Breast pain when taking contraceptive pills

It is completely normal for women taking contraceptive pills to experience pain around the breasts and breast tenderness. You can proactively find ways to reduce this condition. However, if the side effects persist or become severe, you should see a doctor for advice and a prescription for another medication.

1. Why do breasts feel tense and painful when taking contraceptive pills?

During the first 3 menstrual cycles of taking contraceptive pills, hormonal changes often cause some unwanted side effects. Among them, edema and pain around the breasts are common side effects in most women.

The hormones in contraceptive pills (including estrogen and progesterone) often cause an increase in breast size. This organ will shrink after the first period of taking the pill (about a few menstrual cycles) or after stopping the pill. Enlarged breasts lead to a state of tension, pain, or extreme sensitivity to touch.

The higher the hormone content of the pills, the higher the risk of side effects that increase breast size. This is one of the reasons why doctors need to consider prescribing drugs that contain the minimum amount of hormones, to minimize the possibility of side effects when taking contraceptive pills, while still ensuring the effectiveness of the drug.

Breast pain when taking contraceptive pills is usually not serious and you can take proactive measures to reduce it.

Breast pain in the first 3 cycles of taking contraceptive pills is common in most women
Breast pain in the first 3 cycles of taking contraceptive pills is common in most women

2. How to relieve breast pain when taking contraceptive pills

2.1. Wear a comfortable bra

Padded bras can cause skin irritation and are not suitable for long-term wear. To reduce breast pain when taking contraceptive pills, you should choose a bra without an underwire and a size slightly larger than your bust, to help you feel more comfortable and avoid causing additional stimulation when your breasts are tense. In addition, you should wear bras made of soft, stretchy material to make your breasts feel most comfortable.

2.2. Adjust your diet

  • Limit foods containing caffeine: Eliminating caffeine from your diet can reduce breast pain when taking contraceptive pills. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, and some over-the-counter medications.

  • Reduce bad fats: You should build a diet low in fat, especially saturated fat. This helps reduce estrogen levels and improve premenstrual breast tenderness. Foods high in saturated fat include red meat, dairy products, and foods high in animal fats.

  • Vitamin supplements: You can take vitamin E and vitamin B6 in moderation as directed by your doctor or pharmacist to reduce breast pain when taking contraceptive pills. Foods rich in these two vitamins are spinach, turnip greens, kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, fruits, nuts and beans.

Adding vitamins to your diet can help reduce breast pain when taking contraceptive pills
Adding vitamins to your diet can help reduce breast pain when taking contraceptive pills

2.3. Gentle exercise

To reduce breast pain when taking contraceptive pills, you should do gentle exercises, such as walking, cycling, yoga or deep breathing exercises. This will help you reduce symptoms such as stress, anxiety, fatigue, etc. Walking regularly also helps you sleep better and deeper at night, strengthens your immune system, and keeps your body healthy.

2.4. Take time to relax your whole body

You should let your body relax to reduce stress and regenerate energy. Methods to help relax your whole body are taking a warm bath, going to sauna or spa.

In addition, you also need to arrange your work so that you are not stressed, get enough sleep to keep your body healthy, and not be exhausted when you are uncomfortable due to the effects of contraceptive pills.

Breast pain when taking contraceptive pills will be somewhat reduced if you know how to take care of yourself. If you notice breast pain accompanied by unusual symptoms, the condition persists or becomes more serious, you need to see a doctor to find out the cause and handle it properly.

To arrange an appointment, please call HOTLINE or make your reservation directly HERE. You may also download the MyVinmec app to schedule appointments faster and manage your reservations more conveniently.

Reference source: goldenchoice.com.vn

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