If your breasts are feeling tender and therefore quite sensitive to pain, there are a number of possible reasons and remedies. Breast tenderness is one symptom of inflammatory breast cancer, a form of cancer which does not result in an obvious lump but results in thick, red, pitted skin. In this case, consult a doctor immediately. The tenderness could also be the result of a benign lump which is non-cancerous but should be checked by a doctor. The combined oral contraceptive pill, otherwise known as the pill, which aims to prevent pregnancy by making it harder for sperm to reach the egg, has side effects which could include breast tenderness. If you are taking the pill it might be advisable to try some other form of contraception, such as condoms, to see if that reduces the breast tenderness.Other side effects of the pill include breast enlargement, headaches, nausea and mood changes. Another possible reason, but one which has not been properly tested, is diet. A study showed that women who followed a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet complained of pre-period breast swelling and tenderness. However, this was not backed up by the examining doctors and was only a small study but if you follow this diet it might be worth trying to change your diet if medically safe to do so. As with all medical cases, if the breast tenderness is getting to the point at which you are unable to live normally or you are worried that it is beginning to affect your health then you must consult with your doctor immediately. It could be that the tenderness in your breast is merely the symptom of a greater problem and in many cases, such as cancer, the earlier it is caught, the better chance you have of being successfully treated.
