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Research Paper | Surgery | India | Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
Etiology, Presentation, and Management of Mastalgia in Women: A Comprehensive Study
Dr. Tabassum Ahmed [3] | Dr. Siddhartha Sankar Bhattacharjee | Dr. Nitu Singh
Abstract: Introduction: Mastalgia may afflict as much as seventy percent of females in their entire lifespan (1, 2) . The increased awareness among the public about breast malignancy and the rightful concern that mastalgia may be indicative of a disease condition necessitates the identification of the cause and treatment of breast pain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the different causes of mastalgia and to describe the breast pathologies presenting with mastalgia and their management. Patient and Methods: The data of 252 women with complains of mastalgia were assessed usingvarious epidemiological parameters. The international protocol of triple assessment was used to investigate a lump in the breast. Clinically and radiologically healthy patients were treated with reassurance, evening primrose oil and vitamins, analgesics and danazol. Immediate surgical treatment in the form of incision and drainage was advised to patients found to have a breast abscess and clinically worrisome lumps were excised and sent for histopathological analysis. Response to therapy was noted in terms of visual analogue scores of breast pain. Results: The mean age and standard deviation of the patients in our series is 32.56 ?11.02 years. Lump was seen in 37.30% women. Bilateral mastalgia was seen in 33.73%, unilateral mastalgia in 66.27%, cyclical breast pain in40.48%and non - cyclical in59.52%. Radiologically, 46.03% showed no abnormality. Out of 123 women presenting with lump/nodularity on clinical examination, 22.62% was diagnosed to be fibroadenoma on FNAC, 11.51%was fibrocystic disease, 9.13% breast abscess, 2.78%galactocele, 0.4%phyllodestumour, 1.19% carcinoma and 1.19%simple benign cyst. Women who were treated with analgesics and reassurance showed significant improvement in the VAS scores. Evening primrose oil reduced pain in only 4 patients out of the 95 women initially started with evening primrose oil. All 49 of our patients with surgery indicated reported some pain relief with surgery, however, further data and tests are required to determine the effect of surgical intervention on mastalgia. Most patients that were offered danazol as a treatment modality refused compliance to this drug. Conclusion: Breast pain is mainly a clinical condition prevalent among females of reproductive age group. Lumpiness of one or both breasts is a frequently associated complaint. Non - cyclical and unilateral mastalgia is more prevalent than cyclical, bilateral mastalgia among women. In our study, majority of the cases of mastalgia were due to benign etiology. Reassurance and analgesics were beneficial to most patients. Danazol was not acceptable by most people. The efficacy of primrose oil and surgery cannot be adequately commented upon from our study.
Keywords: Mastalgia, breast pain, etiology, presentation, management
Edition: Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023,
Pages: 1670 - 1679