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 justina,I stated spotting from 22 of Oct.to 26th when my period started.. I have a sore breast and cramps in my stomach I pee regularly I took a home text it read negative and this is 2nd of Dec.my period is not coming..
Hi Alex, let’s give it 5 more days to see if it will come. If it does not come “normally”, I’d advise that you see your General Practitioner and they’ll be best able to further advise you.
Hi am Jasmine last had my period on the 28 of October but this month I been a lil stress and today make 1 day I have miss my period my breast feel tender at the sides wondering if because of my stress make my period late.
Hi there Merisha! Yes, stress has a huge effect on periods. It can make your periods late. Regards
my period is two days late of a regular 28days cycle. all home tests are coming up bfn. we are trying desperately to get pregnant. i noticed my right boob seems a bit more fuller than normal. but i also dont have any of my normal pms systems that i get before and the first few days of period starting. how long should i wait til i take another test and is it possible to get a bfp after so many negative tests (i did 3 in the past few days)?
Hi there Lyn! You should a pregnancy test after one week of your missed period. In this way you will get accurate results. Regards
Hi there. My breast is tender and heavier i dont know if i should panic or not bc up till now i dont have a plan to be pregnant but my boyfriend and i have sex for many months now and i missed my period last week. When i touch my breast it hurts on the side and it felt heavy as well. My back doesn’t hurt as well. I dont know if im overreacting. If your like 1/3 weeks pregnant, if you jump does the abdomen hurt? I wanna know. I wanna know if im pregnant or just ovulating
Hi there Keirs! To actually check whether you are pregnant or not is by doing a test or visiting a doctor. Regards
I just turned 33 years old and I’ve had irregular periods for 19 years. My husband and I have been trying for the past few years with no luck (he has a low sperm count). Two weeks ago, I had my period and everything about it was normal and my husband and I had sex this past weekend and a week later, my breasts are full/heavy and tender and I feel like I could sleep at any moment. I’ve stopped obsessing over having a baby about a year ago because it was driving me nuts but I honestly feel like this is something totally different. I shouldn’t be starting my period again for another 2.5-3 weeks and the tell tale sign of my period is sore nipples/breasts and back pain but this time my breasts feel like they have 10lb weights attached to them. Can a pregnancy really happen in a week or could I be starting my period earlier this month?
Hi there Heather! Your period is due right now so you should wait for your periods. Regards
Hi Sue, I’m very confused at the moment.
I had my periods 25 Oct with abnormal spotting on 23-24 October. My breast started getting tender like they normally do a week or a few days before my periods but earlier this time and never like this before. My husband and I have been trying and tried during ovulation and throughout fertile time, very much after the period. Using baby Med calculator I was supposed to ovulate on Nov 10 but my tenderness stated on Nov 9th and got worse on 10. My breast have been painful since then, also nipples stated getting very saw a few days ago. I’m supposed to have my period Nov 24th, which will be 15 days since my breasts have been sore and 14 days from Ovulation. I have PCOS and I used be irregular missing every other month but have been having my periods every months but still irregular due to change of days in the cycle. My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for the last 2yrs. I know I’m supposed to wait until close to my periods or after missing my periods to do a pregnancy test but I was curious and frustrated that I did a home preg test yesterday and it turned out negative. I’m so uncomfortable, is there a chance I could be pregnant? I had very sore painful breasts when I was pregnant with my son 11 years ago for nearly 3 months. I had an ultrasound which showed that I have a lot of good health follicles, I also tend to have high estrogen symptoms most times.
Thanks for your help.
Hi there Chrisy! You should wait for your periods to come and if they don’t, take a pregnancy test after one week of your missed periods. Regards
my name is glory. I been
having regular period and ovulation yet no pregnant for four years in marriage what could be wrong
Hi there Glory! You should get a doctor’s advice on this. Regards
Me and bf have been having unprotected sex. My last period was the 17th – 19th of October, I have a regular 28 day cycle and on for 3 days at a time, it has been like this for as long as I can remember.
Out of the 11 days I believe I was fertile we had sex on 8 days, including my day of ovulation.
I’m currently only in my second day of being late on but want to know if any of my symptoms are a positive sign as there’s only a few which I wouldn’t of said were pregnancy symptoms!
Very sore breasts (however they do get sore when I’m due on, just not this bad)
Bumpy ereolas
Sore/dull achey back
Trapped wind
Bled a tiny bit when I wiped after peeing for a day about a week/2 ago
Headaches
Tired
Peeing a lot (2 weeks ago I thought I had a uti but didn’t)
Not feeling hungry or feeling starving
Constantly want certain foods which isn’t like me
I don’t feel normal. Can’t put a finger on what’s wrong with me but I definitely don’t feel like my normal self.
