What does it mean nipples hurt in women. Causes of pain in the nipples. Natural reasons why female nipples hurt

The mammary gland performs important function in female body: she is assigned the role of milk synthesis for a newborn baby. Sometimes there may be pain in the nipples, which is associated with mechanical damage, physiology or pathological causes. This symptom should alert the patient, since in most cases it is a harbinger serious illnesses such as mastitis and cancer.

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Symptoms

Unpleasant sensations in the chest are appropriate to consider based on the type of pain, its nature, localization and frequency.

Type of pain

There are three main types of pain that can manifest in the nipples:

1. Acute- increases with movement and wearing a bra, may be accompanied by tingling and a feeling of swelling of the entire nipple.
2. Aching- is expressed by moderate pain sensations, which periodically disappear and appear. Such pain is closely related to the mechanical effect on the chest.
3. Stitching and spastic- a pulsation and many small tingling sensations are felt in the chest, which intensify with sudden movements.

Intensity

The severity of discomfort is one of important factors at diagnosis: hThe stronger the pain syndrome manifests itself, the more serious its cause.

According to the intensity of pain sensations are classified into the following groups:

1. Strong pain- accompanied by a mass of additional symptoms, including fever, hardness of the mammary glands.
2. Moderate- develops as a response to an irritant, occurs periodically, but can develop into a strong one in the presence of a serious illness.
3. Discomfort and irritation- the consequences of traumatism of the nipples or a minor hormonal disorder, pass on their own.

Conditions of occurrence

There is a close relationship between the root cause of pain and the conditions for its occurrence, which is of no small importance in differential diagnosis.

Pain can manifest itself in the following conditions:

1. When pressed, the nipple is edematous, and when pressed on it, a seal is felt. There is no pain at rest.
2. When moving or raising your arms up - especially if you have big breast nipples can hurt when its various vibrations are made: running, dancing, swimming, horse racing.
3. When wearing tight underwear - squeeze small capillaries, metabolic processes slow down, suffer nerve endings signaling the need to normalize blood flow.
4. When touched - pain can be so strong and pronounced that it occurs even when touching the mammary gland.

An additional parameter may be the appearance of small inclusions, irritation and rash on the chest.

Localization

Pain can manifest itself both symmetrically and separately. Discomfort may include:

1. Only the nipple - only the left or right can hurt, both or in turn.
2. Entire breast and nipple - given state indicates the presence of a disease of the mammary gland, most often of hormonal origin.
3. Entire chest - immediate diagnosis and treatment required.

Quite often, pain in the nipples spills over the entire chest, affecting the chest. This happens with serious endocrine disorders, tumors and acute inflammatory processes.

Periodicity

In most cases discomfort in the nipples are associated with hormonal changes in the body of a woman, which occurs monthly. Therefore, when collecting an anamnesis, the frequency of pain and its dependence on the phase of the menstrual cycle are taken into account. Unpleasant sensations may occur:

1. Before menstruation - occur 2-3 days before the onset of menstruation.
2. During menstruation - develop in the first 3-4 days of a new cycle.
3. Regardless of the phase of the cycle - this condition requires immediate examination.
4. Constantly - a signal of the presence of a disease or improperly selected linen.
5. Suddenly - can serve as a sign of another pathology.

Any discomfort in nipples that do not go away on their own for 2-3 days are a reason to go to the doctor.

All of the above features pain will help the doctor in collecting the primary history, since based on the data received from the patient, you can quickly navigate the further course of action.

Additional symptoms

In the presence of serious pathologies such additional symptoms, such as:

increased body temperature - general and local, in the chest area;
chills and fever;
the appearance of seals in the chest;
inability to sleep in a position on the stomach;
irritability;
discharge of pus, colostrum or ichor from the nipple;
darkening of the areola of the nipple, changing its shape;
unpleasant odor of discharge;
the presence of an inflammatory process;
psychosomatic disorders.

Similar clinical picture indicates the need for diagnosis and identification true reason pathological condition.

Appearance period

Extremely rarely, pain occurs suddenly and has no prerequisites. Most often, discomfort is associated with various processes in the body that are controlled by hormones.

Pregnancy

Starting from the first days of delay in the body future mother there are changes that are necessary for the successful development of the fetus. This also applies to the breast, which begins to grow rapidly and increase in size. Like physiological process necessary so that in the future the synthesized milk can accumulate and arrive in the required volumes.

