Breast Problems
Soothing Tactics for Pain, Tenderness and Worry
Few things in life are as unnerving as feeling a lump or pain in your breast. You may be the most unflappable of women, without a hypochondriac's aching bone in your body, yet still find yourself thinking the worst.
"Women wonder, 'What is this I'm feeling? Is it cancer?'" says Linda Dyson, doctor of naturopathy and professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Bastyr University of Naturopathic Medicine in Seattle.
It probably isn't. Most lumps aren't cancerous, says Marilyn Mitchell, M.D., a holistic physician in Palatine and Mount Prospect, Illinois, and associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago. And pain is rarely a sign of breast cancer, she says.
Truth is, normal breast tissue feels lumpy and may feel painful at various points during your menstrual cycle. So before you rush out for a consultation with your doctor, it's wise to look at a few facts about your monthly changes.
ANATOMY OF A LUMP
If you could look inside your breasts, you'd see a network of milk glands, milk ducts and connective tissue surrounded by fat. The size and shape of pumpkin seeds, the milk glands and ducts can swell so that they feel like small, hard lumps.
Breasts are at their lumpiest about a week before your period. "Most women have normal lumps," says Dr. Mitchell.
How do you know that they're normal? The trick is getting to know your breasts through a self-exam so that you're better able to detect unusual changes. Because every woman has lumps during the second half of her cycle, the best time to do a self-exam is right after your period, during the first half of your cycle. That way, you'll get to know what's normal for you during that time of the month.
RELIEF FOR LUMPY, PAINFUL BREASTS
Two conditions--fibrocystic breast disease and what doctors call fibroadenoma--are associated with changes in the breast.
If it's a fibrocystic condition, your breasts will feel both lumpy and painful before your period. The milk glands in your breasts may enlarge and feel like hard lumps, your breasts' connective tissue may thicken and feel ropey or the glands may get blocked and filled with fluid, forming cysts, Dr. Mitchell says. Both the pain and lumpiness usually go away once you get your period. Though a higher than usual estrogen-to-progesterone level during the second half of your cycle makes it worse, no one knows exactly what causes the condition in the first place.
With a fibroadenoma, your milk glands enlarge, forming a nodule that feels like a solid, rubbery lump. No one knows exactly what causes fibroadenomas, either, Dr. Mitchell says. If you have a fibroadenoma, you won't have pain, and the lumpiness won't change over the course of your cycle.
Though most lumps are benign, you should always have a doctor check any new ones that you discover during your monthly exams. If your doctor thinks that the lumps are unusual in any way, she may follow up with a number of different tests. Your physician may do a mammogram (a breast x-ray) or an ultrasound scan (a test that uses sound waves to produce an image of the inside of your body) to make sure a lump isn't cancerous. She may also perform a fine-needle aspiration test, inserting a thin, hollow needle into the lump. If the lump is a cyst, she may do a needle biopsy, which involves withdrawing fluid from it and causing the lump to collapse and disappear. If the lump is solid, she'll remove some cells and examine them under a microscope (also called a biopsy).
Should the examination turn up cells that look suspiciously like cancer, your doctor will recommend removing the lump.
If, on the other hand, your doctor feels that the lump is harmless, you don't necessarily have to have it removed, says Adriane Fugh-Berman, M.D., former head of field investigations for the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
NATURALLY SOOTHING ALTERNATIVES
Alternative remedies can help shrink noncancerous lumps and prevent new ones. And various alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter painkillers can help relieve breast tenderness and pain and keep lumps at bay, says Dr. Dyson. "I don't tell women who try these remedies to expect relief in the first menstrual cycle," she says. "It may take several cycles. But definitely by the second cycle they should be seeing some improvement."
