Causes of swollen nipples: menstruation, pregnancy, menopause

Each woman is very attentive, or should be, to her health. This is especially true for everything related to the monthly cycle and the condition of the mammary glands. After all, the presence or absence of pregnancy is determined by the monthly cycle, and the future feeding of the child depends on the condition of the breast. In situations where the mammary glands hurt, but there are no periods, the woman immediately begins to panic. After all, everyone knows that these are the first signs of pregnancy, but they forget that pain in the glands is the first harbinger of menstruation in absolutely all women. Accordingly, your chest hurts, and a delay in menstruation can be explained by many reasons; you should not immediately fall into panic and hysteria. Therefore, when your period is delayed, your chest hurts, your lower abdomen feels tight, and your nipples become swollen, the first thing you need to do is buy a pregnancy test at the pharmacy. If the test is negative, you should consult a doctor immediately.

For what reasons can there be a delay in menstruation and a negative test?

Among the most common reasons are the following:

• inflammation in the ovaries, which are part of the endocrine and reproductive systems;
• diseases of the reproductive organs, changes in the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, inevitably leading to ovarian dysfunction;
• polycystic disease, in which menstruation becomes irregular; if left untreated, infertility may occur;
• the presence of a tumor in the genital tract, inflammatory processes leading to changes in the menstrual cycle.

A delay in menstruation may be completely unrelated to the woman’s reproductive organs. This phenomenon often occurs during stress, mental breakdowns, overexertion, sudden climate change, heavy physical activity, professional sports, low body weight and during menopause. If there are constant delays in menstruation, a negative test and nagging pain in the lower back, you need to visit a gynecologist, consult and undergo the proposed treatment.

Treatment: how to remove spasms

If you are absolutely sure that pain in the lower abdomen is physiological in nature, or doctors have made such a conclusion based on tests and studies, you need to take measures to reduce pain in the lower abdomen. To do this you need to follow certain rules:

1. establish a daily routine;
2. develop, preferably with an experienced trainer, optimal loads;
3. limit mental and physical activity on the eve of menstruation;
4. avoid stress;
5. carefully approach various types of diets, avoid diets that deplete the body;
6. give yourself enough rest;
7. take a course of multivitamins and minerals;
8. avoid hypothermia;
9. visit a gynecologist at least once every six months.

Why does my lower back hurt when my period is late?

Lower back pain can occur due to inflammation and injuries in the pelvic area, which delays the onset of menstruation. A delay is quite likely if:

• oophoritis, inflammation of the ovarian appendage;
• salpingitis, inflammation of the fallopian tubes;
• adnexitis, inflammation of the ovaries, fallopian tubes (the delay reaches 5 days; the disease is insidious, quickly becomes chronic, leading to infertility);
• endometritis, inflammation of the uterine mucosa (at the acute stage, the stomach may hurt severely);
• vaginitis, inflammation of the vaginal walls (cutting, throbbing pain, lower back pain, frequent discharge, burning and itching of the vulva);
• salpingo-oophoritis, inflammation of the ovarian appendages and fallopian tubes;
• ovarian apoplexy;
• twist;
• fibroids, ovarian cyst.

Especially often, lower back pain is associated with oophoritis. With adnexitis, the lower back hurts periodically, inflammation is caused by sexually transmitted infections: gonorrhea, candidiasis, in which the acidity of the vagina changes, provoked by the development of the Candida fungus. Discomfort is treated with suppositories and tablets.

The process can be triggered by a fungal infection transmitted sexually by an infected partner: ureaplasmosis, chlamydia and mycoplasmosis.

Symptoms

Menstrual irregularities and pain are signs in themselves, but they can be accompanied by other symptoms. Together, the manifestations make up a clinical picture that relates to a specific disease.

At the stage of examination and questioning by a specialist, it is important to list all the disturbing symptoms. Then it will be easier for the gynecologist to establish the correct diagnosis, and the patient will receive medical care faster.

The woman's condition is aggravated by:

1. Pain syndrome. It can change localization. A woman complains that her lower back hurts on the right side, spreading to the sacral region and lower abdomen.
2. Vaginal secretion. White discharge appears from the genital tract, sometimes it becomes purulent, mucous, and watery. Vaginal secretion is almost always characterized by an unpleasant odor, and the volume varies.
3. Increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels.
4. Dyspeptic disorders - nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, bitterness in the mouth.

Other symptoms include chills, the need and desire to constantly change body position to reduce discomfort. The patient complains of bloating, problems with urination, and defecation. Additional signs - rashes on the skin of the face, chest, back; the appearance of bloody discharge from the vagina, pain when palpating the abdomen.

On the eve of a deterioration in health, a woman has a long-term decreased libido, and there is pain during intimacy.