An increase in breast volume entails stretching of the tissues, so the nipples may hurt. A woman feels a slight burning sensation, discomfort when touched, sometimes swelling and fever. Symptoms usually resolve by the end of the first trimester, when hormonal background pregnant woman stabilizes. This condition is a variant of the norm and does not indicate the presence of pathology.

Consultation with a specialist is needed when, during pregnancy, the breast begins to hurt a lot, it burns, the skin peels off and becomes rough. May be required specialized means nipple care products to help reduce discomfort.

If in the first weeks of pregnancy there are severe pains in the nipples, which are accompanied by signs of toxicosis, but disappear at some point, the woman needs to visit a doctor. Dramatic improvement general condition may indicate the presence of a frozen pregnancy, when the body cannot cope with the synthesis of hormones, and the fetus cannot fully develop. If during the period from the 4th to the 10th week the nipples hurt a lot, but then the pain abruptly disappeared and does not manifest itself in the future, this is considered a reason for an additional visit to a specialist.

Lactation

After the arrival of milk, the breast becomes heavy and enlarged, which is considered the norm. Feeding on the first day after the birth of a child is quite traumatic, since the unprepared skin of the nipples can crack, bleed and hurt under mechanical pressure.

During the feeding period, it is important to control how the baby captures the nipple. If this manipulation is carried out incorrectly, pain can persist not only during feeding, but also after it. The nipple should fit on the baby's tongue, and the baby's lips should fit snugly against the halo. Usually after 1-2 weeks lactation is getting better, and skin nipples become rougher.

If the baby does not take the breast well or eats less milk, the excess should be removed. mechanically with hands or a breast pump. Otherwise, permanent milk will lead to blockage of the ducts, which will lead to the development of mastopathy, seals, pain and high temperature.

puberty

A girl's puberty includes the onset of her menstrual cycle and breast growth. These processes of activation of the reproductive system indicate the readiness of the organism for reproduction. It is important for parents to ensure that there are no seals, pains, swelling in the teenager’s chest, and to consider any complaints of the child together with the doctor.

Against the background of hormonal changes, breast pathologies may occur, caused by improper functioning of the endocrine system. This is especially true for adolescents with overweight and iodine deficiency, as well as a tendency to diabetes.

Bras are bought as the breast increases, as improperly selected underwear during the period active growth mammary gland can also provoke the development of a number of pathologies.

PMS

When the egg remains unfertilized and the body does not need to prepare for the development of the embryo, hormones are rearranged, which signals the beginning of a new cycle and menstruation. During this period, the nipples may swell, coarsen, hurt, and the breasts may increase in size.

This condition is normal if there are no other concomitant symptoms. Usually on the 2nd - 3rd day of a new cycle, discomfort and pain disappear on their own, without requiring additional measures.

The reasons

All causes that can provoke pain in the nipples are divided into two categories - pathological and non-pathological:

in the first case, pain is a consequence of the progression of the disease, the treatment of which should be done as soon as possible;
in the second - the pain syndrome is associated with the influence external factors, which are not harbingers of any pathology.

Non-pathological

Peculiarity non-pathological causes is that they provoke the appearance of periodic and moderate pain, which is able to pass on its own, without outside help. If this did not happen even after the elimination of one or another factor, a consultation with a mammologist is required.

The most common reasons for this group are:

1. Incorrectly selected underwear that squeezes the mammary gland.
2. Mechanical damage to the chest when running or sudden movements.
3. Natural hormonal changes in the body (pregnancy, menstruation, puberty).
4. Wearing squeezing clothing: corsets, tights, bandages.
5. Taking drugs (oral contraceptives) that provoke an artificial change in hormonal levels.
6. Lack of proper breast hygiene.