A Diet to Prevent Breast Cancer In Asian countries, breast cancer rates are lower than those in the United States. Research suggests that the Asian diet, which includes less fat and meat and more soy food than ours, offers significant protection. Diet has a considerable effect on breast cancer risk, according to Steve Austin, naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon, and co-author of Breast Cancer: What You Should Know (but May Not Be Told) about Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment. So, one of the simplest ways to cut your risk is to change your diet, he says. Here is his list of the breast cancerÂfighting dietary changes that you can make today. Avoid alcohol. The more you drink, Dr. Austin says, the higher your risk of breast cancer. Why? Alcohol seems to interfere with your liver's ability to clear excess estrogen from your body. That's bad. The higher your exposure to estrogen, research finds, the higher your breast cancer risk. Shun fat. "Population studies show that every country where the diet is low in fat has a low risk of breast cancer, and every country where the diet is high in fat has a high risk," Dr. Austin says. Research suggests that a diet high in saturated animal fats (bacon, butter, cheese and so forth) in particular may prompt your body to produce more estrogen. Unfortunately, moderate reductions in fat intake don't seem to help much. Think "major cuts," he suggests. If you want more suggestions, see the low-fat menus beginning on page 129. There, you'll see that it is possible to slash fat. Switch to olive oil. Mostly monounsaturated fat, olive oil doesn't affect your body the way that saturated fat does, Dr. Austin says. A study of more than 2,000 women in Greece suggests that those who used olive oil more than once a day had a 25 percent lower risk of breast cancer than women who used olive oil less often. Befriend fatty fish. Substances known as omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish like tuna and salmon. In the laboratory, mice injected with human breast cancer cells developed smaller, less invasive tumors when fed these fatty acids. Serve soy. Soy foods such as soybeans, soy nuts and soy milk are rich in phytoestrogens, plant chemicals that seem to protect against breast cancer. As these chemicals latch on to your body's estrogen receptor cells, they crowd out your body's own estrogen, a suspected "fuel" for breast cancer. Women who live in countries where people eat lots of soy have lower rates of breast cancer. Shoot for one to two ounces of soy nuts, a four-ounce serving of tofu or a couple cups of soy milk daily, Dr. Austin says. Sprinkle on flaxseed. These tiny edible seeds contain substances called lignans that seem to help fight off breast cancer. Studies at the University of Toronto suggest that flaxseed both inhibits and slows the progression of breast cancer. Grind the seed in a coffee grinder or food processor for a few seconds so that it's easier to digest. Then sprinkle the seed on your cereal or salad, Dr. Austin suggests. Flaxseed oil won't do, though--it doesn't contain enough lignan, he says. Pick brightly colored organic produce. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of cancer-fighting vitamin C and beta-carotene. This is particularly true of the bright orange, yellow, red and green fruits and vegetables, such as butternut squash, oranges, peaches, red peppers and spinach. Cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale and collard greens are also high in phytochemicals (chemicals naturally found in plants), which may inhibit estrogen synthesis and guard you from estrogen overload. In one study, women who ate the most fruits and vegetables were least likely to get breast cancer. Shoot for at least five servings a day, Dr. Austin says. And look for organic produce, since certain chemicals sprayed on crops can have adverse estrogen-like effects on your body. Refuse refined foods. "A high-fiber diet may help the body cleanse itself of excess estrogen," Dr. Austin says. It'll also help you control your weight because bulky, high-fiber food fills you up before you can pack in lots of calories. Weight control is key since body fat actually manufactures a type of estrogen. So choose brown rice over white rice and whole-wheat pasta over refined. And remember those fruits and vegetables. Season with garlic. This savory, aromatic herb seems to stimulate the immune system functions. Garlic appears to protect against a wide variety of cancers, including breast cancer, according to Dr. Austin. Sip green tea. "Asian societies in which women consume a lot of green tea tend to have less breast cancer--and less cancer in general," Dr. Austin says. Plant chemicals called polyphenols seem to be responsible. You can also get polyphenols (although in small amounts) in black tea. |
What Naturopathic Medicine Has to Offer
One of the first things that you should do if you have breast pain or lumps is scrutinize your diet, says Dr. Dyson. What you eat or drink may be the culprit.
Call a moratorium on methylxanthines. Cola, chocolate, tea and coffee all contain methylxanthines--naturally occurring substances that may contribute to lumpiness and pain, says Dr. Dyson. "Sometimes just cutting out foods and beverages that contain methylxanthines can get the pain to go away."
Scope out fat. High estrogen levels seem to aggravate breast pain and lumpiness. That's why you're likely to have these problems in the middle of your cycle, when your endocrine system boosts estrogen production, says Christiane Northrup, M.D., in her book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. Dr. Northrup is also a practitioner of obstetrics and gynecology in Yarmouth, Maine, and assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington.
Since a high-fat diet seems to boost estrogen levels even further, cutting back on fat should help alleviate and prevent pain and lumpiness. "Try to get less than 20 percent of your daily calories from fat," says Dr. Dyson. "Getting 5 to 10 percent of calories from fat would be ideal."
To do this, you'll have to stop adding fat when you cook and when you sit down to eat. (For tips on cutting fat, see page 136.) Research suggests that similar cuts in fat can reduce your risk of breast cancer as well.
Fill up on fiber. Eat a high-fiber diet and your body's estrogen levels will fall, notes Dr. Northrup.
What's considered high fiber? Shoot for two servings of fruits, four servings of vegetables and three to four servings of whole grains daily, suggests Leslie Axelrod, a naturopathic physician in Phoenix and a supervising physician at the Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Go vegetarian. "Researchers have found that women who eat vegetarian diets excrete more estrogen, which is probably because vegetarian diets tend to be higher in fiber," says Dr. Axelrod. (For more information on vegetarian diets, see page 286.)
