In reproductive women, it is often cyclic, occuring in the pre-menstrual phase. In older women, menopause may mean an end to symptoms, but hormone replacement may also cause when there had never been symptoms before.
Recent studies show that the rates of breast pain are much higher than had previosly been thought.
There is a lack of scientific information about what causes mastalgia Many things have been implicated as causing it. But, few have been firmly proven. Many women discover breast cancer masses because they have pain and therefore check their breasts more carefully. But, the pain is rarely related to the cancer. Nor do birth control pills contribute.