Breast swelling and pain, increased vaginal discharge, does it mean that menstruation is coming?

Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
Updated on May 06, 2025
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Breast swelling and pain, increased vaginal discharge, it might be that menstruation is coming. Breast swelling and pain are generally manifestations of mammary gland hyperplasia. The symptoms of mammary gland hyperplasia typically include cyclical breast swelling and pain, which often appear or worsen before menstruation and subside or disappear after menstruation. Some patients do not experience obvious cyclical changes; some may have swelling and needle-like pain in one or both breasts, which can extend to the shoulders, upper limbs, or chest and back areas. A few patients might have nipple discharge; the discharge can be yellow, brown, or bloody. The disease course can sometimes be long, but symptoms often disappear or lessen after menopause.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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What's going on with breast swelling and pain and also arm soreness?

Breast swelling and pain, as well as arm soreness, are considered to be caused by mammary gland hyperplasia and accessory breast syndrome. Mammary gland hyperplasia often manifests as cyclical swelling and pain in the breasts, commonly occurring or worsening before menstruation and alleviating or disappearing after menstruation. While mild cases might not be noticed by patients, severe cases can impact daily life and work. However, some patients do not exhibit obvious cyclical changes, and symptoms can include unilateral or bilateral breast swelling and pain, resembling needle pricks, which can extend to the shoulder, upper limbs, or chest and back areas. A few patients might experience nipple discharge, which can be yellow-green, brown, or bloody. The condition can sometimes persist for a long time, with symptoms automatically disappearing or reducing after menopause. When breast swelling and pain occur, it is necessary to regularly recheck the breast with ultrasound and mammography.

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Written by Jia Rui
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What is the cause of breast pain before menstruation?

If breast pain occurs before menstruation, it is likely due to stagnation of liver qi, caused by discomfort of liver qi. Initially, one can use some traditional Chinese medicines that soothe the liver and regulate qi for treatment, which are very helpful in alleviating these symptoms. It is also important to avoid frequent anger, anxiety, and excessive heat, as these can affect menstruation and lead to breast pain during this period. If symptoms of premenstrual breast pain recur, it is also necessary to visit a hospital for a detailed examination, and an ultrasound of the breast can be performed to check for any breast lumps or related symptoms.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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What causes breast swelling, pain, and chills?

Generally, it is considered related to breast hyperplasia. We can diagnose it through breast ultrasound or mammography. Currently, breast hyperplasia is mainly thought to be related to an increase in estrogen levels caused by endocrine disorders. The external environment in which people live, work and living conditions, interpersonal relationships, and various other pressures causing neuro-psychological factors, can change the internal environment of the body, thereby affecting the function of the endocrine system, and then causing the secretion of one or several hormones to be abnormal. During the menstrual cycle, the receptors in the breast undergo cyclical changes due to changes in hormone levels. When the balance of hormone levels in the body is disrupted, with an increase in estrogen levels and a decrease in progesterone secretion, it may cause incomplete regression after breast hyperplasia, leading to the proliferation of breast tissue. Therefore, the functional state of the ovaries and the presence of disorders play a very important role in the development of the disease.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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The difference between breast prickling pain and swelling pain.

Breast tingling and soreness are no different; they are both manifestations of breast hyperplasia. The main symptoms of breast hyperplasia include cyclic swelling and pain in the breast, which often appear or worsen before menstruation and diminish or disappear after menstruation. Mild cases may not be noticed by the patient, while severe cases can affect daily life and work. However, some patients do not exhibit obvious cyclical changes, and some may experience soreness in one or both breasts, or needle-like pain, which can extend to the shoulders, upper limbs, or chest and back area. A few patients may have nipple discharge, with the color of the discharge ranging from yellow, brown, or bloody. The duration of the condition can sometimes be lengthy, but symptoms typically alleviate or disappear automatically after menopause.

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Written by Huo Ze Jun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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What position should be scraped for breast distension pain?

Breast pain should first undergo a clear diagnosis to determine the cause. If it is simply caused by breast hyperplasia, gua sha can be used for treatment. The location of the breasts is generally on the stomach meridian or the liver and gallbladder meridians. For specific treatment acupoint selection, you can choose the Jianjing acupoint, which is located between the Dazhui acupoint and the shoulder peak, i.e., between the high point behind the neck and the shoulders. Pressing this area will produce a distinct sore and swollen feeling, and gua sha can be used to treat this area. Additionally, gua sha can be performed on the opposite side or the corresponding back side, where the pain points of the breasts are located at the corresponding positions on the back side, which has a good analgesic effect. Furthermore, distant points can be chosen. If the person tends to be irritable or impatient, gua sha can be performed between the first and second toes at the Taichong acupoint. Also, gua sha can be performed at the Danzhong acupoint located between the two breasts. Another point is the Waiguan acupoint, located between the transverse wrist crease and the elbow crease on the dorsal side of the forearm, about two inches from the wrist transverse crease. This point also has a good analgesic effect for breast pain caused by breast hyperplasia.