7 Causes of Male Breast Pain, Could Be a Danger Sign
Several Things Can Cause Breast Pain In Men, Breast pain is a common complaint for women. However, men and boys can also experience pain in one or both breasts. Although not discussed often enough, men can also experience breast pain, breast enlargement, nipple pain, and even breast cancer.
Understanding the causes and symptoms of breast problems in men can help in early diagnosis and treatment. Well, here are some causes of male breast pain that you need to know.
7 causes of male breast pain that you need to know :
1. Gynecomastia
Reported by Healthline, gynecomastia is a condition that occurs when there is an imbalance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. It results in an overgrowth of breast tissue in both young and adult men. Not only breast pain, this condition also makes men not confident.
Adding from Verywell Health, gynecomastia can occur in men as long as:
Adolescence, as a normal part of the hormonal changes that occur during puberty.
Over the age of 50 years, because the body naturally begins to produce less testosterone.
In some cases, the cause of gynecomastia may not be known.
2. Cyst
Breast cysts are fluid-filled sacs that are not cancerous. This condition has been reported to occur in some men although it is very rare, and the cause is unknown.
Symptoms include a lump that may or may not be felt from the outside, and sometimes breast tenderness.
3. Muscle tension
For men who do strenuous sports, such as bench presses or contact sports such as rugby or soccer, there is a risk of injury to the pectoralis major or pectoralis minor muscles. These are the two main muscles in the chest. The tendons that attach these muscles to the bones are also at risk of strain or tear.
Symptoms include:
- Chest and arm pain.
- Weakness.
- Possible deformity of the affected chest and arm.
While the pain may not originate in the breast itself, muscle or tendon pain in the area can sometimes originate in the breast.
4. Fat necrosis of the breast
When breast tissue is severely damaged, whether from a car accident, sports injury, or other causes, it can die. When this happens, one or more lumps may form in the male breast.
The skin around the lump may also appear red or bruised. You may start to see dimples. Fat necrosis of the breast is relatively rare in men.
5. Fibroadenoma
Noncancerous lumps in the fibroglandular tissue of the breast are much more common in women, but fibroadenomas can still develop in men. This is rare because men usually don’t have fibroglandular tissue in their breasts.
The lump may feel round and firm, like a marble, in the breast.
This is the most common type of breast tumor but is rare in men. The cause of fibroadenomas is unclear, but most do not increase the risk of breast cancer.
6. Heartburn
Sometimes the cause or chest pain is difficult to determine. The individual may feel pain or discomfort in the chest and not know whether it is related to breast tissue, muscle injury, lung disease, acid reflux, or heart problems. Starting with this point, we will describe common causes of chest pain that are not related to breast tissue or muscle.
The first is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When stomach acid rises into the esophagus and irritates the lining of the esophagus, the result is GERD. Heartburn is a burning sensation that may be felt immediately after eating or at night. It can feel worse when lying down or bending over.
7. Respiratory disease
Pain in the chest or breast area caused by a respiratory condition is usually accompanied by coughing or shortness of breath.
Causes of chest pain related to the lungs include:
- Pulmonary embolism, or blood clot in the lungs.
- A collapsed lung, or when air seeps into the space between the lung and the ribs.
- Pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.
