Sore breasts menopause: The causes, when to see a doctor, and management tips

Menopause is associated with a rapid decrease in essential sex hormones and, hence, a range of physical and psychological changes. Sore breasts menopause isn’t among the most commonly-known symptoms. In fact, due to the cessation of hormone production, many women experience relief from breast pain when they enter this stage of their lives. Still, it is possible to experience sore breasts in perimenopause (due to dramatic hormonal shifts) and, sometimes, during menopause itself due to the following reasons:

• Hormone replacement therapy
• Tissue changes
• Lifestyle factors
• Cysts, injury, etc.

Luckily, it’s possible to reduce discomfort by changing your lifestyle and implementing general self-care tips.

{{button}}

Menopause is a natural part of female aging that marks the end of your reproductive function and the beginning of a new chapter in your life. Due to rapid hormonal changes, menopause itself and the years leading up to it (perimenopause) are associated with many physical and psychological changes.

Among a variety of very common and well-known menopause symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes, there are also some lesser-known symptoms that can catch you by surprise. One of such is sore breasts menopause.

This guide explains the nature, prevalence, and possible causes of breast pain in menopause to help you better understand this symptom. Continue reading to explore why it may appear and what you can do to find relief.

Understanding Breast Pain

Before we delve into the specs of sore breasts menopause, let’s investigate the nature of breast pain in general.

Mastalgia (the medical term for breast pain) comes in two primary types:

• Cyclic mastalgia is the most common type of breast pain. It’s caused by natural hormonal fluctuations throughout the cycle and can occasionally appear during its different stages, including menstruation, ovulation, etc. This kind of breast pain is considered absolutely normal. In many cases, it naturally resolves with the onset of a hormonally mediated event, for example, pregnancy or menopause.
• Noncyclic mastalgia is a less common occurrence in which breast pain is caused by factors other than hormones, such as injury, inflammation, cysts, and others. It can also come from physically-impacting causes, such as an ill-fitting bra or strenuous exercise that damages nearby muscles.

Does Menopause Cause Sore Breasts?

Menopause itself isn’t a definitive cause of mastalgia. On the contrary, as was mentioned earlier, many women with occasional cyclic mastalgia notice a relief of breast pain in menopause, when their hormonal levels settle and cease to fluctuate.

However, the answer isn’t that simple. When your body transitions to menopause (during perimenopause), and after you enter it, your breast tissues don’t become insensitive to hormones. It’s just that your hormonal levels drop and stop changing. That is, it’s still possible to experience breast tenderness and pain under certain conditions.

This is especially common in perimenopause. Typically, this transitional period begins around 8-10 years before you officially enter menopause. During this time, your body starts changing its hormonal balance to prepare for reproductive cessation. Estrogen and progesterone levels start rapidly decreasing, and these fluctuations can result in mild to intense pain in one or both breasts. Other symptoms that you may experience include:

• Breast swelling
• Aching or throbbing pain
• Nipple sensitivity and soreness

In some cases, it’s also possible to experience breast pain after you complete the transition and enter menopause.

What Causes Sore Breasts During Menopause?

If breast tenderness is rather common in perimenopause, fewer women experience it after the onset of menopause. Furthermore, since the production of essential sex hormones ceases in menopause, the possible causes of sore breasts at this time are different than natural, cycle-related hormonal fluctuations.

So, why does menopause cause sore breasts? Let’s look at the possible reasons why you may have sore breasts menopause:

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

HRT is commonly recommended to women in menopause to treat their symptoms. This therapy is meant to make up for a lack of essential hormones and thus, help support your health and well-being when your body stops producing them naturally. However, studies show that HRT may also cause a number of side effects, including transient breast tenderness because it creates artificial hormonal fluctuations, which affect breast tissues.

Tissue Changes

One of the key female hormones, estrogen, is responsible for stimulating glandular tissue in the breasts to enable milk production and breastfeeding. After you enter menopause, low estrogen levels usually cause this tissue to shrink and atrophy. When this happens, the amount of fatty tissue in your breasts increases, changing its density and structure. This can create certain discomfort and even soreness.

