4. MENSTRUATION
Cyclic breast pain, i.e. pain that comes and goes with your monthly periods, is the most common cause for mastalgia. This symptom is part of a group of symptoms, which are collectively called premenstrual syndrome or PMS .
It is usually generated in women due to the normal monthly fluctuations in hormones, and generally this pain occurs in both breasts. Estrogen will cause breast ducts to enlarge while progesterone will cause milk glands to swell – both events lead to tender breasts. Women who suffer from menstruation induced breast pain often describe it as soreness or heaviness of the breasts that radiates to the arm and armpit.
Generally, this pain is most severe right before a woman’s menstrual period and will often cease once the period ends. It occurs most commonly in younger women and will usually disappear around menopause.