Breast biopsies are not uncomfortable: in-office breast biopsies are performed with local anesthesia, and patients will feel some discomfort from the local anesthesia injections. Surgical biopsies, meanwhile, are performed with general anesthesia, so there is no discomfort during the procedure. Stereotactic biopsies are accompanied by a mammogram, which involves the extended compression of the breast, which can be unpleasant but should not be painful.
After the biopsy is performed, pain is generally managed successfully with over-the-counter pain medications or a pain killer to take as needed for the first 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the type of biopsy.