Do I Have Fibrocystic Breasts?

Do you have breast lumps or areas of thickening that tend to blend into the surrounding breast tissue?

Do you have generalized breast pain or tenderness?

Do you have pain or discomfort in both breasts that may come and go with your period?

Do you have pain in your breasts that that is persistent and dull, and may last through the whole month?

Do you have a throbbing or burning sensation in your breasts?

Do your breasts feel full, swollen, or heavy?

Do you have breast lumps that change in size with the menstrual period (the lump may becomes larger before each period and returns to its original size afterward)?

Do you have pain or discomfort under the arms?

Do you have green or dark brown non-bloody nipple discharge that tends to leak without pressure or squeezing?

Do you have breast changes that are similar in both breasts?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have fibrocystic breasts. Fibrocystic breast refers to a medical condition characterized by altered breast tissue that feels lumpy. Fibrocystic breasts are often hardened, tender or even painful. It is a common benign condition that affects about half of women at some point in their lives. Fibrocystic breasts are most common in women between the ages of 30 and 50. Many women experience these changes around their period. Fibrocystic breast condition usually affects both breasts, with the possibility that there are more lumps in one breast than in the other. Some women with fibrocystic breasts have no symptoms.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have fibrocystic breasts. The medical term “fibrocystic breast” is used to describe changes in the connective tissue of your breasts. There are two types of changes that occur in your breast tissue: fibrosis and the formation of cysts. Fibrosis involves an increased amount of fibrous tissue in your breast (the same tissue from which the scars are made), and the cysts are small, liquid-filled, round sacs within the breasts. Cysts are movable lumps that may be painful to the touch. A diagnosis is based on several tests: clinical breast exam, mammogram, ultrasound, fine-needle aspiration and breast biopsy.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have fibrocystic breasts. Fibrocystic breast is a benign condition that refers to altered breast tissue represented by numerous lumps inside the breast. The breast tissue becomes thicker, and sacs filled with fluid (cysts) develop in your breasts. These changes are called fibrocystic changes. Cysts can vary in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. During the month, cysts can fluctuate in size due to changes in hormone levels. In women who have no symptoms or have mild ones, no treatment is needed. Treatment options include medications, aspiration of cyst contents and surgery.