The good news for women who find a breast lump is that breast lumps are often nothing to worry about. Not all breast lumps are related to breast cancer and many, particularly among younger women are actually benign.
That said it is important that no sooner is a breast lump detected than it is required to be reported to a doctor in order that any dangerous possibilities or potentially dangerous possibilities could be ruled out. Among the most common causes for breast lumps are:
Fibrocystic Changes: There is routinely change occurring in the breast tissue. This could be in one of both of a woman’s breasts and these changes occur more during the reproductive years of a woman’s life.
Having Fibrocystic tissue in the breast or chance occurring in the tissue is a common cause for breast lumps, however, where it could be problematic is that they could make it more difficult for women to understand the lumps that they feel and whether they are owing to cancerous growths or otherwise.
Fibroadenomas: In the years between puberty and menopause, there are other changes that can take place in a woman’s breast tissue. Small rubbery lumps in the breast may occur; fibrodenomas are however non malignant for the most part and can be easily removed.
Often doctors are able to distinguish between a fibroadenoma and another kind of lump by carrying out an exam and by conducting a biopsy, this can be put beyond doubt.
Cysts: These are softer grape like growths that may be found in the breast and which may feel tender to the touch just before the periods. Cysts can be drained and further treatment may not be needed. However, bloody fluid in the cyst or recurrence may be cause for concern.
Injury: In the event of any trauma or injury to the breast, there could be a discoloration and something that feels rather like a lump, which situation may however resolve itself over time, as soon as the injury is healed. Sometimes the area could need to be drained surgically.
Milk cysts: This is a typical condition chiefly with lactating women, where sacs inside the breast that are filled with milk could feel like lumps. Infection known as mastitis or the formation of an abscess is also another of the common causes for breast lumps.
Lipoma: Sometimes, a lump felt in the breast could be no more than a deposit of fatty tissue.
Intraductal papilloma: This is a small non cancerous growth in the ducts inside the breast that produce milk.
