A breast injury can lead to pain, bruising and tenderness. The signs typically recuperate on their own after a few days.
What are the causes?
- Bumping into hard objects or surfaces
- Being struck while playing sports
- Using a breast pump
- Running or engaging in repeated movement of the breast without wearing a supportive bra
- A fall or blow to the breast region
- Using constricted or tight clothing
What are the signs?
Damage to the breast is strikingly the same to any injury to another body part.
- Pain and tenderness – this typically occurs at the time of injury but develop a few days after
- Bruising – it can cause the injured breast to appear bigger than normal
- Fat lumps or necrosis – the affected breast tissue might lead to fat necrosis which is a non-cancerous lump that is likely to form after breast injury or surgery. The skin appears reddened, bruised and may or might not be painful.
- Hematoma – this is a site of blood buildup where trauma occurred. This results to a discolored area and can take up to 10 days to be visible
Management of breast injury
Generally, breast injury and inflammation can be managed at home such as:
- Applying an ice pack on the site
- For a hematoma, apply a warm compress
- Use a comfortable bra to support the affected breast
For pain relief, a doctor must be seen. The doctor can suggest the suitable options for pain control.
Pain medications can help reduce the pain from a traumatic breast injury. Nevertheless, if the discomfort is due to surgery or from certain health conditions, a doctor must be consulted first.
More Information / Disclaimer
The information posted on this page on a traumatic breast injury is for learning purposes only. Learn about the causes and how it is managed by taking a standard first aid course with Ottawa First Aid.