Sore Nipples

Sore Nipples

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Sore nipples and nipple pain can be caused by many things like pregnancy and breastfeeding, allergic reactions or infection. In rare cases, it’s a sign of cancer. Treatment for sore nipples depends on the cause.

American Academy of Family Physicians. Changes in Your Body During Pregnancy: First Trimester. (https://familydoctor.org/changes-in-your-body-during-pregnancy-first-trimester/) Accessed 5/31/2022.
Australian Breastfeeding Association. Sore/cracked nipples. (https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/common-concerns%E2%80%93mum/sore-cracked-nipples) Accessed 5/31/2022.
National Cancer Institute. Paget Disease of the Breast. (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/paget-breast-fact-sheet) Accessed 5/31/2022.
National Health Service. Breastfeeding and thrush. (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding-problems/thrush/) Accessed 5/31/2022.
Breastcancer.org. Signs and symptoms of breast cancer. (https://www.breastcancer.org/signs-symptoms) Accessed 5/31/2022.

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Many things can cause nipple soreness or painful nipples. Along with discomfort or sensitivity, you can also experience itching, redness or changes in the texture of your skin around your nipple.
In most cases, sore nipples are caused by hormonal changes from pregnancy or menstruation, allergies or friction from clothing. In rare cases, it can be a sign of a serious disease like breast cancer . Your healthcare provider should evaluate any pain that's accompanied by discharge or lumps as soon as possible.
Everyone experiences nipple soreness or tenderness differently. Some may describe their nipples as being:

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Symptoms of nipple pain or tenderness vary from person to person depending on the cause.
The hormonal changes that occur as part of menstruation can cause breast tenderness and sore nipples. Most cases of breast or nipple tenderness occur just before menstruation begins (in the days just before your period). This is because estrogen and progesterone cause your breast tissue to swell.
Similarly, other life events like menopause or beginning puberty can also cause your hormones to shift, triggering side effects like nipple pain.
Hormonal birth control can also cause changes that lead to nipple soreness.
Pregnancy is a common reason for many bodily changes, including changes to your breasts. Nipple and breast soreness may be an early sign of pregnancy due to the sharp increase in hormones. Your nipples may become larger, darker and more sensitive during pregnancy.
A bad latch causes most cases of nipple pain or soreness related to breastfeeding (nursing). A latch is how your baby is positioned on your breast. A good latch involves your baby accepting your entire nipple and areola in their mouth. If your baby is sucking on just your nipple, it can make breastfeeding extremely painful. If your pain continues beyond the first few weeks, talk to your healthcare provider. Most breastfeeding pain resolves within the first month of breastfeeding.
If you’re pumping breast milk, you can experience nipple pain from using a breast shield (also called a breast pump flange) that’s the incorrect size. A breast shield is a plastic piece that fits over your areola and nipple. Strong suction makes a poor-fitting breast shield even worse.
Check with your healthcare provider or a lactation consultant if you believe nursing or your breast pump is causing your nipple pain.
Bras or shirts can rub against your nipples and cause soreness and pain. It’s especially common in runners ( joggers nipple ) and athletes. The friction from clothing or poor-fitting bras can cause your nipples to get dry, red or chapped. Wearing a bandage over your nipple during exercise or applying a petroleum-based ointment can help prevent nipple chafing.
Trauma to your nipple during sex or from nipple piercings can cause pain and irritation. If you have a piercing, check for signs of infection like swelling or pus-like discharge. If nipple soreness is caused by rough foreplay, it should improve over time.