Pathological

Breast disease can develop different reasons, but most often the problem lies in the hormones. It is failures in endocrine system provoke the appearance of breast pathologies, which are accompanied by soreness of the nipples, the presence of secretions, swelling and swelling:

Disease	The reasons	Characteristic
Neoplasms malignant (cancer) and benign	Hormonal failure, wearing tight underwear, the presence of stagnant processes in the chest, problematic lactation	Severe chest pain, swelling, swelling of the nipple, bumps and lumps, purulent or bloody discharge, pain in the armpit
Mental disorder	Impact severe stress, which produces a large number of hormones	Sharp, paroxysmal pain in the chest, nipples, and chest
Endocrine diseases: diabetes, thyrotoxicosis	Disorders in the hormonal system	Pain in the nipples at the beginning of the cycle, their darkening and coarsening, a number of additional symptoms
Accompanying illnesses	Intercostal neuralgia, trauma chest, chronic diseases sternum	Pain in the nipples develops due to irritation of the nerve receptors that articulate with the larger nerve endings of the chest
Mastitis	Progression of the inflammatory process in the mammary gland caused by the ingress of pathogenic microorganisms	High fever, severe chest pain, lumps

It is impossible to determine what exactly is happening in the body, and to trace the dependence of pain on the effects of hormones on your own. This requires passing complex diagnostics and then get the best treatment.

Frequent soreness of the nipples, not associated with the phase of the cycle, is quite dangerous, as it indicates the presence of a serious pathology. This is how breast cancer manifests itself, which can only be overcome with early diagnosis. This necessitates the annual medical examination and examination of the mammary glands by a mammologist. The risk group includes women who complete lactation, as well as patients during menopause, when the hormonal background is unstable.

Often every woman noticed a painful, unpleasant sensation in the nipples of the mammary glands. The nature of the pain can vary from a slight tingling, felt only when touched, to a sharp intense pain, sometimes radiating to the forearm, shoulder and shoulder blade. The reasons why the nipples on the chest in women can be absolutely diverse, some of them are easily eliminated, others require the timely intervention of a specialist and proper treatment. Let's try to find out and understand why girls' nipples hurt and how to deal with this disease.

Why do nipples hurt

The most common causes of nipple discomfort are:

Sore nipples while feeding

Breastfeeding is a moment of happiness that should bring joy to mother and baby. But, unfortunately, often women experience sore nipples during and after feeding, sometimes it is too unbearable. There is an explanation for this. The most common reasons are described below.

Incorrect attachment of the baby to the breast. The most common reason among young mothers, because of which nipples can hurt. When feeding, you need to carefully monitor how the baby takes the breast, in addition to the nipple, he must capture the areola (peripapillary circle), the mouth must be well open, otherwise this process will cause discomfort to the mother, and the baby will be dissatisfied. That is why pacifiers and bottles should be discarded during breastfeeding, as they are different from mother's breasts.
Damage and cracks in the nipples. Injury to the nipples occurs if the child cannot properly grasp the breast, damaging it with the jaws. At the same time, mothers have very bad nipples, they bleed and become inflamed. Women with a fever may have the thought of not breastfeeding. But you should not make such decisions, soon the nipples will become even more coarse, and you and your baby will adjust to feeding properly. If the nipples hurt after feeding, it is recommended to lubricate the nipples with your milk, and treat after feeding wound healing creams or oils.
stagnation breast milk(lactose). If the baby does not completely empty the breast, the milk accumulates and stagnates. The nipples and the entire breast are sore, seals form in it. The way out can be frequent attachment of the baby to the breast. If the baby does not cope or refuses, you will have to express milk yourself to prevent infection.

What to do if nipples hurt

If you experience unexplained or uncharacteristic breast tenderness, you should consult a doctor to find out the cause. It is in your power to prevent nipple pain if you follow preventive measures:

follow the rules of breast hygiene;
do not use alcohol products and soap for breast care;
if your nipples hurt when touched, get a comfortable, seamless bra so that it does not press on your chest;
when breastfeeding, wash your breasts before and after each feeding;
use breast pads if a lot of milk flows out to prevent bacteria from multiplying;
Do not give your baby a pacifier while breastfeeding.

Pain in the nipples may not always be a sign of a disease or pathology, but you should still listen to yourself more often and, if there are deviations from the usual norm, do not delay going to the doctor. Love yourself and be healthy!

Most often, pregnant and lactating women experience pain and burning in the nipples. Moreover, the symptom tends to appear immediately after fertilization, before the first delay. In medicine, this is called "increased sensitivity of the nipples."

The pain that occurs after fertilization signals a hormonal change in the body. Mainly, the level of prolactin rises. This hormone enlarges the breast and develops ducts for future milk. The tissues of the nipples grow faster than the nerve tissues, so the girls feel pain.

