Fibrocystic Breast Condition

A lump in your breast is not necessarily breast cancer!

It could be a sign of fibrocystic breast condition (sometimes called fibrocystic breast disease). But it is not a disease!!

Fibrocystic breasts have lumps which usually cause discomfort and can be in one or both breasts. The condition is very common and these benign breast lumps are NOT cancerous.

The statistics vary but between 30% and 60% of all women suffer from fibrocystic breast condition. These women are mostly between the ages of 30 and 50 and are pre-menopausal.

The symptoms vary in all women:

- some women have minimal breast pain or tenderness

- some women are have constant breast pain

- some women only feel the lumps before their period

- some women have the lumps all the time

- some women have fibrocystic breast condition and can’t even feel the lumps, they are only detected by a mammogram or ultrasound

Everybody is different!

If you doing your own research into fibrocystic breast condition it is important to note that it is also called mammary dysplasia, benign breast disease, cystic mastitis and diffuse cystic mastopathy.

First things first though….if you are new to breast self exams and you have just discovered that you have several lumps….get to a doctor!

You need to be diagnosed by a doctor before you can relax so don’t sit there and think that ‘of course this is what it is’!

What causes fibrocystic breast condition?

Well, each month prior to your period your body is expecting you to get pregnant so not only is your uterus in super busy mode, so are your breasts. They are creating extra cells in the off chance that they might be needed to breast feed nine months time.

Of course, then you get your period. The body has to go to work to get rid of the extra cells that it created. It’s not as easy for the breast to do this as it is for the uterus!

Along come some friendly cells that eat up all of the extra cells that have been created, but this can cause slight scarring and over time this scarring becomes worse and the scars are the lumps that you can feel.

That is why it is more common in women over 30 because they have had quite a few years of build up happening! It also explains why the condition is less common after menopause because breasts are no longer producing extra cells or extra scarring each month.

What to do if you have fibrocystic breast condition:

1. Regular breast self exam

2. Regular breast examinations by your doctor. If you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer this should be at least every 6 months.

3. Make sure that you have regular breast screening for breast cancer. It is recommended you have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 & 40 and then a screening every year after you turn 40.

Possible treatments:

1. Doctors recommend a good fitting bra that gives adequate support to the breast may provide relief from many of the symptoms.

2. Anti-inflammatory medications can often reduce breast pain.

3. Some studies show that including more vitamin C, E, B6 & A may help. The results of these studies have not been conclusive but if you are the type of person who takes vitamins on a regular basis anyway, it can’t hurt to increase these ones!!

4. Another (unproven) theory is taking Oil of Primrose. It may reduce the breast pain.

5. For women with very irregular periods, going on the pill may actually help with the condition as regular cycles seem to allow the breast tissue to fully recover at the end of each cycle.

6. Regular breast massage can help to relieve pain.

7. Some studies indicate that a reduction in the amount of caffeine you have may help….and not just caffeine from coffee…..but tea, soft drinks and chocolate!! It is not conclusive however, it may be worth doing a self-imposed caffeine restriction to see if there is an improvement for you.

But remember….doctor first!