Buy organic. Many farmers feed their animals and spray their crops with chemicals that act like estrogen in the human body, says Steve Austin, naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon, and co-author of Breast Cancer: What You Should Know (but May Not Be Told) about Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment. If you choose to eat meat and dairy, buy beef and poultry that has been fed organic grain (look for it on the packaging), and milk from organically fed herds, he suggests. Also, look for organically grown produce.
Soothe with evening primrose. An effective anti-inflammatory, evening primrose oil can soothe pain and help shrink lumps, says Dr. Dyson.
Look for evening primrose oil in health food stores, and add a tablespoon to your morning oatmeal or sprinkle it over your salad. Or take one or two capsules two or three times a day, says Dr. Fugh-Berman.
Caution: If you're pregnant, wait until after your baby is born, since the oil can cause miscarriage and premature birth.
| How I Healed Myself Naturally Evening Primrose Oil for Fibrocystic Breasts Elizabeth Bauer, a 28-year-old photographer from Smethport, Pennsylvania, started to experience breast discomfort in her early twenties. "Two weeks before my period, my breasts would get lumpy and swollen and painful," says Bauer. "They'd be so tender that it would hurt when I walked downstairs or ran. After my period, the symptoms would go away for two weeks, then come back. "I talked to gynecologists--they said I had fibrocystic breasts," says Bauer. "They mentioned that caffeine and chocolate could make fibrocystic breasts worse and suggested that I cut back. I tried, but I still had the symptoms every month." Bauer decided to look into some herbal remedies. "I tried evening primrose oil, which comes in liquid form in a little bottle with a dropper cap and is available at most health food stores. It's simple: I add three drops to a beverage and drink it." Evidence suggests that evening primrose oil works by acting as an anti-inflammatory, reducing pain and swelling in sensitive breast tissues. "When I use evening primrose oil regularly, I can really feel a difference," says Bauer. "I can go through the whole month with no breast discomfort." |
Help from Vitamins and Minerals
Certain nutritional supplements can help your body eliminate excess estrogen. They soothe symptoms because excess estrogen contributes to breast pain and lumpiness.
Other supplements reduce inflammation and breast pain in other ways, says Dr. Dyson. But whatever your breast problem, here are some things that can help.
Add extra E. Some practitioners believe that vitamin E encourages your body to excrete excess estrogen. "At least one-third to one-half of fibroadenomas show some improvement with vitamin E," says Dr. Dyson. She recommends starting with 600 international units (IU) a day (20 times the Daily Value) and working up to 800 IU if necessary. But be sure to consult your doctor if you are considering taking doses above 600 IU.
Take C. When pain and lumpiness are at their worst, try 500 milligrams of vitamin C every couple of hours, for a total daily intake of 3,000 to 5,000 milligrams, says Dr. Dyson. She states that doses this high will ease and prevent inflammation. But doses higher than 1,200 milligrams may also cause diarrhea, so be aware of that, and cut back on the dosage if you begin to have a diarrhea problem.
BREAST PAIN AND TENDERNESS:
BANISH DISCOMFORT
Sometimes you can have breast pain without the lumps. The culprit may be mastitis, a bacterial infection that's most common in nursing mothers. Or, it may be swelling due to water retention. You'll know you have mastitis if the pain is accompanied by fever, redness and warmth in your breast, says Dr. Mitchell. Here's what to do.
Naturopathic Solutions
Hot compresses, held to your breast, do a good job soothing most types of pain, Dr. Axelrod says.
Compress with castor oil. Hot compresses soaked in castor oil are particularly helpful, Dr. Axelrod says. To make a castor-oil pack, soak a piece of wool flannel with castor oil. Wrap one side in plastic wrap, then in a towel, and hold the pack against your breast, so that the oil-soaked flannel touches your skin. Finally, cover the pack with a heating pad or hot-water bottle. Dr. Northrup suggests that you repeat this entire procedure for an hour at a time, three times a week over the course of two or three months.
Warning: Castor oil is toxic if ingested and could harm a nursing infant, Dr. Axelrod says. So don't rely on this remedy if you develop mastitis during the time that you're nursing.
Soak in ginger tea. Compresses soaked in ginger tea can also help relieve the pain of mastitis, Dr. Axelrod says. To brew the tea, add four tablespoons of chopped fresh ginger to one quart of water, boil for a half-hour and allow to cool.
While the tea is warm, dip a towel into it. Hold the towel to your breast for 20 to 60 minutes, every few hours. If the pain doesn't diminish within 24 hours, see your doctor for treatment.