Pain in the nipples during pregnancy - normal phenomenon. This problem rarely indicates any pathological disorders in the body. However, be sure to tell your doctor about it.
In addition to pain, discomfort of a different nature may occur. For example, itching/burning. medical intervention in this case not required: when the body adapts, the symptom will go away on its own.

During the feeding period, the nipple is constantly exposed to mechanical stress. Despite the fact that the skin deliberately “roughens” a little, adapting to the situation, periodic softening often leads to microtrauma. As a result, pain appears in the nipples.

Also, pain can only occur during feeding. The most common reason for this is congenital disorder bite. Because of this feature, the baby does not properly position the mouth while eating. Try to support the baby's head and make sure he is grabbing both the nipple and areola.

Pain in the nipples during lactation may occur due to the "milk bubble". It is formed when the outer opening milk duct clogged. A puncture will help you get rid of adversity. But do not perform it at home, so as not to introduce an infection into the body and prevent the inflammatory process.

Another cause of nipple pain in breastfeeding women is cracks. They can bleed, swell, redden. Assistants will help to cope with the problem and pharmaceutical products: milk, oils (vitamin E, sea buckthorn, olive), panthenol, etc. Just lubricate the injured area and make sure that no infection gets there. It can cause a serious disease - mastitis - inflammation of the mammary gland.

External causative agents of pain in the nipple area

If you are not pregnant and are not a nursing mother, pay attention to external stimuli, which can provoke pain in the nipple area. The first is a poor quality bra. If it is fitted or sewn incorrectly, strongly squeezes the chest or the seam goes right along the sensitive area of \u200b\u200bthe chest, this can cause discomfort.

The second point is chemicals. For example, fabric dyes, shower gels/soaps, laundry products, cosmetics. If you have hypersensitivity of the halos and nipples, the substances contained in these products can be very traumatic intimate area and cause pain.

A more careful approach to choosing underwear will help you get rid of discomfort. Try to use only proven cosmetics that do not contain dyes and harmful impurities. There are also special liners and creams that help speed healing.

Pain in the nipples as a result of a health disorder

Pain in the nipples often occurs before / after the onset of menstruation. The first case is always treated as ICP ( premenstrual syndrome) and is associated by doctors with hormonal changes in the body. Soreness of the nipples after menstruation is a consequence of low sexual activity or a signal of fibrocystic mastopathy.
Fibrocystic mastopathy is accompanied not only by pain in the nipple area, but also by symptoms of a different nature. Firstly, these are seals in the chest, and secondly, transparent discharge.
Pain in the nipple area also occurs with the spread skin infection. Unpleasant sensations often accompany psoriasis, herpes, eczema, candidiasis, impetigo. In this case, the root cause should be treated.

Another cause of discomfort is nerve damage. For example, it can be touched upon impact, surgery, accident. Such pain has a sharp stabbing character and occurs only in the nipple that has undergone mechanical stress.

Nipples can also react painfully to existing muscle pathologies. For example, if your posture is wrong, you wear an uncomfortable bra, you sit in an uncomfortable position, you may feel a shooting pain in your nipples. The same kind of sensations occur with fibromyalgia ( complex disorder organism).

The most dangerous disease, the symptom of which can be pain in the nipples is Paget's disease (a type of cancer). On the early stages the ailment may resemble eczema: the halo and nipple will swell, turn red, peeling will appear. However, the symptoms are very mild and pass quickly. After some time, they return in a more serious form, severe pain and burning begin, bleeding from the nipples. The diagnosis is established by biopsy.

The nipple is a sensitive part female breast. It is not uncommon for women to experience pain in this area. Painful sensations vary: from tingling when pressing on the nipple to sharp, stabbing spasms that flow under the scapula and forearm area. The reasons painful conditions different - some are quickly eliminated, but others require urgent surgical intervention. Let's find out when nipple hypersensitivity is a temporary, harmless process, and when it is a formidable symptom of a serious illness.

Provocateurs of nipple pain in women

According to medical statistics, pain occurs in 60-65% of the female population (in men, such symptoms are less pronounced, less common). Healthy women are required to regularly examine the mammary glands. Feeling the pain, you should analyze why the nipples hurt, identify the cause and determine whether it is worth worrying.

