Most females experience breast pain before the start of a period. That’s how you know the period is about to start.
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Breast Pain and Menstruation: What’s Going On?
You may feel tenderness in the breasts, hypersensitivity to touch, a heavy feeling, or pain in the right side or left side. You can feel this pain 5-10 days before your period date. It’s a normal condition, known as Mastalgia.
What is the Link Between Breast Pain and Your Period?
Hormonal Imbalance
Scientists believe that this breast pain is due to the fluctuation of hormones. Before the start of a period, the levels of progesterone and estrogen drop sharply in the body. The decline in these hormones causes the breasts to swell, and becomes taut and painful.
Nutrition
If you have a habit of eating junk food, processed food, too much salt or sugar, any food containing improper fats, you may feel breast pain before period.
These kinds of foods affect the level of inflammation in your body, which causes pain.
Water Retention
When you are approaching the onset of menstruation, your body tends to swell and hold more water. This water retention can cause the breast to swell and cause pain.
Inflammation
As discussed earlier, if there is an inflammation in your body, it can manifest in the form of breast pain. It also plays a role in pain during period bleeding.
Stress
Stress and menstruation do not mix. A high level of stress or a rhythm that is too active for the body can contribute to pre-menstrual symptoms in general, which can start breast pain.
Are There Any Home Remedies to Relieve Sore Breasts During Period?
The good thing, we have our grandmothers’ totkay for everything. Keep on reading to find out about home remedies for breast pain during the period:
Watch Your Diet
As discussed earlier, breast pain before or during your period can be part of PMS. To help relieve these premenstrual symptoms, you can make small changes to your diet when they happen.
What May Help:
- You must decrease coffe/tea consumption some days before your period. These stimulants have an impact on the swelling of breasts before, during, or after your period. They also play a role in menstrual cramps.
- Eat more fiber and essential fatty acids. You can take more fruits, green vegetables, legumes, and oilseeds.
- Make sure to hydrate yourself. It’s good for your overall health, but it also helps with water retention.
Use Castor Oil
One of the time-tested remedies to treat breast pain is the use of castor oil.
Let me tell you how you can use it. Take a dry clean cloth and saturate it in castor oil. Place this on the sore breast. Cover it with another clean cloth. Place a heating pad on top of it. Leave this for almost 30 minutes. If you feel that the soreness is too much you can put it for more time. Repeat this process for as many days as you feel like.
You will soon feel better.
Rinsing the Sore Nipples
Before the start of a period, the nipples become sore and sensitive. If you want to get rid of this soreness, try a simple remedy. Rinse those nipples with water. It will produce a calming, soothing effect, and you will feel less soreness and pain.
De-Stress Yourself
You know, stress is the crucial factor in kickstarting the PMS way before the actual time. So, it’s important that you de-stress yourself.
To deal with stress, you can adapt certain techniques e.g deep breathing, relaxation, or meditation. You can even do yoga for its amazing benefits.
Cut Off Salt
A week before your period, cut down your salt intake as much as you can. Salty foods cause bloating and can be a reason why you feel sore breasts.
I know you get a lot of cravings for salty, spicy foods, as it is a part of PMS. But it’s better to wait until your period starts to indulge in your favorite salty treats.
Wear a Supportive Bra
You must choose a bra for yourself that is well-fitted and supportive. Many times, breast pain happens due to wearing the wrong size bra. Consider sleeping in a soft bra if breast pain is affecting your sleep.
Take Herbal Tea
In case of swelling, a cup of herbal tea can help to evacuate some of the retained water. You can add honey or a little lemon juice to it for better taste.
Apply Essential Oils
If you have some essential oils at home, have the best use out of them. Essential oils e.g lavender, primrose can act as natural moisturizers. You can apply these oils to sore breasts, and you will feel quick relief from breast pain.
Read more about the health benefits of essential oils.
Self-Massage
Exercises and massages are the go-to remedies for every ailment.
You can do a self-massage of your breasts. It’s great for soreness and tenderness. You can do a self-massage while showering when you can soap up the breasts. If you are not showering due to periods, you can use oils to massage as well.
Start around the nipple and massage in outward, circular motions with soft hands. It helps you improve circulation and drainage in the breasts, which will reduce your breast pain.
When You Should See a Doctor?
Although mastalgia is a harmless condition, you should see a doctor immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- A painful breast lump or lumps
- Bloody or foul-smelling nipple discharge
- Breast pain that lasts for more than several weeks
- Breast pain that makes it hard to do regular activities
- Signs of infection e.g. warmth or redness of the breast or fever
Listen to Your Body!!!!
When it comes to menstrual pain, there is no single solution. The key is to listen to your body, observe its changes, and guide it gently and kindly. You can understand what helps you with breast pain by trying some of these home remedies for sore breasts.
If you are skeptical about breast pain, or if you feel that this pain is too much for you, you may consult a well-known gynecologist in Lahore, to get opinions on what to do. You can book an appointment via Healthwire.pk or call at (042) 32500989.
