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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffBreast pain (mastalgia) is a common type of discomfort among women — affecting as many as seven in 10 women at some point in their lives.
About 10 percent of women have moderate to severe breast pain more than five days a month. In some cases, severe breast pain lasts throughout the menstrual cycles. Postmenopausal women can experience breast pain, but the symptom occurs more frequently in younger, premenopausal women and perimenopausal women. When it's severe, breast pain can have a major impact on daily activities, work and relationships.
Breast pain alone rarely signifies breast cancer. Still, if you have unexplained breast pain that persists, causes worry about breast cancer or otherwise disrupts your life, get checked by your doctor.
