Aging, hormonal fluctuations, changes in weight, breast feeding, and injury can lead to changes with the breast. Women may experience pain, breast tenderness, swollen breasts, or one or more lumps within the breast. While the immediate concern may be one of breast cancer, often these symptoms are the result of one of a variety of medical problems called benign breast conditions.
Fibroadenomas are benign tumors which grow in the breast tissue outside the ducts.
These tumors may feel firm and rubbery and, because they aren't attached to any tissue, may move slightly when pressed with the fingers. Fibroadenomas can occur at any age, but are most commonly found in women in their twenties and thirties. Calcifications in breast tissue are tiny grains of calcium crystals. These crystals are too small to be felt during physical examination of the breast, but can be detected on a mammogram. Mastitis, an inflammation of a mammary duct, is usually caused by a blockage in the duct.