Breast pain, or mastalgia, is one of the most frequent complaints among women. Studies suggest that up to 70% of women experience it at some point in life.
But here’s the good news: in most cases, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁?
Between 35% and 60% of women of reproductive age report some form of breast pain.
In breast clinics, mastalgia is the main complaint in over 50% of consultations.
About 51–58% of cases are non-cyclical, meaning they’re not linked to the menstrual cycle.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆?
Pain is usually unilateral (one side only), mostly in the upper outer quadrant of the breast.
Only about 10% of women report severe pain, while the majority describe it as mild or moderate.

When should you worry?
A large study found that among 840 women with breast pain, only 1.3% were diagnosed with breast cancer — all of whom also had a palpable lump.
So, 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿.

What helps?
– Supportive bras (sports or well-fitted bras) can relieve pain in up to 85% of cases
– Lifestyle changes: reducing caffeine, managing weight and stress can help
– Topical NSAIDs, supplements may be considered under medical advice
– Often, reassurance and clear information already bring relief

References
Moghadam R.N. et al. Mastalgia. StatPearls, NCBI, 2022
Islam M.T. et al. Prevalence and factors associated with mastalgia. BMC Public Health, 2023
Rai B. et al. Benign breast disorders and mastalgia. PMC, 2023
Khan A. et al. Mastalgia patterns and management. Int J Surg, 2021
Eur J Breast Health. Mastalgia – The burden beneath, 2023
AAFP. Breast Pain: Evaluation and Management. Am Fam Physician, 2019