Every woman, without exception, is worried and inadvertently suspects the worst when her chest begins to hurt during pregnancy. In fact, this is not a big deal, since this phenomenon is based on physiological reasons.
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Causes of tenderness and engorgement of the mammary glands
During pregnancy, chest pain appears due to a number of natural changes that fall on the female body as a result of conception. The mammary glands are overly sensitive even to the slightest hormonal fluctuations. For this reason, a sharp change in the hormonal background almost always provokes discomfort in this organ.
The main cause of pain in the mammary glands is an increased level of hCG and other hormones. This condition is necessary to prepare for HB.
We can say that during this period, the female breast goes through the process of "improvement" and prepares to perform the functions intended for her by nature. The milky ducts become wider, and the areas responsible for lactation are activated. The whole process is almost always accompanied by some unpleasant sensations.
In other cases, the cause of pain can be inappropriate underwear, which compresses the chest and interferes with normal blood circulation. As the breasts increase in volume, the old bras may simply become too small, so it makes sense to buy suitable, convenient sets of a larger size. It is better to immediately buy special clothes for pregnant and lactating.Many models have inserts in which pads can be inserted to protect the laundry from the colostrum that stands out.
Not all women suffer from this unpleasant phenomenon, some bypass this problem. It was noted that overweight pregnant women more often complain of pain.
The nature of pain at different times
Many expectant mothers feel swelling and engorgement of the mammary glands, heaviness, tingling. These unpleasant changes can be observed both in one breast, and in two at once. Sometimes painful sensations appear only in the area of the nipples: they become too sensitive, hurt when touched, itching is often observed.
The nature of the pain can be different: it is tingling, and bursting, and a feeling of fullness, and swelling, and pressure. Unpleasant sensations can even be given to the armpits.
The pain is mild, moderate and severe. In the latter case, the mobility of the arms and upper chest may even be limited. As a rule, in addition to this, the areoles darken, the venous reticulum is more clearly drawn, the skin acquires a slightly bluish tint, colostrum may appear in the period before delivery.
How long is considered the norm
In the early stages, such sensations are the norm, since at this time the period of adaptation to hormonal changes simply passes.
But do not panic if some discomfort persists in both the other and third trimester.
This is not a pathology, but only if such pain does not combine with other symptoms:
- the appearance of strange secretions (not colostrum);
- shape change or asymmetry;
- the presence of compaction, heterogeneous structure of the fabric;
- temperature rise;
- general severe malaise.
In such cases, you need to contact a mammologist and undergo an examination: take a blood test, sign up for an ultrasound.
Already in the middle of the second trimester, preparation for lactation begins, accompanied by the production of prolactin, which is responsible for the production of colostrum. At this time, the milky ducts become wider, and the connective tissue is gradually replaced by adipose. Pain sensations appear in the morning, and then disappear. The mammary glands can increase by 20 weeks by a couple of sizes.
Duration of illness
The changes that appear, as a rule, begin to alarm women around the 7th week of pregnancy. In rare cases, the pain appears a few days before the expected date of menstruation, which will never come.
Most often, painful sensations are observed only in the first trimester, and then disappear. But it happens that discomfort persists until the very delivery.
Pain can also accompany an ectopic pregnancy, in which there is no question of further bearing and childbirth. This condition is a considerable danger to a woman. Therefore, at the first suspicion of your new situation, you must consult a doctor and undergo an examination. If your chest hurt, but then all the discomfort disappeared sharply (this mainly happens at the end of the second month), you should immediately consult a gynecologist. This may be a signal of fetal death.
Is pain always associated with conception
Of course, pain in the mammary glands is not always evidence that a woman will become a mother. Discomfort can appear before the onset of menstruation, during menopause and in other cases.
Ideally, a healthy woman's breasts should not hurt at all. But since there are almost no completely healthy people now, many still complain about such sensations. Often pain can be a signal of some diseases, especially if it is accompanied by a change in the shape of the chest, the appearance of lumps and unusual discharge.
Tips of the obstetrician-gynecologist
If your chest swells and hurts, you can take note of these simple tips:
- Choose a comfortable underwear. The bra should be made of natural fabrics.It is worth giving preference to models with a minimal amount of decor (any ruffles, bows, decoration will only cause discomfort), wide straps and pitted. During the fitting, you need to pay attention to whether the laundry is rubbing the skin, whether it is pressing. It is also necessary to ensure that the chest is slightly raised in order to improve blood flow and relieve discomfort. You can immediately buy special models with mounts, which after delivery can be used during breastfeeding.
- Wear underwear all the time. If the pain bothers around the clock, then the bra should not be removed even during a night's rest, but in this case it is better to give preference to sports models or tops.
- Properly care for this area of the body. Wash only with hard water and baby soap, regularly apply nourishing creams to protect against stretch marks and dry out skin.
- Temper. Already from 5 - 6 months you can take air baths and carry out dousing using warm and cool water. This will help improve blood circulation, metabolism and overall skin condition.
- Perform simple exercises for the arms, neck, and chest. This must be done in order to improve lymphatic outflow.
- Eat right. It is necessary to include leafy greens, beans, peas, nuts (remove excess sensitivity), ginger root and flax seed (improve blood circulation), lemon (increases vascular tone) in the diet. Drinking plenty of clean water and reducing salt intake is also recommended. It is useful to drink tea from ginger and chamomile (no more than 2 cups per day), warm milk with honey.
Compliance with these rules may not remove the discomfort completely, but it will definitely help to improve your well-being. Pain in the chest during the bearing of the child is quite natural, exactly the same as its absence. But this does not mean at all that you should try your best to endure the discomfort. This problem should be discussed with a doctor who will tell you how to remove the discomfort.
