What to do if you have breast swelling and pain due to menstrual irregularities

Menstrual irregularity accompanied by breast swelling and pain can be improved by adjusting living habits, relieving it with hot compresses, Chinese medicine conditioning, drug treatment, surgical treatment, etc. Menstrual disorders may be related to endocrine disorders, breast hyperplasia, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, mental stress and other factors.

1. Adjust living habits

Maintain a regular schedule and avoid staying up late. The recommended daily sleep time is 7-8 hours. In the diet, reduce the intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods and increase the proportion of fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Carry out appropriate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking and swimming, 3-5 times a week, 30 minutes each time. Be careful to limit your caffeine and alcohol intake, as these substances may increase breast tissue sensitivity.

2. Hot compress relief

Use a warm towel at about 40℃ to apply to the breast swelling and pain area for 15-20 minutes each time, 2-3 times a day. Hot compress can promote local blood circulation and relieve breast duct spasm. The effect will be better when combined with gentle massage. When massaging, push in a circular motion from the periphery of the breast to the direction of the nipple. The intensity should not cause pain. Be careful to avoid high temperature burns to the skin, and stop using hot compresses during menstruation.

3. Traditional Chinese Medicine conditioning

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that breast swelling and pain are mostly related to stagnation of liver qi. Chinese patent medicines such as Xiaoyao Pills and Rupixiao Tablets can be used to soothe the liver and regulate qi. Acupuncture selects Qimen, Taichong, Sanyinjiao and other acupoints, 2-3 times a week, and continuously treats 1-2 menstrual cycles. Moxibustion on Guanyuan, Qihai and other acupoints can also improve the flow of Qi and blood. Taking rose, bupleurum and other tea substitutes can help relieve symptoms caused by emotional stress.

4. Drug treatment

For those with abnormal hormone levels, progesterone capsules and dydrogesterone tablets can be used to regulate the menstrual cycle as directed by the doctor. When breast hyperplasia is obvious, you can take Tamoxifen Citrate Tablets and Runing Tablets to relieve the symptoms of hyperplasia. When the pain is severe, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules and diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets can be used for a short period of time. All drugs must be used under the guidance of a doctor, and the dosage cannot be increased or decreased by yourself.

5. Surgical treatment

When examination reveals a large cyst or tumor in the breast, a breast lumpectomy may be necessary. In patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, if drug control is ineffective, laparoscopic ovarian drilling may be considered. For menstrual irregularities caused by uterine fibroids, uterine myomectomy or hysterectomy is selected depending on the location of the fibroids. Hormone levels and breast ultrasound need to be reviewed regularly after surgery.

Daily attention should be paid to maintaining emotional stability and preventing negative emotions such as anxiety and depression from affecting the endocrine system. Wear appropriate underwear to avoid tight compression of the breasts. Perform a breast self-examination every month after menstruation to check for lumps, skin changes and other abnormalities. Record the changes in the menstrual cycle, including the number of menstrual days, amount of menstruation, accompanying symptoms, etc., and provide it to the doctor for reference when seeing a doctor. If the symptoms persist for more than 3 months without improvement, or abnormal symptoms such as non-menstrual bleeding and nipple discharge occur, you should promptly go to the gynecology or breast department for six sex hormones, breast ultrasound and other related examinations.