Causes of missed periods and breast tenderness – Dr. Teena S Thomas

Breast pain and swelling in missed period. Now when you deal with this, first thing you need to find out whether there is a pregnancy or not. Missed period calls for a urine pregnancy test. Now if the urine pregnancy test is positive then a Breast pain and swelling definitely has to be examined that there is no lump. If there is no lump and it is just a tenderness then it is a hormonal issue of the pregnancy. The hormonal changes in pregnancy causes breast tenderness and swelling. In early pregnancy what need to be done is a good counseling. Counselling and telling the patient that this is going to wean out in 2 -3 weeks. It is a part of early pregnancy, part of the hormonal changes of pregnancy and nothing at all needs to be done if there is no associated lump or anything which are to be worried about. If there is nothing like that then just a proper counseling would be enough. Now if the pregnancy is negative then also nothing to be worried about. Basically you examine the patient. First thing is you examine, rule out that there is no lesions or no swellings or no lumps, no tumors, nothing associated. If anything such like this is there needs follow up with ultrasound and mammography appropriately as required. If there is nothing and it is just a swelling, pain, that is called tenderness, that is called pre period pain and tenderness, which is a part of premenstrual syndrome. So nothing to be done here again initially. But there are different lines of management in such swelling and tenderness. They are basically the first line of management is just counseling, telling the patient that it is a part of premenstrual syndrome and it would come just pre period and it would wean off, but if it is affecting the quality of life of the patient then definitely we need to treat it. Treatment can be hormonal or non hormonal depending upon the requirement and intensity. Basically counseling and treatments has to be seen by a gynecologist who will decide on what should be done.