What should I do about the pain from lobular hyperplasia of the breast?

Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
Updated on September 03, 2024
00:00
00:00

Breast lobular hyperplasia accounts for more than two-thirds of female breast disease patients and can occur from youth to middle age. In the early stage of the disease, there is breast pain, followed by lumps, or pale yellow nipple discharge. Therefore, women should pay attention to preventing the occurrence of breast lobular hyperplasia. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that breast lobular hyperplasia is caused by liver Qi stagnation and phlegm and Qi stagnation, related to unhappy emotions and depressive moods. If there is a satisfying sexual relationship between spouses, including a coordinated and harmonious sex life, it can maintain a happy mood and smooth liver Qi. The Qi and blood in the collaterals will be harmonized and smooth, and the breast lobule will not easily proliferate. Therefore, we should adjust from life and diet, and of course, necessary medical treatment is essential.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
51sec home-news-image

What does breast lobule feel like to the touch?

Fibrocystic breast changes may occur in one or both breasts, where palpable, nodular lumps of varying sizes can be felt. These lumps are firm but not hard, and sometimes painful. The boundary between the lumps and surrounding breast tissue is unclear, yet they are not adherent to the skin or chest muscles, sometimes appearing as unclearly bordered thickened areas. Lesions are more commonly located in the upper outer quadrant of the breast but can affect the entire breast. The lumps may enlarge during premenstrual or postmenstrual phases, but they typically reduce in size postmenstrually. Diagnosis can be confirmed through breast ultrasound and mammography. Breast ultrasound typically indicates proliferative breast tissue, showing areas of uneven, low echogenicity and, in cases of cysts, anechoic areas.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
53sec home-news-image

Symptoms of lobular hyperplasia cancerization

The symptoms of lobular hyperplasia transforming into cancer primarily include feeling a painless, solitary small lump in the breast. The lump is hard, with a rough surface, and its boundary with surrounding tissue is not clearly defined. It is not easily movable within the breast. As the lump progresses, it can invade the Cooper's ligaments, causing them to contract, and thus the skin over the lump often appears dimpled, known as the dimpling sign, which is an early sign of breast cancer. As breast cancer continues to develop, it can cause the breast to shrink, become harder, elevate the nipple, and may lead to the ducts being pulled, flattened, retracted, or even invaginated. The affected breast may also significantly enlarge over several months, causing an increase in volume and prominence.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
46sec home-news-image

Can medication completely cure mammary gland hyperplasia?

Breast hyperplasia can be treated with medication, but due to the disorder of hormone levels in the body, incomplete recovery may lead to the possibility of recurrence of breast hyperplasia. Most cases of breast hyperplasia are believed to be related to endocrine disorders, causing elevated estrogen levels, and hormonal levels in the body change periodically. When the proportion of hormones in the body is unbalanced, estrogen increases, and progesterone secretion decreases, breast hyperplasia is incompletely restored, causing breast tissue proliferation. On the other hand, it may also be related to the differences in the quality and quantity of estrogen receptors in the breast parenchyma components, resulting in uneven growth in different parts of the breast.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
55sec home-news-image

What medicine should be taken for mammary gland hyperplasia?

Simple lobular hyperplasia of the breast does not require medication or other treatments, just pay attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regularly check the lobular hyperplasia in both breasts at the hospital to monitor any changes in the condition. After menopause, as the body's estrogen levels decrease, the lobular hyperplasia will gradually improve. Just pay attention to a regular lifestyle, and there is no special dietary requirements compared to others. If the pain is unbearable and severely affects daily life, under the guidance of a doctor, you can take some traditional Chinese medicines that soothe the liver and regulate qi, invigorate blood and resolve stasis, or use estrogen receptor antagonists, which prevent the estrogen receptors from exerting their physiological effects, thereby relieving symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
55sec home-news-image

Does lobular hyperplasia usually cause pain?

The primary manifestation of mammary gland hyperplasia is cyclical swelling and pain in the breast, often occurring or worsening before menstruation and alleviating or disappearing after menstruation. Mild cases are noteworthy for the patient, while severe cases can affect daily life and work. However, some patients do not exhibit obvious cyclical changes; others may experience unilateral or bilateral breast swelling and pain or needle-like pain. The pain may extend to the shoulder, upper limbs, or shoulder-back area. A few patients may have nipple discharge. During physical examinations, nodular lumps of varying sizes, which are tough but not hard, can be felt in one or both breasts. Sometimes, these lumps are tender to touch, and their boundaries with surrounding tissues are unclear, but they do not adhere to the skin or chest muscles.