Diagnosing a Throbbing Breast
If you have ever gotten a throbbing breast pain and weren’t sure why, then you know how much worry this condition can cause. Our first thought, of course, is that it could be cancer. So what should you do if you get a throbbing breast pain?
Make a doctor’s appointment
The first thing to do, of course, is to make an appointment to see your doctor. Whenever you get a pain or some unusual symptoms, you should always consult your physician so that he or she can help you rule out any other sort of condition. A throbbing breast is certainly nothing to ignore, even if it may turn out to be nothing. Getting it checked out will help you to stop losing sleep over it.
Your History
In the mean time however, you might put yourself through the same interrogation your doctor will. You might start by considering your history. Have any of the other women in your family had breast problems or cancer? Most of us have someone in our family who has suffered from cancer, but if you have no one that has had breast cancer this reduces the chances that this is what your have.
Bilateral or Unilateral?
Another major question is whether you are feeling the pain in both your breasts or in only one. Most women who feel a pain described as “throbbing” usually only feel it in one. If you feel it in both breasts, it is more likely to be something innocuous like a reaction to new birth control pills or as a result of PMS.
One other consideration if you are feeling pain in your breasts is whether you have had a recent period. Breast tenderness and sensitivity is, of course, one of the symptoms of pregnancy. If you have not had a period and have been having some of the other symptoms of pregnancy (e.g., morning sickness or fatigue) then you might want to consider whether you are pregnant.
Cyclic or Sudden
If the pain seems to come and go in some sort of a pattern, this increases the chances that the pain has something to do with your menstrual cycle. Many women get breast tenderness as part of your menstrual cycle.
Pain in only One Breast
If the pain has only started recently and if it is only in one breast, then the pain is more likely to be from some other condition. If you can locate the source of the pain and you can feel a hardness in that area, then this may have something to do with your pain. You should still not become alarmed, most people who have breast cancer do not complain of a throbbing breast pain.
You might also consider whether you have had any recent trauma to your breast. Did you fall off your bike or have someone crash into you—anything that could have caused the pain you are currently feeling.
Discharge
One more thing to consider is whether you are getting any discharge. If you have any fluid coming out of your nipple without any sort of manipulation on your part, this could indicate some internal trauma. Be sure to mention it to your physician.
Fever
Finally, if you have a fever of more than 102 degrees, this may be a sign of some kind of infection. If you have breast implants this could indicate a rupture of some kind, or it could indicate some other sort of condition. Be sure to get to a doctor as soon as possible if this is the case.
What should you expect?
When you go to the doctor, you should expect him to take your history, ask you similar questions, and then have imaging taken of your breast. Cancer is only a small possibility. There are several other conditions that also present with breast throbbing, so you should not immediately jump to consider it the worst case possible.