Many women experience tender breasts at some point in their life. It can be caused by many reasons, the majority being of a hormonal nature. When this happens, the breasts can feel sore when you touch them or when you move around, and they feel heavier and/or fuller.
Breast tenderness is one of the signs of pregnancy but can also be an indication that you are ovulating. Further complicating the matter, tender breasts can likewise be a symptom of PMS.
Since pregnancy, ovulation and PMS all trigger the release of hormones into the body, all three conditions can affect your breasts. To find out which of these conditions is causing your breast tenderness, you must take into account other symptoms, the type of soreness you are experiencing and your menstrual cycle.
Type and Location of Soreness
Ovulation often causes pain or soreness on the sides of your breasts [1]. If pregnancy is the reason for the tenderness, your breasts will have a strong sensation of fullness or heaviness. This pain would also be felt throughout the entire breast and not just on the sides. In some women, tenderness or soreness in the breasts can be the first symptoms they experience of pregnancy and the breast are sensitive and tender to touch.
However, this is not a reliable way to tell that you’re pregnant, as breast tenderness can be caused by other reasons. If you suspect that you’re pregnant and are feeling breast tenderness, be sure to see a doctor.
Breast Tenderness from PMS
Many women experience breast pain or tenderness from PMS, which typically happens in the days leading up to the start of their period. A good indicator that PMS is the issue causing your breast tenderness is the timing of your period.
This is why it’s always good to keep track of your menstrual cycle. There are actually smartphone applications available that can help you easily keep track of your menstruation and even ovulation. You’ll be able to make a note of any pain you are experiencing, moodiness or any other issues. Knowing all these things can be helpful in determining the reason behind your breast tenderness.
Breast Tenderness and Pregnancy
Aside from tenderness, other changes in the breasts can help you determine whether you’re pregnant, ovulating, or experiencing PMS. For pregnant women, their areola and the surrounding nipple tissue may show a change in color or tone [2]. Again, a color change in this area is typically only found in women who are pregnant.
The size of the areola can also be an indication that you’re carrying a child since pregnancy can sometimes cause the veins in the chest to become larger and more pronounced. All these changes are a sign of pregnancy, not ovulation or PMS.
Pregnancy is a common cause of breast tenderness, but just because you have breast tenderness, doesn’t mean you can automatically assume you are pregnant. There are many more indicators, including some typical early indicators that can give you an idea you’re pregnant.
These signs can include increased frequency of urination, abdominal cramps, back pain, moodiness, aversion to certain types of foods, increased sensitivity to odors and high basal temperature. When pregnancy occurs, the body is flooded with hormones, which can cause all the above symptoms as well as tender breasts.
If a woman is trying to get pregnant, she will want to know when she is ovulating. You can monitor your body temperature and cervix to get a clearer indication of when ovulation occurs for you.
Other indicators can include changes in the texture or color of cervical mucous, abdominal pain and an increased sex drive. Many women start ovulating at about the halfway point through their menstrual cycle. This point typically occurs from a few days to a week or more after the last day of her period. The ovulation cycle can be quite varied from woman to woman, so checking other indicators is important for accuracy in detecting ovulation.
There are also ovulation prediction tests now available that can help you to predict your ovulation. These tests are quite inexpensive and will test you for a particular type of hormone that surges during a day or so before ovulation starts. Using a test like this can vastly improve the accuracy of your ovulation predictions.
Other Causes of Breast Tenderness
Though pregnancy, ovulation and PMS are the most common causes of breast tenderness, they are not the only causes. In fact, in teenage boys and girls, the start of puberty can cause breast tenderness. Breastfeeding can also cause this type of breast pain and discomfort. Women who are nearing menopause can also experience breast tenderness or pain.
Medication use can also contribute to breast pain and tenderness. Those who take antidepressants, for example, can experience these symptoms as a side effect of their medication.
Those who take oral birth control pills or undergo infertility treatments may also experience breast tenderness, as well as older women who are past the menopause stage and are going through estrogen and progesterone hormone therapies.
Fatty acid imbalance in breast cells is another culprit. It makes the breast tissue more sensitive to hormones, which can result to the feeling of pain tenderness. Women who have undergone breast surgery in the past are also prone to breast tenderness, even when their incisions are already healed.
Smoking is known to increase epinephrine levels in the breast tissue. This can make a woman’s breasts hurt.
Sometimes breast pain isn’t because of your breasts, but because of irritation of the chest, arms, or back muscles. This is common if you’ve engaged in activities such as raking, rowing, shoveling, and waterskiing.