The culprit hormones

monthly cycle. Nipples hurt before menstruation in 8 out of 10 women. This is due to hormones (their changes against the background of monthly cycle). Pain in mammary glands ah, nipples, lower abdomen begins 3-6 days before the onset of menstruation. Such symptoms are regular and are called "mastodynia cyclic".

In the period before the monthly cycle, women experience a sharp surge in the hormones progesterone and prolactin, and other hormonal substances join them. Hormonal activity provokes water retention, electrolytes in the female body.

After the tissues of the mammary glands swell, they put pressure on the nerve endings. This provokes swelling and pain in the nipple region. For some of the fair sex, pain begins already at the time of ovulation (mid-cycle). With the onset of menstruation hormonal balance returns to normal, the pain goes away. These situations are normal and do not require treatment.

Diseases. Hormonal disorders depend not only on the female monthly cycle. The cause of unstable hormone production is some diseases:

Problems with the nervous system.
Problems in the thyroid gland.
Crashes in normal operation adrenal glands.

In the case when the nipple hurts after the end of menstruation, seek the advice of a doctor.

Contraceptives. If when choosing oral contraceptives you are guided by the advice of your friends, you will experience pain in the nipple area. How is this related? All with the same changes in the hormonal background, which is destabilized due to inappropriate hormonal drugs.

Oral contraceptives are selected individually! Only after the tests and the verdict of the gynecologist.

But even if you have purchased the “correct” hormonal contraceptives, take the pills according to the instructions! An overdose can cause not only nipple pain, but also dizziness, sharp set weight and other unpleasant symptoms.

Pregnancy. Nipples hurt during pregnancy in late and early dates. Guilty as well hormonal changes body, and swelling of the breast indicates that the body is preparing to produce breast milk. If you are in addition to pain feel nausea, drowsiness, fatigue, you have a delay in menstruation - check yourself for pregnancy!

Pain in the nipples while breastfeeding

Necessary for baby breast-feeding requires training and knowledge from the mother. Why do nipples hurt while breastfeeding? Illiterate GV - main reason the appearance of painful syndrome of the nipple zone. What's wrong with moms?

Incorrectly apply the baby. This is especially “sinful” for primiparous mothers, who were not explained the feeding technique in the maternity hospital. In addition to pain in the mammary gland, illiterate attachment leads to problems in the development of the child (gas formation, poor weight, colic). Signs of illiterate application:

After the end of breastfeeding, there is a feeling of a full breast.
The appearance of sounds in a child that is not associated with swallowing.
The mammary glands slide when the baby tries to suckle.
Intolerable pain in the nipple zone during feeding.
The lips of the crumbs are tucked inward.
The baby does not capture the halo of the nipple.

After such a process, cracks and bloody wounds appear in the nipple area. Moreover, the skin of the nipples is extremely thin, and the baby's gums are hard. If you do not take any measures, an infection penetrates through the wounds into the chest and gives impetus to serious diseases.

Illiterate ending GV. When the baby sucks, do not move the baby to the side - he will bite the nipple harder, causing pain. At the end of feeding, place a finger in the corner of the baby's mouth, carefully move the baby's gums, take them off the breast.

Improper nipple care. Nipples hurt if, if an inexperienced mommy washes them with alcohol-containing solutions, wears tight synthetic bras, roughly rubs her breasts after a shower. Such care creates conditions for the occurrence of abrasions, cracks, constant pain.

congenital anomalies. The nipple area hurts the entire period of feeding the baby, if there are congenital warts, folds, skin growths or the nipples themselves are depressed. The increased sensitivity of the breast from birth provokes the appearance of pain (in this case, the pain in the nipple zone passes by the time the breast gets used to the new conditions).

Diseases. Painful sensations of the nipples during breastfeeding are caused by a number of diseases:

Mastitis. Characteristic features diseases - redness, compaction of the nipple, sharp pains when touched, the temperature rises. The infection enters the body through damage, microcracks. With the development of the disease, the gland swells, provokes the formation of an abscess. Mastitis is treated surgically and taking medications.
Candida infection. Candida fungus infects the skin and mucous membranes. When feeding, it is localized in the nipple area. They itch and hurt. Apart from pain symptoms there is swelling, inflammation of the nipple area, the appearance of blisters, cracks. If nipple candidiasis is not treated, this leads to infection of the baby during feeding, the development of stomatitis.
Laktostasis. The disease provokes stagnation of milk in the mammary glands. With lactostasis, the doctor recommends putting the baby to the breast more often so that it is completely emptied. After recovery, the pain of the nipple zone persists for another 2-3 days.

