You might have expected the start of your menstruation because your breasts were sore and swollen. Have you ever wondered why you're feeling this way? And how can you get rid of the discomfort? If that's the case, this is the article for you!
What Causes Breast Tenderness Before Your Period?
The main reason you will be feeling breast pain is your hormones. Hormones don't only play with your emotions, it can cause you physical pain too. Breasts get sore three to five days before a menstrual cycle begins and stop aching once it starts. The spike in estrogen and progesterone just before your menstruation causes this. Your breasts will enlarge because of these hormones, which might cause tenderness. More precisely, the breast ducts widen due to estrogen, and the milk glands expand because of progesterone production. Your breasts may get painful as a result of either of these situations. Although frequent, cyclical breast pain can be prevented. When your hormone levels are regular and you don't have any particular dietary deficiencies, this hormonal fluctuation in your breasts goes nearly undetected. This suggests that, in a usual setting, you can minimize any pain, swelling, soreness, or sensitivity in your nipples or breasts prior to your period. If you're having trouble with sore boobs during your premenstrual period, it's time to look at the reasons for this discomfort.
Underlying Reasons For Having Cyclical Breast Pain
According to studies, excess estrogen can cause premenstrual breast pain at the front of the breasts and over the nipples. Estrogen levels should decline after ovulation, while progesterone takes over until our period. Progesterone balances estrogen and reduces numerous symptoms like PMS and breast tenderness at the appropriate levels. Breast pain is typically enhanced and may cause swelling and nipple soreness when we have trouble with too much estrogen or when progesterone is insufficient in contrast.
Another underlying reason for having cyclical breast pain is iodine deficiency. Iodine is required for smooth, regular ovulation, and adequate iodine levels aid in avoiding ovarian cysts and ovulation discomfort. One of the most important functions of iodine is to make cells less susceptible to estrogen. Iodine helps to reduce the swelling and sensitivity associated with elevated estrogen, which is excellent news for your breasts. As you can see, breast discomfort is frequently caused by a combination of high estrogen and iodine deficiency, necessitating a double approach to treatment. While everyone assumes that you should ignore the discomfort and get on with your life because it's a common feeling, I'm here to show you that there are several techniques to ease the pain.
Solutions To Relieve Premenstrual Breast Pain
If you've been wondering how to ease the pain before a period, here are some ways in which you can reduce and relieve breast tenderness.
- Follow a low-fat diet/ high fiber diet: First, dietary fiber helps eliminate estrogen through our bowels; estrogen will be eliminated from the body, and we won't have any excess. Also, according to a study, eating a low-fat diet has been demonstrated to lessen breast discomfort. Eating high-fiber meals like whole grains and vegetables and complex carbs will be highly effective for a reduction in pain.
- Make sure you're getting enough iodine: You can increase your iodine intake by eating the right food (seaweeds, seafood, egg yolks…). Molecular iodine is the best type of iodine for breast discomfort since it has been found to minimize pain and swelling. If you have thyroid issues, molecular iodine is safer since it is absorbed slowly into the thyroid and more rapidly into the breast tissue.
- Eliminate caffeine intake: Studies have connected excessive caffeine consumption with breast soreness and other premenstrual symptoms. Instead, you can have a matcha drink since it is proven highly beneficial for period pain. If you want more information about the benefits of matcha during menstruation you can have a look at our blog post about matcha.
- Exercising/ Relaxation techniques: Yoga for example, is an excellent technique to reduce anxiety. Doing yoga exercises will help ease high levels of anxiety and stress that lead to breast tenderness. To learn more about practicing yoga during your period, you can check out our article about it.
- Wear a bra that fits appropriately: Make sure the bra you choose is supportive and comfortable. The appropriate bra can help reduce the discomfort associated with the excessive swaying of the breasts by limiting breast movement.
Tenderness in the breasts before menstruation is fairly frequent, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything to relieve the pain. Everyone who suffers from cyclical breast pain should be aware that there is an alternative and that they may ease their pain by following our recommendations. Of course, if your breast tenderness isn't cyclical, but it's reoccurring often at various periods during your cycle, you should consult your primary healthcare provider for further advice.
References
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Woods, T. (2021, September 22). The truth behind Premenstrual sore boobs: Nourished natural health. Nourished Natural Health. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://nourishednaturalhealth.com/nutrition-guides/sore-boobs#:~:text=Which%20hormone%20imbalance%20can%20cause,a%20sign%20of%20excess%20estrogen.
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