There are many conditions that have the potential to cause burning breast pain. Among the most common are the hormone fluctuations that accompany a woman’s menstrual cycle and the presence of cysts and other non-cancerous growths in the breasts of women who are between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Sometimes, burning pain is the result of a temporary condition, such as a clogged milk duct or an infection of the breast. It may also develop as a sign that the affected person has breast cancer.
Some women may notice breast pain that develops in relation to their menstrual cycles. For example, a woman may have burning pain that develops right before she begins to menstruate each month or in the initial days of each cycle. Some women may also notice it around the time they ovulate. This type of breast pain is usually caused by fluctuations in hormone levels.
A woman may also have non-cyclic burning breast pain, which means the pain doesn’t seem to be connected to her menstrual cycle. This is most common in women who are at least 30 years old but not older than 50 years old. In some cases, the cause of the pain is difficult to identify. When it is identifiable, however, a cyst or other type of non-cancerous growth is often at fault.
Sometimes, burning pain develops because of a clogged milk duct. A woman who is breast feeding may notice a lump in her breast that is accompanied by redness in the area and a burning sensation. In many cases, the woman may note that the affected area of the breast is tender to the touch as well. Typically, clogged milk ducts are caused by milk that is not draining sufficiently. In some cases, a clogged duct that is left untreated eventually becomes a breast infection.
Breast cancer is among the possible causes of burning breast pain as well. Depending on the stage of cancer, the growth of cancerous cells may be restricted to the breast or include the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. If the cancer has spread to involve other parts of the body, it is called metastatic breast cancer.