Lumps and pain are the most common problems with women’s breasts. Women’s breast usually change at puberty, during menstrual periods, and after menopause. These changes are usually normal, caused by hormonal changes. Persistent pain or lumps are abnormal but they are most commonly caused by fibrous cysts (also known as fibrocystic disease). However, breast pain and lumps can be signs of infection or cancer, both of which can lead to damage of the breasts, spread of the infection or cancer, and death.

Common Symptoms

• Pain or feeling of fullness in one or both breasts
• Pain accompanied by warmth, redness, or discharge from the nipple
• A lump that you can see or feel (whether movable or not)

What You Need to Know

Every woman should examine her breasts every month starting at puberty. If you find anything abnormal or anything that concerns you, have your physician evaluate it. The mammogram, a special type of x-ray of the breast, is an excellent screening tool for finding cancers that cannot be felt by hand, but controversy exists regarding when to start doing them and how often they should be done. Typically, most doctors recommend having a mammogram every one to two years beginning at age 40, then once a year after age 50.

General Recommendations for Breast Cysts

Some doctors think that caffeine and saturated fat both contribute to breast cysts and should therefore be reduced, but studies have not been conclusive. To be on the safe side, reduce your caffeine and saturated fat; if your cysts don’t shrink within about three months, these factors are not causing or contributing to your condition. If they do shrink, continue to reduce the foods and drinks that contain these ingredients (including most soft drinks, which contain caffeine).

Your Balanced Healing Action Plan for Breast Pain and Lumps

• Because breast pain and lumps can indicate life-threatening problems, you should always seek professional medical evaluation and diagnostics first. If an infection is causing the problem, your physician will prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Other treatment will be necessary if the lump turns out to be cancer; early diagnosis is critical for effective treatment.

Step 1: Take Vitamin E for Breast Pain

If breast pain is not caused by infection or a tumor, and there is no discharge, start with vitamin E at doses of 800 IU to 1,200 IU per day to reduce tissue inflammation. This is the easiest and least expensive treatment and is very effective as well. You may see benefits within a few weeks, although it can take one to two months for some women.

Step 2: Undergo Infrasonic Therapy for Breast Lumps

Infrasound, or low-frequency sound waves, works by increasing the local circulation of blood and lymph, which reduces fibrous breast tissue. I recommend it as the first practioner-administered treatment because it may take just a few treatments to decrease or eliminate breast lumps. Numerous chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, and a few doctors use infrasound.

Step 3: Apply Natural Progesterone Cream for Breast Pain and/or Lumps

Natural progesterone cream is especially beneficial for breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle because such pain may be caused by decreased levels of progesterone. Progesterone cream is also effective for fibrocystic disease because many cysts may occur because of an imbalance of hormones (usually too much estrogen and not enough progesterone).

Apply 20mg of progesterone cream once a day to your breasts during days 14 to 28 of your cycle to relieve pain and reduce lumps caused by cysts. The cysts should decrease in size within three to four months.

Step 4: Take Evening Primrose Oil or Chasteberry for Breast Pain

Evening primrose oil (500mg three times a day) works by inhibiting prostaglandins, natural substances in the body that cause inflammation. Chasteberry (solid extract, standardized to 0.5 percent agnuside, 175mg to 225mg daily), which works through its hormonal effects, can also reduce breast pain, especially if you have PMS. (Be aware, how. ever, that chasteberry can decrease libido.) If these herbs are not effective in three months, they won’t work, and you should stop taking them.

Step 5: Undergo Acupuncture for Breast Pain and Lumps

If the previous steps haven’t helped you, I recommend acupuncture for either breast pain or breast lumps. Acupuncture is most effective when the breast pain first begins. Principal points can be found on the upper back, chest, arms, legs, and feet. Always seek evaluation and treatment from a practitioner certified in acupuncture. You should notice improvement within six acupuncture treatments, but you might need additional sessions for maximum benefits.

Step 6: Take the Prescription Hormone Drugs Danazol or Bromocriptine

It the previous steps don’t help you, your doctor can prescribe Danazol or Bromocriptine. These drugs are conventional hormones taken by mouth to control breast pain, but they do have various side effects. Consider them only if the previous steps do not provide relief.

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