Lifestyle Factors

Apart from hormonal changes, different lifestyle factors also affect your breasts. There are a few lifestyle factors that can contribute to sore breasts menopause:

• Diet – An unhealthy diet often leads to rapid weight gain in menopause due to natural age-related changes in your metabolic function. More body fat typically means increased aromatase expression and estrogen levels, which can cause inflammation and breast soreness.
• Stress – Ongoing or severe stress can result in increased cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that also has an effect on breast health and can potentially cause pain.
• Excessive caffeine intake – Large amounts of caffeine have been shown to increase cortisol levels and change hormonal balance. By impacting hormones, excessive caffeine intake can possibly affect breast health and exacerbate pain.
• Medications – Lastly, some medications that you consume regularly may also affect your breast health. In particular, soreness is associated with some antidepressants, antipsychotics, steroids, heart drugs, and other medicines.

Other Potential Causes

Sometimes, sore breasts menopause can be caused by issues not related to hormones or lifestyle. Namely, different infections and cysts might cause pain. Also, injury and muscle strain can cause discomfort during the healing period.

When to See a Doctor

Breast pain is rather rare after menopause if you don’t use HRT. However, since there are a number of factors that can possibly cause it, it’s important to keep an eye on your symptoms and notice any concerning changes.

In particular, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider if you experience new breast pain that doesn’t resolve on its own or have a clear cause. A doctor can offer you to have a mammogram to rule out any underlying medical causes of pain.

How to Manage Sore Breasts Menopause

If you start experiencing breast pain after menopause, it can feel rather discomforting. The good news is that it’s possible to address this symptom through certain lifestyle changes and self-care tricks.

Here are some management techniques to try:

• Revise your diet. Try to maintain a healthy diet that helps control your weight and prevent its excessive gain. Keep a special focus on anti-inflammatory foods, such as leafy vegetables, fatty fish, nuts, and others.
• Reduce caffeine intake or eliminate it completely. This can help you reduce stress levels and mitigate the possible negative effects of caffeine consumption.
• Integrate stress-management rituals. Meditation and journaling are popular stress-management techniques that can help you lower cortisol levels and prevent inflammation that causes breast pain.
• Increase your physical activity. Consistent physical activity and strength training, in particular, can help you address muscle loss after menopause and prevent the risk of trauma.

In addition to these management techniques, don’t forget to pay attention to the underwear you have. Bras that are too tight and don’t fit properly can create physical damage to your breasts and also cause pain. That’s why it’s important to choose well-fitted underwear.

FAQ

Are sore breasts a sign of menopause?

It’s not a common sign that menopause has already started because breast tissue is sensitive to hormonal fluctuations, which cease after you enter menopause. However, sore breasts are a common signal that you are getting ready to enter menopause in the upcoming years. During the transition period (perimenopause), your essential hormone levels drop significantly, which can increase sensitivity and cause pain until your hormones settle.

Why are my breasts sore after menopause?

Although it’s not very typical, it’s possible to have sore breasts after menopause begins. This might be caused by hormones if you’re taking HRT. Also, it can result from age-related tissue changes, some lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy diet and stress, and other causes like injuries and cysts.

Is it normal to have sore breasts during menopause?

It’s normal (and rather common) to experience breast soreness in perimenopause. After the onset of menopause, it’s not as common to experience breast pain because your hormones are already low and settled, meaning that there are no fluctuations to cause pain. Nevertheless, it's generally normal to experience this symptom due to other reasons, such as HRT, lifestyle factors, etc.

Conclusion

So, does menopause cause sore breasts? As you now know, this symptom is much more typical during perimenopause, when your body is shifting hormonal levels. However, it’s also possible to experience breast pain after you officially enter menopause.

After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of the possible causes of  sore breasts menopause. Use it as a guide to understand your body better and find relief when you need it.

{{pink-banner}}