Everything there is to know about breast cysts

Not all lumps in the breast are cancerous. Apart from a tumor, a lump that appears on your breast can mean a cyst. So, what is a breast cyst? What causes this type of lump and how to treat it? Check out the full review below.

What is a breast cyst?

A breast cyst is a lump in the form of a fluid-filled sac that grows inside the breast tissue. These sacs of fluid are generally benign and are not a precursor to breast cancer.

Cysts can appear on one or both breasts. A woman can have one or more of these breast lumps at a time.

Generally, the cyst will go away on its own without requiring special treatment. However, large, painful cysts may need medical attention as they can be very troublesome. Therefore, always consult a doctor if this happens to you.

Types of cysts that can appear on the breast

The cyst is usually a round or oval lump that is spongy, like a grape or a water balloon. However, sometimes cysts also feel hard and solid when held.

There are two types of breast cysts based on their size, namely:

• Microcyst

These cysts are so small they are often not felt. Even though they are small, they can be seen during imaging tests, such as mammography or ultrasound.

• Macrocysts

These cysts are quite large, about 2.5-5 cm in diameter, so you can feel them when you touch them. This large lump can put pressure on the surrounding breast tissue, causing the breast to feel painful or uncomfortable.

What are the signs & symptoms of a breast cyst?

Not all lumps in the breast are cysts. To make it easier to recognize, here are the various signs and symptoms of breast cysts:

• Round or oval lumps with a smooth or chewy texture and can be moved when touched.
• Pain around the lump area.
• The lump is sometimes enlarged and painful just before menstruation.
• The lump gets smaller again after menstruation.
• Clear, yellow, or dark brown discharge from the nipple.

If you experience any of the signs or symptoms above, you should immediately consult a doctor, especially if the lump continues after your period is over. You also need to be consulted if any other lumps grow and develop.

Maybe this lump is not always dangerous and is not a symptom of breast cancer. However, the appearance of a cyst can make a cancerous lump difficult to notice.

Therefore, whenever you find a new lump in the breast area, you should immediately consult a doctor to prevent your condition from getting worse.

What are the causes and risk factors for breast cysts?

So far, the cause of breast cysts is not known with certainty. However, cysts usually form due to the accumulation of fluid in the breast glands.

This fluid accumulation is thought to occur naturally due to hormonal changes in women, especially during the monthly menstrual cycle. During the menstrual cycle, levels of the hormone estrogen can increase, which causes the production of excess fluid in the breast tissue.

In addition, reported by Breast Cancer Now, cysts can also form with age. Therefore, although it can occur at any age, breast cysts appear most often in women before menopause, between the ages of 35 and 50.

As with menopause, cysts usually stop forming because estrogen levels begin to drop. However, for women on postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy, cysts may still occur.

What tests are done to diagnose breast cysts?

To diagnose a lump in the breast, your doctor will generally ask you about your symptoms and your overall medical history. In addition, the doctor may also ask you to do some screening tests to confirm the condition of the lump.

The tests to be performed are generally the same as those for breast cancer. Here are some tests you may need to undergo to diagnose breast cysts:

• Clinical breast examination

The purpose of this examination is to check for lumps or other breast abnormalities.

• Breast ultrasound

A breast ultrasound or breast ultrasound helps the doctor determine if the breast lump is filled with fluid or solids. When the lump is filled with fluid, the sign that it appears is a cyst.

• Mammography

Just like ultrasound, this test is also used to check for lumps in the breast. However, mammography is usually done more often on women over the age of 40. However, women under this age may do mammography to complement the doctor's diagnosis.

• Fine needle aspiration / fine needle aspiration

In this procedure, a thin needle is inserted into the breast lump to draw out the fluid inside. If the suctioned fluid makes the lump disappear, the doctor can confirm that this is a cyst.

You may need to do another breast exam or biopsy if your lump doesn't prove to be a cyst. For example, when the fluid that is aspirated from the fine needle aspiration procedure is blood and the lump does not disappear or there is no fluid that can be sucked out.

In this condition, the doctor will examine the fluid in the laboratory to make sure.

What are the treatment options for breast cysts?

There really is no specific treatment for breast cysts. Usually the cyst will go away on its own, so there is no need to worry too much.

However, if the lump does not go away, there may need medical treatment. Here are some ways to treat breast cysts that doctors often recommend:

1. Fine-needle aspiration

This one procedure is not only for diagnosing cysts, but also for treating them. To treat a cyst, the doctor will remove all of the fluid present at diagnosis. Gradually, the lump will deflate and disappear on its own.

However, in some cases, your doctor may need to drain the fluid more than once. The reason is, cysts often appear repeatedly so they need to be continuously sucked in to shrink them.

If the cyst persists and doesn't go away for three menstrual cycles, the doctor may do further evaluation to determine the cause of the condition. Then the doctor will take other steps to get rid of it.

2. Use of hormones

In this type of treatment, doctors will generally give birth control pills or other hormone therapy, such as tamoxifen, to help reduce recurrence of breast cysts.

However, the side effects of birth control pills can sometimes make a woman uncomfortable, so this drug is generally recommended for sufferers with symptoms of severe breast cysts. In addition, stopping postmenopausal hormone therapy can also help prevent breast cysts.

3. Operations

Surgery is sometimes needed to help remove the abnormal cyst. For example, a cyst that is large enough, recurs, has blood in it, or other worrisome symptoms.

Once cyst treatment is complete, the area where the cyst was used will usually be bruised and feel tender to the touch. To relieve pain, the doctor will usually give paracetamol and other pain relievers as appropriate.

Ask your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure. A detailed explanation will help you to determine the most appropriate choice of procedure.

What are some of the home remedies for breast cysts?

To reduce discomfort when having breast cysts, there are a number of home remedies that can be done, namely:

• Using a bra that fits well

Don't use a bra that is too tight when you have a cyst. The reason is, bras can press the breasts and make them feel sick. Therefore, use a bra that fits your breast size.

• Compress the breast

When the lump hurts, you can compress the breast with warm or cold water. Both of them can relieve the pain you are experiencing.

• Avoid caffeine

There is no definite evidence regarding a link between caffeine and cysts. However, some women feel that the symptoms of breast cysts improve after stopping consuming caffeinated drinks or foods.

• Taking pain relievers

You can take over-the-counter pain relievers that can help relieve the annoying pain caused by the cyst. For example, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or naproxen (Aleve).

• Using evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oil is a fatty acid supplement that contains linoleic acid. There are several studies showing that this oil can relieve breast pain just before menstruation. This pain is also sometimes associated with pain due to cysts. However, further research is needed on this matter.

If you are planning to take supplements for breast cysts, be sure to consult your doctor first. The reason is, even though they are made from natural ingredients, supplements can have negative interactions with the body.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor to get the best solution according to your condition.