Cracked and sore nipples are prone to infection because the open skin allows for bacteria to get in. Your nipples can become cracked for several reasons, such as during breastfeeding or from trauma. Common reasons are:
Reactions to skin irritants like detergents, soaps, perfume or lotions are a common cause of nipple soreness or itching skin. If the pain is accompanied by blisters, scaly patches or redness on your nipple area, it could be a skin condition called dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is caused by products or irritants touching your skin. Atopic dermatitis (or eczema) is usually related to allergies or your immune system. Both can affect your nipples.
Paget’s disease of the breast or breast cancer can cause nipple pain. In addition to sharp pain or itching, you might also have nipple discharge, lumps on your breast or your nipple may change shape (turn inward or become inverted). Although nipple pain caused by cancer is rare, you should contact your healthcare provider if you experience any of these symptoms.
Ovulation can cause sore nipples due to hormonal changes that occur during your menstrual cycle. However, it’s more common to experience nipple tenderness in the days just before your period.
There can be several reasons your nipples are sensitive to touch other than pregnancy. If you're not pregnant, other causes could be hormonal shifts due to menstruation or birth control, trauma or infection. If you experience prolonged soreness that’s accompanied by a lump or nipple discharge, contact your healthcare provider right away.
In most cases, you can pinpoint the cause of your nipple soreness. If you can't, or the pain and soreness persist for several days, you may need to see your healthcare provider. Your provider may ask you questions about when the pain started or if the pain is related to your period, clothing or previous nipple trauma.
If the cause can’t be determined, your provider may order a mammogram or ultrasound to look at your breasts.
It depends on the cause. Sometimes all your nipples need is some time to heal. Your healthcare provider may recommend medications or ointments to speed up the healing process.
Pain caused by hormonal changes associated with menstruation can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Most people feel relief after 24 or 48 hours.
Nipple pain caused by poor-fitting bras or shirts can be treated by changing fabrics or purchasing new clothes. Placing a bandage or petroleum-based ointment over your nipples can reduce chafing or rubbing.
If you’re nursing or pumping breast milk, visiting a lactation consultant may be beneficial. They can help with your baby's latch or feeding positions and ensure your breast pump fits correctly. Other solutions for nipple pain during breastfeeding include lanolin ointment and cold compresses. Antibiotics are used if the pain is being caused by an infection like thrush or mastitis.
A topical anti-inflammatory cream may help with inflammation and pain caused by an allergic reaction. Similarly, an oral antihistamine can help reduce symptoms caused by allergies.
In the case of cancer or other breast diseases, treatment could involve radiation, chemotherapy , surgery or a mastectomy (surgically removing your breasts). Sore nipples alone don’t mean you have cancer. Along with nipple pain, you might also have nipple discharge, lumps on your breast or your nipple may turn inward.
Sore nipples are usually not a cause for worry or a sign of cancer. However, you should contact your provider if:
Nipple soreness or pain is common and can be caused by many factors. It’s usually harmless and doesn’t cause complications. In most cases, it goes away on its own or can be managed with over-the-counter medication or ointments. Call your healthcare provider if you develop other symptoms and nipple pain, such as lumps in your breasts or discharge from your nipples.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/31/2022.

