Are tender nipples common to the menopausal process?
Cheers,
Carol
Answer:
Breast pain is one of the most common symptoms women experience – both before their regular menses, during perimenopause, in actual menopause and sometimes even post-menopause. If your periods have slowed or stopped entirely this indicates that you’re probably approaching menopause. The medical name for this type of breast pain is “mastalgia.” It’s very common for menopausal women to experience breast pain before they would normally have their periods. For most women the symptoms include tenderness around the breasts and nipples and swelling of the breasts. The sensation is very similar to the pain women experience a few days before their period starts.
Breast pain is commonly related to hormonal changes during menopause. The exact cause of breast soreness in menopausal women varies from individual to individual. For some women sore breasts and nipples are related to their estrogen or progesterone hormone therapies; whereas for other women sore breasts are simply your body’s reaction to the changes in your hormone levels. There has been much talk about whether sore breasts are a result of too much estrogen or too much progesterone; however no studies have given us an absolute answer.
I am not a doctor and can’t medically evaluate readers, but if you’re experiencing severe pain that goes on longer than just a couple of days and affects your daily routine, please make an appointment with your doctor immediately. Additionally, even if the breast pain you’re experiencing is normal, I still recommend that you make an appointment with your gynecologist if the pain doesn’t subside.