Getting used to the baby. Nipples hurt 3-4 days after the birth of the baby. This is due to the replacement of colostrum in the glands with true milk. The pain disappears when the baby begins to suck well at the breast. The woman's body is designed perfectly, it eventually produces as much milk as the child needs. This “addiction” of the breast to the baby lasts 3-4 days. Pain in the nipples serve as a signal that it is time to feed the baby.

When breastfeeding, nipples hurt due to the constant work of the mammary glands themselves, when milk is rapidly arriving. The causes of pain include a breast pump that is poorly adjacent to the nipple zone. Don't forget to take care of your nipples during breastfeeding! Wash your breasts after feeding warm water, wounds, cracks, treat immediately using a healing cream for cracks (Bepanten, Lanolin, D-Panthenol).

Other causes of pain in the nipples

Injuries. A woman's nipples are too tender, easily injured. The danger of damage must not be underestimated! Usually, the nipple area is injured during sex, when the partner bites it with his teeth. Healing stretches for 3-4 months. This time is painful for a woman. Bites provoke not only external hemorrhage, but also internal ones.

There are 600-700 bacteria in the human mouth. Penetrating into the wound along with saliva, pathogens cause inflammatory processes penetrating deep into the nipple.

If damage to the nipple area is small, without bleeding, use regenerating creams. To prevent infections, the nipple area is treated with brilliant green, miramistin or peroxide. Has a healing effect sea buckthorn oil. Compresses help to speed up regeneration, relieve inflammation. antimicrobial agents(furatsilin or synthomycin liniment).

postoperative period. After operations aimed at breast augmentation or reconstruction, pain in the nipple area is normal. The chest gets used to the new size. AT rare cases the implant causes rejection, inflammatory reactions. AT postoperative period accumulation of fluid (lymph) in the mammary glands is possible or compression of nerve endings occurs. Consult with the surgeon for re-operation.

Allergy. Severe, painful itching of the nipple area causes an allergy. The culprit allergic manifestations becomes the remaining after rinsing powder, bleach. Synthetics from which linen is sewn, individual elements of jewelry (lace, braid), poorly dyed fabrics lead to allergies. Try replacing hygiene products (deodorants, creams, gels, soaps) - they also provoke allergic reactions and pain in the nipple area.

Mastopathy. If we remove microtraumas, breastfeeding, allergies, mastopathy (fibrocystic pathology of the mammary glands) becomes the main culprit for pain in the nipple area. The disease has two kinds, each kind creates aching pain nipple areas:

diffuse. In addition to pain, discharge from the nipples begins (colorless or mixed with blood).
Nodal. With mastopathy of this type, pain in the nipple zone is not very pronounced. They hurt where the node is located. In 45% of cases, the pain in the nipple area increases, becoming unbearable.

With mastopathy, you should be examined, conduct an ultrasound of the mammary glands and be treated. AT advanced cases ailment gives impetus to the occurrence of cancer. In this regard, nodular mastopathy is dangerous. With such a disease conservative treatment do not prescribe (it is useless), only surgical intervention helps.

Diseases. The discomfort of the nipple zone is provoked by many ailments that any woman should be aware of:

Paget's disease. Option cancerous tumor mammary glands. Such cancer is characterized by aching, drawing pains nipples. The disease is insidious in that at first the symptoms are similar to eczema and do not cause concern. The nipples swell, begin to peel off and turn red. Then the symptoms subside. Soon they return, there is a thickening in the chest, burning, pain in the nipples, bloody discharge.
Psoriasis. Disease allergic nature with damage to the nipple region. Suspicion of the disease is (in addition to pain) the appearance of scaly red spots.
Eczema. Illness manifests itself severe itching, the appearance of bubbles with weeping crusts. Pain in the nipples with eczema is itchy.
Herpes. Dangerous virus affects all parts of the body, often foci of infection are located in the nipple zone. There is itching, burning, redness, the appearance of bubbles with a colorless liquid.
Impetigo. With microtrauma of the nipples, an infection enters there, causing impetigo. Impetigo of the nipple zone proceeds with cutting pain and the formation of pustules. After opening the abscess, crusts remain on the body, then ulcers. The disease comes with an increase in temperature, a weakening of well-being.