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Have you been experiencing nipple tenderness? If such symptom is not an ordinary part of your menstrual cycle, you may be wondering what’s going on with your body.
Sore or tender nipples range from unpleasant to straight out painful. And even if your symptoms are on the milder side of the spectrum, they can be worrisome. Below are 10 of the most common causes of nipple tenderness and what you can do about it.
Many women experience sore breasts or nipples during their menstrual cycle. This is because the fluctuation in hormones cause so many changes within the breasts: mammary glands swell, which may also make your breasts feel heavy and dense.
Home Remedy: While the feelings will subside within a couple of days, there are several things you can do to reduce discomfort: limit caffeine, sodium, and alcohol intake and consume nutrient-dense foods, such as spinach, avocados, bananas, and carrots. Wearing a sports bra also provides better support than wearing a regular bra, which helps with the feeling of heaviness.
Check out this diagram from BBC on what your body is doing in your menstrual cycle.
BBC- Hormones in the menstrual cycle
When you become pregnant, your hormones tend to go a little crazy, and the breast tissue is very sensitive to hormones. This is why pregnancy tends to make your breasts and nipples feel fuller and more tender. At around eight weeks of pregnancy, the areolas become bigger, darker, and more sensitive.
Breast tenderness is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy. In fact, it’s one of the first signs a woman notices right before finding out she’s expecting a baby. This is due to hormones called estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen helps prime milk-making ducts for breastfeeding, while progesterone forms a thick lining around the uterus and also stimulates the growth of breast tissue. Therefore, tenderness and soreness come with the territory.
That being said, there are certain things you can do to alleviate the discomfort.
To minimize the pain, try these tips:
According to Mama Natural , here is a sore nipple remedy you can make at home:
Ingredients for Sore Nipples Remedy
But there is another cause of tender nipples during pregnancy that is often overlooked. Your breasts get larger when you are pregnant. When this happens, your breasts could become too large for your bra. This increase in size can put pressure on your bra and cause pain and soreness.
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If you are breastfeeding, that is most likely the reason you have sore nipples. Sore nipples do not always occur during breastfeeding, but it is most likely to happen when the baby does not latch on properly.
How to Treat: There are several things you can do to help reduce the pain. Start feeding your baby on the side that is not as sore. When you are done breastfeeding, use your small finger to break the suction of your baby’s month instead of just pulling him back.
Mastitis is the medical term for inflammation of the breast tissue due to blocked milk ducts, and it’s common in breastfeeding mothers. The symptoms include tenderness, swelling, and a burning sensation when lactating. The skin may also feel warm to the touch, become bright red, and you may also develop a fever.
How to Treat: To prevent flare-ups, make sure your baby drinks all the milk in one breast before switching him or her to the other one. This will allow the ducts to become fully drained. Also make sure to wear a comfortable bra, since wearing one that’s too tight will aggravate the condition.
A warm damp washcloth applied to the nipple and ibuprofen can help soothe the pain. However, you should see a healthcare provider if the symptoms do not improve in 24 hours.
If you like to work out, you are fully aware that even when you go out there with the best of intentions, friction can cause certain areas of your body to become tender.
How to Treat: If you’re a runner, invest in anti-chafe sports bras and on and sticks and creams to prevent this issue. If you run out of Body Glide or Gold Bond but have a baby around the house, know that using anti-diaper rash ointment works as well.
There are several factors that could contribute to allergic reactions on your chest: If you have larger breasts and live in a humid or warm environment, they may be prone to heat rash. This happens when the sweat glands under your girls become blocked.
Other types of rashes in this sensitive area include eczema or psoriasis , both of which cause redness, itching, and a rough texture.
How to Treat: They can be caused by genetics, stress, infection, or vitamin deficiency and can be treated with topical ointments and moisturizers. Also use mild soaps, since these tend to strip away less natural oils from your skin.
Sore nipples could also be a sign of infection. Infections can be caused from breastfeeding, and can also be the result of a weak immune system. Contact your doctor if you are curious about potential breast infections, symptoms or remedies.
Fibrocystic breast disease is a condition that causes non-cancerous lumps to form on breasts. Their texture is very similar to a rope. While some women don’t experience any symptoms, others experience heightened breast tenderness when they’re premenstrual.
How to Treat: There are several ways to eliminate the pain and discomfort, such as heating pads, taking oral contraceptives, over the counter pain relievers, or by having your doctor drain the liquid from the lumps.
Ok. We’re starting this section to state that just because you read on the internet that a symptom may be a sign of breast cancer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have breast cancer. That being said, if the tenderness and soreness are accompanied by pain, and you’ve noticed lumps in your breasts, it’s essential to seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
To keep your peace of mind, make sure to schedule annual mammograms. After all, early detection is crucial to beat breast cancer if you do have it.
Being a preteen comes with a long list of new experiences. In addition to dealing with peer pressure, getting periods for the first time, and body image, there’s also all the related physical changes. And when breasts first start to develop, even before a girl notices any changes, she can feel soreness and tenderness around her nipples. It’s also common to feel small lumps around the area as well. These are called breast buds and are perfectly normal during puberty.
How to Treat: If the tenderness and soreness are too uncomfortable, the girl can hold a heating pad on her chest while at home, and wear a sports bra and soft fabrics when at school.
At OB-GYN Women’s Centre, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive gynecological services for all women. From puberty to menopause , we are there for you! Call us at (941) 907-3008 and find out how one of our experienced healthcare professionals can help you.
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If you're dealing with sore nipples, know that you are very far from alone. While this, erm, intimate issue is something you're not likely to discuss on your next mate's catch up Zoom call, it is super common.
Why? Well, your nipples are one of the most sensitive areas on your body. As such, it figures that most of us will, at some time, experience discomfort in this area, for myriad reasons. But not knowing the reason behind the tenderness can be unsettling. We’ve outlined eight potential causes of nipple soreness – from hormonal fl
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