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Mastalgia (breast pain)

from Medical topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2014

By
Antonio V. Millet  and
Frederick M. Dirbas
Edited by
Susan Ayers ,
Andrew Baum ,
Chris McManus ,
Stanton Newman ,
Kenneth Wallston ,
John Weinman  and
Robert West
Antonio V. Millet
Affiliation:
Valencia School of Medicine
Frederick M. Dirbas
Affiliation:
†Stanford University
Susan Ayers
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus
Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman
Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman
Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London
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Summary

Introduction

Most women consider premenstrual mild cyclic breast pain (mastalgia) lasting for one to four days as normal. For some, however, mastalgia can be moderate-to-severe and last over five days each month, causing a great discomfort. Women with mastalgia are generally reluctant to consult medical personnel and those who do will often report recent quantitative or qualitative increases in their pain (Dixon, 1999). Because of increased awareness of breast cancer, more women than ever before are seeking professional advice (Klimberg, 1998) (see also ‘Cancer: breast’). Subjective by nature, mastalgia is difficult to quantify and, at present, few physicians adopt a systematic diagnostic approach. Available treatments are few and limited by low efficacy and multiple side effects.

Prevalence and classification

Mastalgia is the most common breast complaint for which women consult their healthcare providers: up to 70% of women under 55 years old experience it (Arona, 1998; Dixon, 1999). Many patients with mastalgia consult once (36%) or more (5%) (Ader & Shriver, 1997). Neither marital status, household income, education, nor race appears to influence these rates (Ader et al., 2001). Breast pain is usually classified as cyclical mastalgia (CM) and non-cyclical mastalgia (NCM). CM occurs in a predictable pattern, often premenstrually, while NCM is described as a constant or intermittent breast pain with no relationship to menstruation. Chest wall pain accounts for 7% of the consulting women.

Type
Chapter
Information
Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 774 - 776
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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References

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