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  |  Experts  |  Ask the Doctor  |  Aching breasts
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Some surprising facts from the Colonel

Aching breasts

by Dr Sarah Brewer

question
For the last month my left breast has been aching and painful. I can't feel a lump but the whole breast is quite hard.

answer
Any breast changes should be reported to your doctor and usually investigated by way of a mammogram. Nine out of ten breast changes have a benign underlying cause, so it is reassuring that you have not found a lump. Even so, don't ignore the problem.

Breast pain is known as mastalgia and affects two out of three women at some time during their life. It is most common in women who are 30 to 50 years old and may be cyclical, and therefore linked with the menstrual cycle, or non-cyclical, with no relation to menstruation. It is important to tell your doctor if you develop breast pain so that treatable conditions can be ruled out.

Breast pain is not usually due to breast cancer, but medical examination is important to rule this out where breast pain is one-sided and localised.
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