerous cause. Breast pain is most common in women aged 35 to 50 and still experiencing menstruation. Fibrocystic changes are common in this age group, where tiny, fluid-filled sacs form within breast tissue and might be felt as small, tender, but non-cancerous lumps. Birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, caffeine, and soy can cause breast tenderness in women of any age.

A breast infection can cause painful lumps. A medical provider should be seen, in order to rule out any serious condition and get treatment for the discomfort.

Diagnosis is made through patient history; physical examination; mammogram or breast ultrasound; and sometimes biopsy. A breast infection will be treated with antibiotics. Large, painful cysts may have the fluid drained or be surgically removed. Lifestyle improvements regarding diet and exercise are often helpful, as well as adjustments to birth control pills or hormone therapy.

There are several types of breast cancer, depending on the part of the breast where it starts. The most common types are ductal carcinoma in situ DCIS , invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. It is rare in men but does occur. Symptoms include a lump, thickening, or pain anywhere in the breast or armpit; red, flaky, or irritated breast or nipple skin; nipple discharge; and any area of irregular skin or misshapenness.

Many harmless conditions can cause similar signs, so it is important to see a medical provider about any of these symptoms. Diagnosis is made through physical examination; imaging such as ultrasound, mammogram, or MRI; and sometimes biopsy. The best prevention is a combination of screening mammograms as recommended by the medical provider, and monthly self-examination.

Top Symptoms: breast pain, armpit lump, breast mass or retraction, breast lump, nipple discharge. The earliest sign of pregnancy is typically a missed period, but many women do experience symptoms shortly after conception:. If pregnancy is suspected, testing should be done so that proper prenatal care can begin. It's important to avoid some behaviors during pregnancy, such as drinking alcohol or using certain drugs or medications, so an early diagnosis should be made.

Over-the-counter home pregnancy tests are available at any drugstore. A positive test is almost certainly correct, but a negative test in the face of other symptoms may be a false negative and should be tried again after a week.

Top Symptoms: fatigue, nausea or vomiting, stomach bloating, bloody vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding. Symptoms that never occur with possible pregnancy: painful urination, severe abdominal pain. Swollen breast symptoms should not be dismissed. There are natural causes that are less concerning, but more significant issues will require professional diagnosis and treatment.

For cyclical swelling, at-home remedies may help. While it is a good idea to contact a physician for swollen breasts, general swelling associated with pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the menstrual cycle may be relieved with the basic recommended steps at home.

However, if those do not provide relief, your physician may suggest the following. Awareness of potential complications and issues of the breasts have risen over the past several years. Swelling, while not always a cause for concern, is a symptom worthy of monitoring. Regular self-checks of the breasts is highly recommended to help identify potential issues. Yes, breast swelling in sync with a menstrual cycle is normal. It frequently involves both breasts and is caused by alteration of ducts within the breast tissue.

In response to the hormones released just prior to a menstrual period, a woman's body begins some very early changes that prepare it for a child. One of these changes involves the development of breast tissue in preparation for milk production and delivery. This can cause intermittent breast swelling. If you have breast swelling that occurs out of sync with your period, you should seek medical evaluation. Breasts can swell early in pregnancy. They can swell within one or two weeks of pregnancy or become tender.

Swollen breasts can also occur closer to birth as the body prepares milk. Breast swelling is one of the most common early signs of pregnancy.

If you suspect you are pregnant, you should either seek medical evaluation or take an over-the-counter pregnancy test. If you have a breast infection, you may have a fever and symptoms in one breast, including:.

Treatment typically includes antibiotics and pain relievers. Some medications may cause breast pain as a side effect. Some drugs with this known side effect include:. If a tender lump suddenly appears in your breast, you may have a cyst, says Wright. To diagnose a cyst, your doctor may recommend a mammogram, ultrasound or aspiration drawing fluid from the lump. Draining fluid from the cyst is also a form of treatment. Symptoms of this aggressive disease often come on suddenly and progress rapidly.

Inflammatory breast cancer may cause the breast to become:. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Hormones are making your breasts sore. Steps you can take to minimize sore breasts include: Eliminate caffeine Eat a low-fat diet Reduce salt intake Avoid smoking Take an over-the-counter pain reliever Ask your doctor if switching birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy medications may help You have a breast injury.

Breast pain is really coming from your chest wall. Common causes of chest wall pain include: A pulled muscle Inflammation around the ribs Trauma to the chest wall getting hit in the chest Bone fracture Breastfeeding is causing breast tenderness. They can help you troubleshoot the problem while maintaining your milk supply. You have a breast infection.