Delayed menstruation and pregnancy

There is a definite connection between delay and pregnancy. It is important for every woman to make the connection on her own in order to know for sure when she urgently needs to see a doctor:

1. Delay 3-5 days. It’s worth waiting another 4-5 days, perhaps your period is about to come.
2. Delay 7-10 days. You need to get tested for hCG or buy a test. If the test readings are negative, you can wait another 6-7 days.
3. Delay 2-3 weeks. Repeat the test, take the hCG test again. If the tests are negative, you can wait about 1 more month.
4. Delay 1 month. Conduct an hCG test if it has not yet been done. If the diagnosis is negative, you can wait up to 2 months.
5. Delay 3-6 weeks. This is already amenorrhea or the presence of serious illnesses, chronic inflammation of the ovary, or, at best, pregnancy. If your period does not come for more than 3 months and the test is negative, then you need to undergo a detailed examination.

If the results of the test and analysis for hCG are positive, you should also consult a doctor immediately. An ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous, and this fact should be excluded with the help of a gynecologist in the early stages of pregnancy.

If the test result is positive and a few days after the delay, spotting and abdominal pain appear, then a miscarriage is suspected. You need to urgently visit a doctor.

You can talk about pregnancy only 3 weeks after conception. If there is no period, but pregnancy develops, then it can no longer be stopped using emergency methods of contraception and folk remedies. There is no need to terminate the pregnancy yourself, it is very dangerous.

Menstruation does not occur after the first sex for the following reasons:

1. It is after the first sex that the likelihood of pregnancy is very high. If you don’t have your period and more than 5 weeks have passed since your first sex, you can buy a test and get checked.
2. The first sex is usually exciting; the delay may be due to a psychological problem. If the cause is only stress, your period should come.
3. If sex occurred before the age of 15, then it is possible that the cycle has not yet fully formed and there may be a delay that is in no way related to pregnancy.

A nursing woman may not have periods for up to 1 year, and this is a completely normal physiological process (replacement of periods with the release of breast milk). If a woman does not breastfeed, her period may begin 3-4 months after birth, which is also quite normal.

Age reasons

When talking about these symptoms, it is worth paying attention to the woman’s age. Often, girls during puberty complain about the delay and the fact that their chest hurts for 2 days. It is worth remembering here that until puberty, girls have an unsettled menstrual cycle. He does not have a clear number of days between periods. Accordingly, if the girl is young, there is no need to panic on the first day of the delay. During this period of time, a delay of up to 5 days is normal. And chest pain is also normal. Not only does the cycle establish and menstruation is approaching, but the glands themselves are developing and forming.

The same symptoms are also accompanied by the age period from 45-55 years. At this time, sexual function in women fades away and the so-called menopause occurs, which is also accompanied by painful sensations in the chest and delays. And as a consequence, a complete absence of menstruation.

First aid

If the condition rapidly worsens, you should call a doctor

If your period should come, but it does not, and there is a strong pull on the lower back or side of the kidney, it is recommended to call a doctor. You can alleviate the condition before the ambulance arrives by following these rules:

• Take a position in which it will be easier to bear the pain.
• Avoid applying heat compresses, such as a heating pad or a plastic water bottle. If there is a predisposition to internal bleeding, this method will only increase it, which can cause death.
• Limit physical activity. In this case, the severity of the pain syndrome increases.

It is prohibited to take medications before the doctor arrives, including analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. If a woman becomes pregnant, they can cause adverse reactions. During this period, you can only take a No-shpa tablet.

Do swollen nipples need to be treated?

For serous inflammation, a course of antibiotics is required. Additionally, the immune system is stimulated. The doctor prescribes medications, the action of which activates the body's defenses. To eliminate pain and discomfort, painkillers and antipyretics are prescribed. The doctor prescribes medications depending on the diagnosis.

If a purulent abscess develops, surgical intervention is indicated. The operation involves removing the source of inflammation and cleaning the nipple cavity from pus. The surgeon installs drainage and performs antiseptic treatment of the area of ​​inflammation. During recovery, effective vitamin complexes and immunomodulators are prescribed. Treatment may take a long time. During the recovery period, you must adhere to the recommendations of doctors.

What other reasons could there be a delay?

In addition to all of the above reasons leading to the absence of menstruation, the following can be assumed:

• long-term use of antibiotics;
• undergoing hysteroscopy, colonoscopy, cauterization of erosion;
• abortions, miscarriages, the delay can be up to 2-3 months; if curettage occurs after this period, you need to consult a doctor for examination;
• the use of contraceptives, such as Miren, Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, Jess, Yarina (menstruation may be absent for up to 2-3 months from the start of taking them; this is normal, you should not stop taking the drugs);
• emergency contraceptives may cause a delay;
• age 40-45 years, when the functionality of the ovaries slows down (menstruation is irregular, the probability of pregnancy is no more than 5%; a slow onset of menopause is possible if the intervals between menstruation increase sharply and become constant).

The onset of menstruation may be delayed by 5-6 days, or they may not occur at all due to inflammatory processes in the kidneys: pyelonephritis, cystitis. In addition to the delay, fever, itching, burning in the vulva, and abdominal pain are often observed. The balance of internal organs is fragile, often affecting the cyclicity of menstruation.