Tietze’s syndrome is another condition which can be mistaken for breast pain and is a rare, inflammatory disorder characterized by chest pain and swelling of the cartilage of one or more of the upper ribs (costochondral junction), specifically where the ribs attach to the breastbone (sternum). [3]
Breast cysts can likewise contribute to tenderness as well as pain. Some cysts are palpable and can be easily felt when you perform a breast examination. They can be hard or soft, and they may move about when you push them gently with your fingers. Breast cysts are usually not cancerous, but because of the pain and discomfort they cause, you might want to have them surgically removed.
Another possible cause of breast tenderness is fibroadenoma. This is a tumor of the milk glands and can be noticed when performing a breast exam. It’s usually firm and can be moved around, although it doesn’t usually cause pain.
Many women who experience breast tenderness and pain immediately fear that they have breast cancer. But, according to experts, these symptoms don’t automatically indicate that cancer cells are present. In most cases, the tenderness is caused by other symptoms, like those listed above. Still, if you have any concerns about your health, it’s important to see your doctor ASAP.
Final Note
No matter the reason you think you are experiencing breast tenderness, be sure to talk to your doctor if you notice anything unusual or new occurring with your body. This way, you can determine what’s causing the symptoms you experience and get the appropriate treatment right away or at least be assured that what you’re experiencing is normal.
References
- https://www.newkidscenter.com/Sore-Breasts-After-Ovulation.html
- 6 signs that you may be pregnant > https://www.livingandloving.co.za/pregancy-blogs/6-signs-that-you-may-be-pregnant
- https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/tietze-syndrome/
Hi there I had sex with my partner 7 days after my period a few times 2 days later I felt strong ovulation pain & thought maybe I’m ovulating early ; but it’s been 3 days and I still have a low dull pull in my pelvis and tender breasts ; I’ve also been really thirsty & don’t feel like smoking (which is great!) I have four children and going off smoking is always one of the first signs but is it too early for any signs? I’d love to be pregnant but not sure if it’s just really strong ovulating symptoms? Never felt these before though ?
Any advice would be great!
Hi Julia, You are most fertile at the time of ovulation, (when an egg is released from your ovaries) which usually occurs 12-14 days before your next period starts. This is the time of the month when you are most likely to get pregnant. It is unlikely that you will get pregnant just after your period, although it can happen. So its possible you could be pregnant.
Hey…me & my boyfriend used the ”pulling out method’ the week after my period. Now I’m ovulating but my breasts have been really tender for the last week or so. I usually get tender breasts before my period, but that’s two weeks away still. Could I be pregnant?!!! :/
The withdrawal method is quite risky because semen can leak out before your partner withdraws. The best thing to do at this point is to wait at least one week after missing your period and then take a pregnancy test.
My husband and I have been trying for a baby since November 2014, I last had a period on 14th August, which lasted 3 days, I then had a spot of bleeding on 17th September which only lasted that one day, I took this as a period, I’m due my cycle again in 2 weeks but I feel really sickly, my breasts are really swollen, my nipples are tingly, I keep getting pains in my stomach and it seems alittle swollen, I also want to eat all the time, could I be pregnant, I haven’t taken a test yet as I was going to wait to see if my period came this month as I only had a one day bleed last time.
Any advise would be good
thanks
Hello. It’s best to wait to see if you will have a period. If you do not have one, wait until 1 week after you’ve missed your period before you take a pregnancy test.
I would not wait take that pregnancy test because it sounds like to me you’re pregnant and that spot of bleeding you had was probably implantation bleeding. I wish you the best of luck and let us know how it turns out!
My breast tenderness has eased especially to the sides and now my nipples are tender to the touch….I’m feeling as thou something is wrong…I’m waiting until near my due date for my period to take a pregnancy test because this is weird….need some advise quickly…
Hey Barbie!
Have you missed a period? have you never ever experienced breast tenderness before? could there be a possibility for pregnancy? have you been diagnosed with fibrous breast tissue…which is dense and lumpy and can cause pain with hormonal changes? Think those over as you may be pregnant. tenderness of the breast is very common but tenderness of the actual nipple was my indicator that i was pregnant with my child. if your choice is to have a baby (im pro choice) than you should start asap on prenatal vit…that way if you are pregnant you’ll be prepared or if you are not you still get the boost of vit. cheers.
My breasts have been sore and feeling fuller for about two weeks now. I usually have my period the very end, beginning of the month. It is not possible for me to be pregnant, not sure why this is happening could they be growing? They started feeling this way the week after my period, not before or during which they usually do.
Hello. Swollen breasts are a symptom of ovulation. It is normal for some women to experience sore breasts after a period. If the situation persists then you need to consult doctor just to ensure that you do not have a hormonal imbalance.
