Like women, men can also experience discomfort in the breasts, which is most often caused by bumps during physical activity or at work or even due to irritation of the nipple in friction with the shirt.
Although it does not normally mean serious situations, it is important to investigate the causes of pain in the male breast, as it may represent gynecomastia, nodules, which can be benign or malignant, and a biopsy of the breast tissue must be performed to analyze the characteristics of the cells. Understand what biopsy is and what it is for.
Main causes
Male breast pain is usually not a sign of cancer, as malignant tumors usually only cause pain when they are already in more advanced stages. Thus, the main causes of male breast pain are:
- Injuries to the breast, which can occur due to blows suffered during physical activity or at work; Runner nipple, which are irritated or bloody nipples due to the friction of the chest on the shirt during running practice. Know other causes of nipple irritation; Mastitis, which corresponds to painful inflammation of the breasts, being rare in men; Cyst in the breast, which despite being more common in women, can also occur in men and is characterized by pain when pressing the tissue around the breast. Learn about the cyst in the breast; Gynecomastia, which corresponds to the growth of breasts in men and that can happen due to excess breast glandular tissue, overweight or endocrine diseases, for example. Know the causes of breast enlargement in men; Fibroadenoma, a benign breast tumor, but which is rare in men. Understand what fibroadenoma is in the breast and how it is treated.
Despite the serious causes of breast pain, such as cancer, for example, being rarer in men, those who have a family history should have a breast self-examination every 3 months at least to check for swelling and lumps. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of male breast cancer.
What to do
In the presence of pain in the man's breast, one must evaluate the region and try to identify the cause. In cases of contusion or corridor nipple, cold compresses should be placed 2 to 3 times a day and pain medication should be used. In addition, wearing a high compression top, helps with running and reduces discomfort.
In cases of mastitis, cyst or fibroadenoma, you should go to the doctor for tests and evaluate the need to use medication or surgery. In addition, it is important to remember that a mastologist should always be consulted in cases of lump in the breast.
To find out if you may have a more serious problem, see 12 symptoms of breast cancer.
