Lumps in breasts can be harmless but the lumps, which are painless and hard, can be very dangerous. As per the studies eighty five percent of the breast lumps are benign and it should not be ignored. Lumps can be found at any age. Young girls may develop breast buds, which can happen at the age of 9 and boys may have breast enlargement caused by hormonal changes in teen age.
In women, breast lump can be caused by many reasons such as cancer and hormonal changes.
Infections can cause breast lump and it is common in breastfeeding women. The bacteria enter through the cracked nipple and it forms a hard area which is known as clogged milk duct. The hard region can cause mastitis and it can happen through a pus pocket deep inside the breast.
Injuries can cause lumps and it happens when the blood vessels rupture inside the breast, which can even cause a condition called necrosis, where the fat cells are damaged.
If the lump is not cancerous, one can use warm compresses to treat the problem.
Fibrocystic changes - It happens due to overgrowth of the fibrous tissues. It can be large or small, and it can be in the form of small cysts that drain secretions.
Symptoms of fibrocystic changes are dull sensation in the upper breasts, lumpiness in breasts as the women approaches menopause and the fibers move to surrounding tissues when pressed.
To treat fibrocystic changes, the women may be advised to reduce intake of caffeine and take pain reliever medications.
Fibroadenomas - Fibroadenomas is a kind of growth, which is found in women in the age group of thirty to thirty five. It can be in the form of solid, rubbery, round and firm tissue, which arises from the connective tissues and the glandular tissues. These tissues can grow during pregnancy and after menopause it shrinks. It is more prominent in women below forty years.
Breast Cysts - It is a form of lump, which is common in women during menopause. Fluid filled sacs formed inside the breast tissues can form cysts, which can be benign and tender. It can be small or large and it can be caused due to monthly cycles in women and fibroadenomas are common in women above the age of thirty five and it is caused due to hormonal changes.
Lump caused by injury can be in the form of scar tissue, which is round and movable or a painless old injury. The cysts can be smooth or firm and it can be round or oval in shape. Lumps can also be hard and sometimes, the lumps go away after the menstruation. A doctor may insert a needle into the cyst to identify it.
Phyllodes tumors - The lumps caused by phyllodes tumors are painless and it can be detected through imaging tests and in intraductal papilloma, the lump can be formed due to non-cancerous growth and it happens mostly near the areola.
