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 Li Li Jie
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What is the reason for breast pain during menstruation?

Menstrual breast pain is considered to be caused by two factors. First, the patient experiences breast pain during menstruation due to the stimulation of estrogen and progesterone secretion before the onset of menstruation. The pain symptoms may be more pronounced before menstruation and can be alleviated after menstruation. Second, if the patient's symptoms are severe, it is generally necessary to consider whether the pain is caused by mammary gland hyperplasia. Mammary gland hyperplasia can be caused by long-term staying up late, depression, and excessive stress. It is recommended that the patient undergoes a breast ultrasound to check for conditions like mammary ductal hyperplasia or fibroadenomas, and then receive targeted treatment.

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Written by Wu Shi Ting
Breast Health Department
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What is the cause of breast swelling and pain before menstruation?

Menstruation has not yet arrived, but the breasts are already in pain—this is a common annoyance for many women. Many women experience swelling, hardening, and even pain in their breasts before the onset of menstruation. In severe cases, even slight vibrations or bumps can cause unbearable breast pain. What causes this? It all starts with a mysterious substance—hormones. Each menstrual cycle, levels of estrogen and progesterone rise, causing the mammary ducts and lobular duct endothelial cells to enlarge, and the ductal epithelial cells and stromal cells to become congested and swollen, leading to pain. Thus, different degrees of pain occur before menstruation.

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can you massage if there is breast pain before menstruation?

Many women experience breast tenderness before their menstrual period, which can be attributed to various factors. This may include changes in hormonal levels and emotional impacts leading to discomfort. At this time, is it possible to perform massages? If the breast tenderness before menstruation is mild and occasional, it can be alleviated through massage by addressing some clinical symptoms. Since the liver meridian primarily passes through the ribs near the breasts, massaging certain acupoints on the liver and gallbladder meridians can help soothe the liver and relieve depression, thereby easing breast pain. For example, massaging the Qimen and Dabao acupoints, and then the Danzhong acupoint can regulate the liver, facilitate the flow of qi, and relieve pain. However, if there is frequent and stabbing pain in the breasts before menstruation, or if there are palpable lumps, it is not advisable to use massage to address this tenderness. In such cases, it is crucial to consult a doctor at a hospital to check for any other pathological changes. If there are other conditions, timely treatment is necessary.

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Written by Wu Shi Ting
Breast Health Department
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What causes breast pain before menstruation?

In clinical practice, I often hear complaints from female friends that they experience breast tenderness before menstruation. What exactly is the cause of this? Mild breast tenderness may be due to hormonal changes in the body, which is a normal physiological condition. Of course, it could also be caused by diseases, such as the most common fibrocystic breast change, which is associated with cyclical breast pain during the menstrual cycle. There are also other diseases that can cause cyclical breast pain, and it is important to pay attention to them. Especially in cases of severe pain, or when even light touch causes significant discomfort, we recommend visiting a hospital for relevant examinations as soon as possible.

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Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
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What's going on with breast swelling, pain, and frequent urination?

Breast engorgement and frequent urination may be caused by mammary gland hyperplasia, and we can diagnose it through breast ultrasonography or mammography. Mammary gland hyperplasia is currently believed to be related to endocrine disorders causing increased levels of estrogen. It primarily manifests as cyclical breast pain, often occurring or worsening before menstruation, and diminishing or disappearing after menstruation. Mild cases may not be significant to the patient, but severe cases can affect daily life and work. However, some patients do not show obvious cyclical changes, and symptoms may include one or both sides of the breasts feeling engorged or a tingling itch, possibly extending to the shoulder, upper limbs, or thoracic and back areas. A minority of patients may experience nipple discharge, which can be yellow or brown. The condition can last for a long time, but symptoms will automatically disappear or lessen after menopause.