I was on depo last in dec 2012,had irregular periods and hormonal imbalances since then. Been trying for a baby since 2013 bt nothing. my periods have regulated but still haven’t concieved, had my period on 25 aug for just 2 days. we had sex as from day 9 up to day 15th, is there a probability that I concieved because since ovulation pains on day 12 I have had sore breasts and cramps. mercy
Hello Mercy Muricho, it would have been too early to be showing signs of pregnancy but anything is possible take a test in 2 weeks good luck 🙂
I’ve had my periods on d 29th of August and it ended 2nd of September but it came light in color in July and August and within a week after my period my breast became sore, heavy and tender all over especially at the sides….could it be that I’m pregnant or it’s just ovulation… I’m very concerned because i really want a baby….
Hi Barbie_leecock, period are different every month sometimes it will be light sometimes heavy. breast tenderness is a sign of pregnancy but it is also a sign of different things. Take a test or visit your doctor if the tenderness gets worse or you have other signs of pregnancy.
I’m having breast pain on the sides of it for a weeks now it was only a foreplay with no penetration but he ejaculated. Don’t know but could it be that my breast were sucked or that I’m pregnant
I’m a 5 week cycle. I took a clear blue ovulation test received a ???? on day 14. We got busy. Starting on day 19 my boobs have gotten so so so heavy, full, the middle, bottom and sides hurt so bad. I can’t lay on my chest. Need to sleep with a sports bra on at night bc of pain. Today (cycle 22) I took another ovulation test bc I usually ovulate later, received a flashy smiley face. Which really confused me. I took a different brand test and it was negative. If been having cramps. I thought I was getting my period. I put a light tampon in and noticed brown cervical mucous on it. Thoughts??? I’m going crazy!!!
Hi Mb, sounds like your having pms symptoms they usually occur 2 weeks or less when your period is near..also if you are pregnant it would be too early to get a positive test it is possible you could be pregnant just wait 2 weeks and then test. 🙂
were you pregnant?
Not only was I not pregnant, I got my period early ????
Been on birth control for 3 months. I had sex about over a week ago and I’m due for my period in 13 days. I have breast soreness on the sides as if they feel bruised but it’s not too bad. They aren’t swollen either. Is this my period coming? This has happened with my last period as well except the soreness this time is a tad bit more.
Hi Kaela, yes! Sometimes breast soreness is a sign that your period is on its way but never rule out the possibility that you can get pregnant especially if it was unprotected sex.
I am 35 years old. I’ve been having extreme breast soreness (earlier than usual) for a few days now as if I was due for my period in several days. However, I’m not due for my period for another two weeks. What could be happening? P.S. I do have a small tumor or growth on my Adrenal glands could it be giving me problems? I also have A-typical PSOV w/0 cysts (as far as I know). They told me it would be very hard to get pregnant.
Hi Diana, Anything is possible especially if you had unprotected sex, adrenal glands can also cause you to have breast tenderness i suggest you talk to your doctor about this.
So I have extremely irregular menstrual cycles so I’m beyond lost. My breasts have been sore for a week now & I don’t drink more than 2 cups of coffee a day mainly just 1 cup a day. I’m not sure what is going on.
Hi. Am having an irregular cycle and can’t really dictate my ovulation date, my last period was on august 17. But just yesterday being 1st of september I felt a light pain on the sides of my breast but can’t see any egg white mucus. And it happens every month, could it be a sign of ovulation?
Yes, breast pain can be caused by ovulation. The usual ovulation symptoms are included in this post http://womanjunction.com/usual-ovulation-symptoms/
I had sex 4day to my period unprotected but after the incident I took Andrew liver salt and posterior2,on the 5th day being my first period came out but the drop was small and it flows still days……but am confused why is my nipple paining me is it that am pregnant or wat…
Nipple pain can be triggered by ovulation, PMS or a pregnancy. If you are pregnant, look out for other symptoms especially a missed period. You can then see your doctor or take a pregnancy test for confirmation.
I had sex early Monday morning and just finished my period that Friday, I have light cramping and in Tuesday saw light tinge of blood with my thick white discharge. The cramps are in and off and light backaches. I don’t know if it’s in my head but my breasts feel a little fuller. Is it to early to tell I may be pregnant.. I have been pregnant before and felt like I just knew from conception that same night.
Hi Leah, Anything is possible, just wait a few days before your period and take a pregnancy test.
Hi…ive been having tender breast for aboit 3wks now…im seeing milk in the aveola but its like soft not liquid. My period was also only two days last month…could i be pregnant..
Hi Symphony, It sounds like you could be pregnant you should take a test or visit your doctor.