Delay can be caused by appendicitis, adhesions, hernia, inflammation of the intestines, tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, and cancer.

With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nausea appears, the stomach hurts and cuts, and menstruation may also be absent. Many different factors can cause a delay. Not all of them are dangerous, but you should still not be prejudiced.

Sometimes treatment does not require delay. It’s good to be a knowledgeable and competent person, but no one except an experienced doctor will give the necessary recommendations. You may need to undergo lengthy and complex diagnostics. Do not forget that the lack of treatment leads to serious, sometimes irreparable consequences.

Swollen nipples in men

Hormonal disorders provoke the development of gynecomastia in men. The disease is accompanied not only by enlargement of the mammary glands, but also by swelling of the nipples. The inflammatory process in them can also begin when infection enters through cracks and micro-wounds.

In addition to hormonal disorders, pathology is caused by:

• diabetes
• alcohol abuse
• obesity
• cancer
• tumor
• cyst
• taking anabolic drugs
• taking certain medications

Very often the cause of swelling is mechanical injury to the delicate skin.

The papillae swell and ache, and there is swelling and redness. The male body reacts sharply to infection.

Diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract

A delay in menstruation can also occur due to certain disorders in the peritoneal area. They may be as follows:

• hernias or adhesions in the intestines;
• inflammatory processes in the intestines;
• intestinal oncology, as a consequence the appearance of tumors;
• inflammation of appendicitis.

If the disease is associated with the gastrointestinal tract, then in addition to the absence of four to five days of menstruation, other symptoms will appear:

• sharp, cutting pain in the lower back and abdomen;
• nauseated, possible vomiting;
• there is often constipation or diarrhea, there may be bloating;
• elevated temperature.

As you can see, a delay in menstruation, a negative test (pulling the lower abdomen and lower back) can be due to completely different diseases. Some pose no threat, others are extremely dangerous, but in any case, the body signals a failure and needs help. Be sure to consult a doctor so that you can start treatment on time and not start the disease, because there may be complications accompanied by unpleasant consequences.

When your period is late, your lower back hurts, is the test negative? The main reason is the onset of pregnancy after unprotected intercourse on a day favorable for conception. A negative test may occur if it is done too early; perhaps after a few days it will show the opposite value.

Reasons other than pregnancy

A delay in menstruation in women can occur for many reasons, and breast soreness may indicate that according to the body’s internal “clock” they should be, but physiologically they do not occur. The human body, and in particular women, is subject to a very large number of factors that affect internal processes.

These include:

1. Stress, as well as heavy physical activity. They affect the menstrual cycle, which can cause a delay of 2 days. Your period will start only on the third day. However, the psychological and physical state of health can be affected very seriously, which will cause a delay of up to 10 days. Throughout this time, tenderness of the mammary glands and uterus may be observed.
2. Climate change and atmospheric pressure changes. They also affect internal processes in the human body, from headaches and blood pressure, to delaying the onset of critical days by 3 to 5 days.
3. Changes in a woman’s weight, from sudden weight loss to sudden weight gain. Sudden weight changes in both directions greatly affect hormonal levels. In turn, hormonal levels affect the functioning of the reproductive organs and the menstrual cycle, directly. There may be a delay of up to a month. Any disease associated with hormonal levels greatly disrupts the menstrual cycle, even for one or two months. This can be either a one-time phenomenon or a permanent one. With all this, during the period when menstruation is delayed, nipples hurt for well-founded reasons.

If you have any symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor?

Consultation with a gynecologist is necessary if changes are observed in the menstrual cycle over several months. The doctor will assess the woman’s condition, prescribe the necessary tests and, if necessary, refer her to another specialist.

Urgent medical attention is needed if the following symptoms are present:

• pain that does not allow you to lead a normal life;
• discomfort in the lower abdomen that occurs when moving;
• intense bleeding from the vagina (the need to change the pad every 1–1.5 hours or more often);
• the appearance of discharge with an unpleasant odor;
• spotting on a day when there should be no menstruation, or during pregnancy (we recommend reading: discharge during pregnancy before a missed period);
• sudden pain in the side;
• fainting;
• clouding of consciousness;
• increased body temperature;
• vomit;
• pain when urinating and blood in the urine.

It is necessary to contact specialists regardless of the day of the cycle in which the symptoms appeared. The most dangerous bleeding is during pregnancy. The appearance of blood indicates an incipient miscarriage. You cannot hesitate when bleeding is accompanied by chills, vomiting and intense pain. These signs accompany an ectopic pregnancy. If you do not seek help, a woman may die from blood loss.

Diagnostic methods

After a medical examination, blood, urine, and nipple secretion tests are taken. You will need to undergo hormone tests to determine their levels in the body. Diagnostics must be comprehensive. The examination includes:

• Ultrasound of the mammary glands
• computed tomography
• histological studies

Only comprehensive measures will allow us to identify or exclude cancer, which can cause changes in the areola. Various biomaterials can be taken for research - a piece of tissue or neoplasm, secreted secretion.