7 things that cause hard and stiff nipples

Various things that make hard nipples

1. Duct ectasia

Duct ectasia is a condition when the milk ducts become enlarged and blocked. As a result, the nipples experience redness, itching, thick mucus, and are hard and painful to the touch. This condition can develop into mastitis or other breast infections.

According to the American Cancer Society, duct ectasia usually affects women who are approaching menopause. However, take it easy because this condition is not related to breast cancer and in no way increases a person's risk of developing cancer.

2. Breast abscess

A breast abscess is a collection of pus in the breast that often occurs in nursing mothers or who is experiencing mastitis. Abscesses can also occur due to open sores in the area in the breast that allow bacteria to enter the breast tissue.

This condition usually causes pain in the nipple, is reddish, warm, and hard to the touch. This condition also usually makes you have a fever. The pus in the abscess must be drained to improve your condition. So, immediately consult a doctor.

3. Sexual stimulation

Hard nipples can also occur when you are sexually aroused. Quoted from the Medical Daily, researchers suspect that the muscles in the areola are capable of responding to stimulation. This is because the areola has smooth muscle cells that will contract when stimulated.

There is a special type of nerve whose only job is to make the nipple stiff and hard. Usually, when these nerve cells are activated by norepinephrine compounds which are usually produced when women are aroused, the muscles contract by making the areola tight and the nipple hardening.

4. Chills

Similar to the response to sexual stimulation, the nipples also react in a similar way to cold air. According to experts, this is because cold weather and sexual stimulation both increase the production of norepinephrine compounds that make the nipples harden.

5. Breastfeeding

Hardened nipples are also the body's natural way to help a baby breastfeed more easily. Hard and stiff nipples are also caused because the muscles around the areola contract when stimulated by the baby's mouth. When the baby puts its mouth against the nipple, the nipple will automatically become stiff and harden as a sign that it is ready to distribute breast milk.

6. Take birth control pills

Birth control pills are a form of contraception (birth control) whose side effects are similar to those during pregnancy. Starting from the nipples that are hard and painful to the touch, nausea, headaches, weight gain, to mood swings.

However, these symptoms usually appear at the beginning of consuming them. Meanwhile, when the body is accustomed to the drug, these symptoms will slowly disappear. However, if these symptoms persist you need to consult a doctor.

7. Menstruation

Nipples that are hard and sometimes accompanied by pain generally occur when the hormone progesterone in the body increases. Usually this increase will start about a week before menstruation begins. Not only hard nipples, you will also usually experience various other symptoms such as increased appetite and low back pain.