Tiredness
Thanks in advance if anybody can help!
Hi there! The symptoms you are having are all pregnancy symptoms. You should take a pregnancy test to check whether you are or not. Regards
Hello. I would like to remain anonymous. My boyfriend and I have been trying to conceive for the past 7 months. I take folio acid vitamins almost every day. My period is due this week although it hasn’t came yet. My nipples are extremely tender and sore. I’m ovulating but no period. Is it possible we could finally be pregnant? This would mean everything to us.
Hi there! You should wait for your periods. But if you don’t get your periods, then take a pregnancy test after at least one week of your missed period. Regards
Hi..i had my period on the 8th-11th then had sex on the 18th and i took the first dose of morning after pill 3 hours later and the other dose 12hrs later as prescribed.On the 26th my breasts felt sore and i had some cramping on the sides of my tummy.My breast are still alittle tender and i still have mild cramping and diarrhea too.My period was suposed to come on the 5th nov.could i be pregnant?
Hi there! Yes, you could be pregnant. You should take a test now. Regards
Hey sue, thanks for taking the time to read and reply to all these messages …
I have my own question, of course.
I had an IUD placed about 6 months ago, and my periods before that were very irregular (14-42 days apart) …. Starting a few days ago, my breasts have become incredibly tender, and feel heavy and large. My bf even remarked on how my areolas seemed larger as well. I’ve also been emotional, and I deal with chronic pain, so I haven’t thought much for my back and uteral cramps. I took an hcg pregnancy test, but both times showed up negative. With these symptoms, what do you.think would be a logical explanation?
Hi Gypsy! The condition you are experiencing might be because of the pregnant. And maybe you took the test too early. You should wait for periods, though. Regards
Hi i had sex with my bf on the 16th oct that was a week before my period. after 3days i have frequent urination and sligthly cramping and also tender breast ehich come and go that i thought my period would come. on 25th oct i had my period that lasted 4 days it was a heavy like my regular then after 2 days and till today nov 6 i had frequent urination cramping breast tender that come and go headaches and back pains. i am confuse could i be pregnant? plss help
Hi Annia, If you got your period then you might not be pregnant now. Regards
Hey Sue, I’m on the pill for a few months now. On the last pack not all the pills were taken. I had withdrawal bleeding on the 19th-23rd. I started a new pack of pills on the 24th. I’ve had sex with my bf on the 26th and a few times after that. For the last few days my breasts have been sore and a little heavy. Wondering if it’s a side effect of the pill but this has not happened in the past before. Do you think I may be pregnant?
Hi there Anna! Calculate your ovulation days here.. If you had sex during those days then you might be pregnant now. Regards
I’m confused – you’re recommending folks wait till their periods are two weeks late to take a home pregnancy test? Why? I mean, yes, it will for sure show up positive then, because you’ll be something like six weeks pregnant, but two weeks of wondering is excessive! HPTs aren’t expensive (go to Dollar Tree, buy two), if your period is a couple days late then take a test, it’s worth the peace of mind. I’ve had cheapies show a (correct) positive result at ten days post-ovulation, on or a little before the day I’d expect my period.
Also, from a longtime nursing mama and lactation counselor, breastfeeding alone doesn’t cause random breast tenderness. If you’re lactating and your breasts are hard, full and hurting, then you’re engorged, and nursing or pumping should relieve it. If it’s on one side only and/or there’s a lump, it may be a breast infection, called mastitis – go look it up on Kellymom.com and do not ignore it. If you’re not overfull and there’s no lump or redness, it’s probably a hormonal change as described above and not related to nursing.
Ally, thanks a lot for these suggestions! I agree 2 weeks is excessive, but the results are a bit more accurate if the test is taken at least 7 days after missing a period, as mentioned in this article:
http://womanjunction.com/home-pregnancy-test/
Hey. Im stuck and curious. My period has been irregular for about 2 year since stopping depo. I got my last period on the 11th of October . It lasted for 5 days. 2 days later I exercised brown & light pink blood. After about a week I started to feel slight cramps & now my breast has been tender for today makes the 6th day. Could I be pregnant?
Hi there! Abnormal menstrual cycles can be a complicated issue to fix. There are many causes behind irregular periods such as high stress levels, poor diet, over-exercising, and extremely reduced weight. You should visit a doctor and get yourself examined. Regards
Hi Sue please help me.
Last month my period came late by 4 days ,but when it came I was bleeding 7 days regular, after 7 days it continued 4 days but changed lighter and little color was kinda brown. I never had this experience before. After 1 day I had too much clear watery liquid came out. After 3 days its gone but now I have my breast start hurting me am just wondering I already have my period for this month how can I have pain my breast now.
Hi there Shilla! You should consult a specialist for this. Regards