Nerve damage. acute pain a stabbing character in the nipples is provoked by nerve damage. The peripapillary region is rich in nerve endings. Trauma occurs as a result of a blow or as an operational complication. Sometimes the pain goes away on its own, but more often it's painful post-traumatic syndrome prolonged, requiring treatment.

Discomfort of the nipples occurs with an incorrectly selected bra, posture disorders. Taking antidepressants also provokes pain. But, not only women have sore nipples. There are cases when men also suffer from pain, burning in these areas of the chest.

Causes of pain in men

Male chest consists of ducts and small blood vessels. She is also different hypersensitivity, trauma. Diseases that occur with soreness of the nipple zone are easier in men. Basically, the problems are associated with hormonal imbalances. Why do men's nipples hurt?

Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is not individual disease, is a syndrome that combines a complex of symptoms of diseases. Symptoms manifest themselves in an increase in the mammary glands in men, there is pain in the nipple. Gynecomastia affects 50-70% of young men, boys, 40-45% of adult men, 70-75% of the elderly. There are two types of disease:

True. The male breast grows, "turning into a female." The process is accompanied by pulling painful sensations in the nipple zone.
False. With such gynecomastia, fatty breast tissue grows. There is a tingling pain in the nipples.

The chest with gynecomastia increases by 4-5 cm. Such a pathology brings not only physical, but also psychological discomfort.

causes of the syndrome. In 9 out of 10 cases, the culprit is sharp increase female hormone estrogen, while testosterone decreases. The problem is provoked by taking drugs, alcohol, corticosteroids. Often gynecomastia occurs in professional athletes who have completed sports career. False gynecomastia appears as a result of obesity.

The endocrinologist deals with the syndrome of male breast enlargement. After a series of examinations, the patient is prescribed hormonal preparations, stabilizing the background. At the end of treatment, the breast returns to its usual state, the pain of the nipples goes away.

Diseases of the endocrine system

Why do crashes occur endocrine organs(factory of hormones), the doctors did not exactly establish. Among the causes are hereditary factors, poor environmental conditions, prolonged stress, unbalanced diet. Endocrine diseases are difficult, difficult to treat. They are accompanied various symptoms including soreness of the nipples. provoke endocrine disorders may the following diseases:

Reifenstein and Klinefelter syndromes.
Tumors of the pituitary, adrenal glands, testicles.
Dystrophy, hypothyroidism, cirrhosis of the liver.
Diabetes.

Diseases that begin with endocrine disruptions creep up unnoticed. Men tend not to go to the doctors, hoping that everything will “resolve itself”. Such a delay threatens to dangerous diseases. At the first alarm bells should immediately visit a doctor.

When to Worry

If, in addition to painful discomfort in the nipples, you have the following symptoms urgently go to the doctor! Such signs indicate the appearance of serious diseases, even oncological problems:

Constant pain in the nipple area, flowing into the armpit area.
Discharge from the nipples (bloody, bloody, purulent).
Edema mammary gland, strong pain, redness.
The appearance of cracks, ulcers of erosion.
Change in color, size of the nipple.
Temperature, nausea, vomiting.

Not only women need to monitor the condition of the mammary glands! Regular examination breast, nipples will help to identify problems in time and prevent their dangerous development!

Periodically, some women experience itching and pain in the nipples. This problem has many causes, so discomfort can manifest itself in different ways. In one case, a woman may feel a slight tingling when probing her nipples, in another, the pain may be constant and aching. Regular discomfort should be a reason to seek medical help.

Main reasons

Nipples can get sore for a variety of reasons. Discomfort can cause an approaching menstruation. The mammary glands swell and increase in size. This is due increased production hormones before new menstrual cycle. The woman's body begins to intensively synthesize progesterone and prolactin. After the onset of menstruation, the hormonal balance is restored on its own, so the pain disappears. In this case, no treatment is required.

Discomfort in the mammary glands can be observed due to problems in other organs and systems:

malfunctions of the thyroid gland;
improper functioning of the adrenal glands;
disorders in the nervous system.

