Have you felt a slight pain in your breasts after having sex and wonder what it could be due to? This can be a completely normal situation due to the female body’s changes during the arousal process. In this, the breasts tend to increase in size and harden, which can cause slight discomfort after intercourse until the breasts return to their normal state. Suppose the pains last over time or are accompanied by other symptoms. In that case, it is essential to pay attention to them and schedule a gynecological visit, as they can indicate some more severe condition or disease.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, we answer the question of why my breasts hurt after intercourse and explain when it is necessary to visit the doctor for breast pain.
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Causes of breast pain after having sex
During intimate relationships and as the woman becomes aroused, a series of physical changes take place in different parts of the female body, including the breasts, and on many occasions, these changes can be the cause of experiencing slight pain in the breasts after intercourse, which is entirely normal and not a cause for concern. Next, we show you how breasts can change at the time of sex, pay attention!
Breast changes when having sex
- The nipples become stiffer and more complex. This is because there is an increase in blood flow to the skin in the area, and, therefore, the tiny muscle fibers in that area contract and harden.
- The breasts increase considerably in size; sometimes, they can even increase up to a bra size compared to the usual one. This occurs when the levels of the hormones progesterone and prolactin are elevated, which causes more excellent retention of water in the breasts and that, consequently, the breast tissue increases.
- The areolas can darken when the woman is excited because the blood vessels in the area dilate, thus allowing a tremendous amount of blood to reach them, and their usual color varies slightly.
These breast changes can cause the woman to feel slight discomfort in the breasts, which is expected because the body is returning to its standard shape.
Other factors that can cause breast pain after sex
In addition to hormonal changes, there are other factors that during sex can cause subsequent pain in the female breasts, and these are the following:
- Excess of movements.
- Involuntary blows.
- Too rough and intense breast stimulation.
Causes of breast pain not associated with sexual intercourse
However, to correctly answer why breasts hurt after having sexual intercourse, it is also necessary to attend to the pathological causes behind these discomforts, especially if they last over time and do not appear exclusively during or after intercourse.
Then, we show that diseases and conditions are those that can cause breast pain not associated with sex:
- Menstrual cycle: a few days before the menstruation, the woman may experience pain in the breasts and that the breasts are more tender and stiff. This is produced by releasing estrogens, which will subsequently lead to menstruation. In this case, the pain is usually cyclical. It usually affects the upper and outer area of the breasts and decreases and disappears as the period progresses.
- Hormonal disturbances: Hormonal imbalances that occur in stages such as puberty, pregnancy, and premenopause can cause breast pain.
- Cysts in the breasts: small water-filled balls in the breasts of benign nature that appear due to hormonal alterations or genetic components.
- Fibroids in the breasts: benign tumors that rapidly increase in size and may or may not cause pain when touched.
- Mastitis is the mammary gland inflammation that frequently occurs in lactating women because the milk does not flow properly and ends up accumulating. In addition to pain, it causes redness, a burning sensation, and fever.
- Trauma or blows in the area cause the appearance of discomfort.
- Breast cancer: this is usually asymptomatic in the initial stage, and very few women have pain in the breasts. However, it can be a red flag in addition to the presence of a lump, significant changes in the shape, size, and texture of the nipple, and abnormal fluid discharge from the nipple.
You can expand this information by consulting the article Why do my breasts hurt.
The importance of doing a breast self-exam
Now that you know why your breasts hurt after having sex, you must also understand the importance of having a regular breast self-exam for your health. With this home test, you can check if there is any significant change in your breast tissue that a doctor should check. It is a method recommended by doctors so that women become familiar with the appearance of their breasts and can go to the gynecologist immediately if they notice any lump or lump in them.
To be effective, it is advisable to do a breast self-exam once the menstrual period has ended or just a week after it ends, since this is when the breasts are less sensitive to the touch. A visual and manual examination must be carried out to do it correctly, consisting of different steps. We invite you to read the article Steps to do a breast self-examination to know what the complete procedure is, and you can repeat it yourself at home.
When to see a doctor for breast pain
It is essential to remain attentive to any discomfort, change, or alteration that occurs in the breasts, and you should go to a gynecological consultation urgently in any situation that we expose below:
- If, when performing a breast self-exam, you have noticed the presence of an unusual lump or lump in the breasts, which do not disappear after the end of menstruation.
- The breast pain is prolonged or very intense, and you cannot relieve it.
- The discomfort does not go away after the period is over.
- You have observed changes in the shape, size, texture, or appearance of your nipples.
- The nipples secrete an abnormal fluid, pus or bleed,
- If you have symptoms of mastitis during breastfeeding.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why do my breasts hurt after having sex, we recommend that you enter our category of Female reproductive system.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.