Overview
Breast health includes understanding what is normal for your body, noticing changes, and getting recommended screening and medical care when needed. Common breast concerns include pain, lumps, cysts, infections, nipple discharge, and cancer. Many changes are linked to hormones, pregnancy, breastfeeding, aging, or noncancerous conditions.
Key Symptoms
Changes that deserve attention include a new lump or thickened area, swelling, persistent breast or armpit pain, skin dimpling, redness, warmth, scaling of the nipple, or a nipple turning inward when it did not before. Nipple discharge that is bloody or happens without squeezing should also be checked. Some breast cancers do not cause pain, so lack of pain does not rule out a serious problem.
Causes and Risk Factors
Breast changes can be caused by normal hormonal shifts, benign cysts or fibroadenomas, breastfeeding-related problems such as blocked ducts or mastitis, medications, or injury. Risk factors for breast cancer include older age, certain inherited gene changes, a strong family history, dense breasts, prior chest radiation, some reproductive and hormonal factors, alcohol use, and higher body weight after menopause. Having a risk factor does not mean someone will develop cancer, and people without obvious risk factors can still be affected.
Who Is Affected
Breast concerns can affect women and girls after breast development begins, especially during reproductive years, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause. Breast cancer mainly affects women, but men can also develop breast cancer and should not ignore breast or nipple changes. People with a personal or family history of breast disease may need more individualized medical advice.
Prevention
Not all breast conditions can be prevented, but some steps may support breast health. These include attending recommended screening, limiting alcohol, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and discussing personal and family history with a healthcare professional. If you breastfeed, early help with latch or breast pain may reduce some breastfeeding-related problems.
Diagnosis and Tests
A healthcare professional may ask about symptoms, menstrual and pregnancy history, medicines, and family history, then perform a breast and underarm exam. Tests may include mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI in selected situations, or sampling tissue or fluid for laboratory testing. The choice of tests depends on age, symptoms, pregnancy or breastfeeding status, and personal risk.
Treatment Categories
Treatment depends on the cause. Noncancerous conditions may be monitored or managed with supportive care, drainage, or other medical treatment, while infections may require prompt medical treatment. If cancer is found, care may include surgery, radiation therapy, and medicines such as hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or chemotherapy, planned by a specialist team.
When to Seek Medical Care
Arrange medical care for any new breast lump, persistent focal pain, skin or nipple change, unexplained swelling, or unusual discharge, especially if it is bloody or from one side. Also seek care for breast redness, warmth, fever, or worsening pain, particularly during breastfeeding. If you have questions about when to start screening or whether you may be at higher risk, ask a healthcare professional.
When It May Be an Emergency
Urgent evaluation is needed for a rapidly spreading red, hot, swollen breast with fever or severe illness, as this may signal a serious infection. Seek emergency help for severe injury to the breast, significant bleeding, or signs of an allergic reaction after a medicine or procedure. A rapidly enlarging, very painful swelling should also be assessed without delay.