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/
I am two days late and is having thick
White vaginal discharge with sore itchy heavy boobs and some cramps like period pain on my right sides that comes and goes could I be pregnant
Hi Karla! You shouldn’t consider this normal and should visit a doctor as soon as possible. There might be an infection inside that is causing this. Regards
Hi Sue, hope you could help me.. Its been a year since my husband and I are trying to get pregnant. My cycle is usually 32-35 days there are time that it exceed more than 35 days. I have my period last Sept. 3, 2016. Last Sept. 25 i got confused because i have dark brown discharge that last up to 3 days. I know this is not a regular menstruation because it came too early and i am supposed to have my period on the first week or 2nd week of October. Its October 27 now (more than 3 weeks delayed) and i still i don’t have my period . I did PT last week and it came out negative. The symptoms of breast pain, headache and slight cramping just occur 5 days ago till now.. What am i experiencing? Am i pregnant?
Hi there Jo! The bleeding you had on 25 Sept that lasted for 3 days might be the implantation bleeding and you might be pregnant now. Now, home pregnancy tests are not very accurate. You should visit a specialist and get yourself checked for pregnancy. Regards
Hi my name is Yanet. I have a few questions, I got my last period september 9…im late 15 days…( I’ve never been late before) I had unprotected sex on september 18. Have dark ring around my areolas, but all my pregnancy test have been negative. I took the last test like 4 days ago. Could I still be pregnant?
Hi there Yanet! You should take a pregnancy test on the 14th day after your missed period date. This way you will always get accurate results. Regards
Hey Sue, my period was supposed to come on the 10th of October but it came on the 11th till 12th which was very light which was supposed to last 3days
I took to your advice of doing a pregnancy test on the 20th which came out negative
Ever since on the breast 11th I have been eating too much, with lots of green Veins on my breasts, feeling headache, fatigue, dehydrated, my breasts are getting bigger and I noticed a visible line on my stomach
What could be happening I’m confused
Hi Annie, the bleeding you had might be implantation bleeding and you might be pregnant now. Your pregnancy tests came out negative because you took the test too early. You should take a test on the 14th day (or after) of your missed period. In this way you will always get accurate results. Regards
Hi, am lacey. I had my period on the 3rd of October, it came as spotting it didn’t flow at all. I had sex on the 8th. It’s been 16days since then. Early this morning I had an unusual cramp in my abdomen, it stopped as soon as I drank a glass of water. I feel a little pain in my right abdomen when I press it down with my hands laying on my back and my breast is tender, a bit sore and getting fuller and heavy. I took the strip test yesterday and it was negative. Could I be pregnant and the hcg is there yet?
Hi Lacey, The symptoms you are experiencing might be because of some other cause, not pregnancy. You should visit a doctor now and get yourself checked. Regards
Hi, am latifat, my period started on 7th october which lasted for 5 days. My ovulation starts on 16th, suddenly, my breast started paining me and heavy. Is it a sign of pregnancy?
Hi there Latifat! Breast pain is an indication of ovulation. This might be just a symptom of your ovulation. Regards
Thank you for your message. I took a test on Tuesday and it was negative. I went to the doc today and I have to go for blood test tomorrow and I have all the symptoms. But I have positive so the test might not show up. I’m just so confused. X
Hi there Amy, You are always welcome! Best of luck for the test and feel free to share the results also. Regards 🙂
Hey my name is shan
I had my period on the 4 of October an it lasted until the 8th i had sex on the 5th day my breast nipples are tender felt pain on my left side of my abdominal felt nausea but didn’t vomit haven’t had my missed period as yet could I be pregnant
Hi Shannoi, Thanks for your comment!
If you are getting your pregnancy like symptoms, you should take a test on the 14th after your missed period. Regards
Hi I have been trying ttc 6 months now. Doctor put me on provera for 10 days. Periods started on the 4th October. Fertile from the 13th to 19th October. Ovulation should have occurred on the 19th. had intercourse for four days 16th to 19th. Feeling sharp pains in my right breast on since the 19th. Periods not due for another 12 day. Could this be an early pregnancy sign?
Hi Natasha, the condition you are experiencing might be because of pregnancy. You should take a test. Regards
I have my period the 28 of September then have unprotected sex the 14 of October. Can I be pregnant ?
Hi Samantha, Calculate your ovulation days here. If you had sex on those days then you might get pregnant. Regards 🙂
Hello I have been trying for a baby for the last 2 years but nothing. My period was 2 weeks ago. My breasts are so sore and I have blue veines. What could that mean? Thanks amy
Hi Amy, you should take a test to check whether you are pregnant or not. Regards
My period ended on the 3rd … I had unprotected sex on the 8th … by the 11th my breast became extremely sore and heavy. I’m also experiencing lower back pains. Is it possible that I ovulated right after my period & could be pregnant?
Hi Sasha, it is not possible to ovulate right after menstruation. But you should take a pregnancy test to confirm that whether you are pregnant or not. Regards
No, You are most likely feeling ovulation soreness. Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days after the start of your period.
Hi I am antô. I am trying to get pregnant last 4 months. Before trying to conceive I had à regular period 35 days cycle but after trying for baby I have irregular period 48 days cycle. I took pelvis scan and blood test nothing issues on my body. My last date of period september 20th to 25th after that immediately we are trying for baby everyday from 26th september but with In 10 days I got severe Brest nipples sores and lower abdomen pain oct 4th on wards. Just 10 days before my period got over now I am getting severe pain like this. How should I take this? Is it ovulation symptoms or something else. Guide me……..
Hi Anto, Calculate your ovulation days here. If you had sex on those days then you might be pregnant now. Regards
Hey I have been having bad acid reflex and heart burn for the past week and me breasts have been sore and heavy with dark blue veins on them my period isn’t due for another 10 days according to my app I have been also having light cramping with back pain is it to early to be pregnancy symptoms?
Hi Tasha, the symptoms you are experiencing might be the early pregnancy symptoms. Regards
When is too soon to test? My sister was three months before she took an at home test after realizing she hadn’t had a cycle. This was with two of her children. My mother had the same issue with an at home test. My doctor told me I was exhibiting symptoms but my urine test was negative. I still have the metallic taste in my mouth which I blame on my sinuses but the vomiting within ten minutes of eating, headaches, and a heightened sex drive according to my mate. Any suggestions? Should I request an ultrasound?
Hi, Thanks for your comment!
Yes, you should surely go for an ultrasound because in the home test the pregnancy hormone is most of the times not detected by it. Regards
Hi, I had unprotected a day to my period which lasted 3days, the fifth day I had sex then 2days afterwards had a severe headache and my temples hurt alot, severe body pain, tender breasts, painful nipples, waist pain, cramps, bloated, unsettling stomach (burning sensation), loss of appetite most times, swelling feets, frequent urination, dehydration, nausea, feel irritated, insomnia at night but feel sleepy during the day..
*lmp was 15/09 and the next is 10/10 of this month.. Been having these symptoms since on the 17/o9 till today…
Could I be pregnant?..
Hi Annie, Thanks for your comment!
The symptoms you are experiencing indicates that you are pregnant now. You should take a pregnancy test ASAP. Regards
Thanks Sue