If discomfort appeared after menstruation, then you should definitely consult a doctor.

As well as hormonal disorders can be provoked by taking oral contraceptives. This is one of the most common causes Why do nipples get hard and sore. It must be remembered that such medicines should be selected individually and with the participation of a specialist who will conduct a thorough examination and study the results of the tests. Incorrect choice drugs can provoke a woman's headaches and discomfort in the chest, and the nipples will become red. Similar symptoms can also occur due to an overdose of hormonal drugs.

Causes of pain can also be:

regular stress;
depression;
emotional and physical stress;
nervous disorders of a different nature.

An uncomfortable bra is another reason why women's nipples hurt. Therefore, the choice of underwear requires a careful approach. If things are of poor quality or were not chosen in size, then they will constantly put pressure on the chest, impairing blood circulation. In addition, when using a bra made of low-quality material, you can additionally encounter skin irritation or even an allergic reaction.

At prolonged abstinence there may also be pain in the nipples. This is due to the fact that the female body falls into a kind of hibernation. At the same time, the hormonal background weakens and many processes are inhibited. After sexual intercourse, the body is restored and begins to actively rebuild. In the process of recovery, there is an active production of hormones, which cause pain in sensitive papillae.

Often, pain in the nipples appears due to a mechanical effect on the chest. If a similar symptoms appeared after an injury, it is better to check for violations. Doctors do not advise doing something on your own.

Pain during breastfeeding or pregnancy

Sometimes the nipples begin to hurt during lactation. It is impossible to name the specific cause of this problem, since each case is individual. After the conception of a child, the female body begins to rebuild and prepare for feeding the unborn baby. Due to such processes, the mammary glands swell, and discomfort may occur in the nipples. Symptoms may last for a long time.

Some women get sore nipples after breastfeeding. For example, this may be due to improper attachment of the baby to the breast. In the process of feeding, the baby should capture with his tiny mouth not only the nipple, but also the areola (the area next to the nipple). It is for this reason that bottles and pacifiers should not be abused during lactation, as their shape differs markedly from the natural female breast.

If a woman has a sore right papilla or left, then this may be due to stagnation of breast milk. In medicine, this pathology is called the term "lactostosis". The problem is caused by the fact that the child does not drink all the milk from the breast, which begins to accumulate in the mammary gland and stagnate. In this case, seals and discomfort may appear in the chest. If the child refuses to drink milk often, then it needs to be expressed.

Another common cause is damage to the nipples. Microcracks and other injuries may appear due to the fact that the child grasps the breast incorrectly. As a result, the nipples are damaged due to the impact of the tiny jaws. This problem needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you may encounter severe inflammation. After feeding, the nipples can be treated with a gentle oil or cream.

Features of treatment

If there are signs other than swelling and soreness in the nipples when pressed, you should immediately seek help from a specialist. Such symptoms may be the result of serious disorders in the body. Special attention should pay attention to the shape and color of the nipples. If they have changed, then you need to urgently be examined. On the chest, this may occur:

erosion;
sores;
cracks;
blood and purulent discharge.

Some diseases can also provoke discomfort in the nipples. For example, mastitis is considered one of the most common causes. This pathology develops due to the presence of infection in the mammary gland. She gets there through cracks or sores in the nipples. Sometimes mastitis develops due to severe hypothermia.

Mastopathy has similar signs. This disease is provoked by an imbalance of hormones in the female body. Because of this, seals, cysts and other formations appear. This disease is often experienced by women who have reached the age of 30.

Another disease with similar manifestations is mastolgia.. It may develop due to prolonged depression, due to surgical intervention in the mammary glands or a weak immune system.

One way or another, but the treatment of pain in the nipples is aimed at eliminating the causative disease. Wherein therapeutic regimen is selected individually depending on the nature of the disease and the intensity of its manifestations.

To avoid unpleasant consequences need to seek help as soon as possible experienced doctor. In addition, do not forget about the rules of personal hygiene. Nipples must not be washed with soap and alcohol-containing compounds. The choice of underwear should be treated very carefully. The thing should not put too much pressure on the chest. Before breastfeeding, you need to carefully disinfect the nipples, otherwise you can pick up an infection.

If the cause of discomfort is PMS, then the problem will be solved by itself after a while. However, if in doubt, you should immediately contact the clinic.