Changes in the breasts are a concern for many women at first, although they can also be caused by a number of harmless causes. But why is it when the nipples hurt? We explain the 5 reasons behind sore nipples.
Every woman probably knows the feeling: the nipples are tight, hurt or feel sensitive. The changes can be caused by different factors. Even if the reason for the pain is usually harmless, you should always have persistent or recurring changes in the breast checked out by a doctor to rule out serious illnesses as the cause.
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Table of Contents
Painful nipples: 5 reasons
1. Hormonal change
Whenever the breast changes due to hormonal changes, pain in the breasts or especially in the nipples can occur. For example, during puberty, the growth of the breasts can be noticeable through painful nipples. But even if the hormonal balance gets mixed up during the menopause, there are changes in the breast tissue, which can be accompanied by pain. Menstrual cycle-related breast or nipple pain, which usually begins shortly before the onset of the period, is referred to as mastodynia – the term includes not only pain but also feelings of tension and sensitivity to touch.
2. Pregnancy
Unfortunately, as beautiful as pregnancy is, it comes with some uncomfortable physical changes, including sore nipples. Because in pregnant women, the mammary glands are fully developed during this time, so that they can put pressure on the nipples. And even after pregnancy, at the beginning of breastfeeding, the nipples can hurt until they get used to breastfeeding.
Other external changes in the nipples are also an indication of pregnancy. Nipples and the surrounding areola (the skin around the nipple) can become larger and darker.
3. cyst
Cysts are benign, fluid-filled sacs found in the glandular lobule of the breast. The causes of cyst formation are not exactly known, but they usually appear between the ages of 30 and 50 and at the beginning of the menopause. Cysts only cause symptoms such as pain when they are so filled with fluid that they press on the surrounding tissue. Usually the cysts do not need to be treated, but in some cases it makes sense to puncture them to examine the contents.
4. Fibroadenoma
The painful nipples can also be triggered by a fibroadenoma, i.e. a benign tumor in the breast. It is a tumor that forms from glandular and connective tissue. Since the growth of the fibroadenoma is influenced by hormonal changes, it can increase in size during the woman’s fertile period or during the menopause. As a rule, small tumors in particular do not have to be removed, but they should be examined regularly as a precaution.
5. Wrong clothing
Inappropriate clothing can cause nipple pain in both men and women. Since the nipples are sensitive to touch, tight-fitting rough fabric can irritate them and sometimes even rub them sorely. This happens particularly often, for example, during long jogging units or marathon runs. Here you can find out what helps against sore nipples when jogging >>
Breast Cancer: Changed nipples
In addition to nipple pain, physical changes and illnesses are also noticeable externally in the form of skin changes. If bloody, purulent or clear liquid comes out of your nipple, you may have breast cancer. A change in color or a pulled-in nipple are also warning signs.
