Fibrocystic Breast Disease Treatments That Actually Work

Table of Contents
View All
Table of Contents

Fibrocystic breasts occur when hormonal changes make breast tissue take on a lumpy or rope-like texture. They can be painful but it's completely harmless.

Once called fibrocystic breast disease, the term has largely fallen out of favor because "disease" wrongly implies something is wrong with the breasts. Fibrocystic breasts, or fibrocystic breast changes, is a benign condition that's neither a symptom nor a risk factor for breast cancer.

This article looks at the symptoms and causes of what was once called fibrocystic breast disease. It also discusses how fibrocystic breasts are evaluated and treated and how to cope with these changes.

Symptoms of Fibrocystic Breasts
Verywell / Gary Ferster 

Symptoms of Fibrocystic Breast Disease

The primary symptom of fibrocystic breast tissue is its lumpy, rope-like texture.

If you were to look at fibrocystic tissue under a microscope, you would likely see several components that contribute to this, including:

  • Round or oval-shape cysts filled with fluid
  • Fibrous tissue that resembles scar tissue (fibrosis)
  • Hyperplasia (overgrowth) of cells lining the milk ducts and milk-producing lobules of the breast
  • Enlarged breast lobules (adenosis

Typically, lumps aren't attached to surrounding tissue but will move slightly when manipulated. 

Many people with fibrocystic breasts have no symptoms beyond that. However, those who experience some often find them unpleasant. The most common symptoms of fibrocystic breasts include:

  • Swelling
  • Tenderness
  • Generalized pain

In some cases, fibrocystic breasts put out a greenish or dark brown nipple discharge that's free of blood and may leak without pressure or squeezing. There also can be pain in the armpit.

Frequently, fibrocystic breast symptoms worsen just before your menstrual period and lessen near the end of the cycle. The actual size of individual lumps may also fluctuate with the menstrual cycle.

Who Gets Fibrocystic Breast Disease?

Fibrocystic breasts occur in most women at some point during their lives. Research puts the number of affected women at anywhere from 50% to up to 90% of the population. Most women who experience fibrocystic breast disease notice symptoms before they reach menopause. This is likely due to the influence of hormones on the development of fibrocystic tissue.

Some studies have shown an association between some medical conditions and fibrocystic breast disease, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Fatty liver disease

What Causes Fibrocystic Breast Changes?

What spurs breast tissue to develop the lumpy, tender, swollen areas that are characteristic of fibrocystic changes isn't fully understood.

Experts agree, though, that reproductive hormones are closely involved. Estrogen is particularly likely to play a part. 

If you were assigned female at birth and developed breasts during puberty as a result of female hormones, you have a 50% or more chance of experiencing fibrocystic breast changes at some point.

Fibrocystic breasts are most common between the ages of 20 and 50 or so—in other words, while you still have periods. However, if you're postmenopausal, you may have fibrocystic breast changes due to hormone therapy.

Does Fibrocystic Breast Disease Increase Your Risk of Cancer?

Anytime you detect the presence of a lump or other irregularity in breast tissue, it can be hard not to immediately jump to suspecting cancer. However, the presence of fibrocystic breast tissue does not increase your risk of developing breast cancer later.

If you detect a lump, nipple discharge, or any other irregularity in your breast tissue, it is essential to see a healthcare professional to determine what might be causing it.

Diagnosing Fibrocystic Breast Disease

Whether you practice breast self-awareness, do breast self-exams, or both, you may find it difficult to distinguish fibrocystic changes from potential tumors.

While the majority of breast lumps aren't cancerous, you should still get examined and imaging done to confirm this. In some cases, more invasive testing is needed.

Breast Self-Awareness

The American Cancer Society (ACS) states that you should be familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to your healthcare provider right away. (You're most likely to notice changes during activities like bathing or dressing.)

This is called breast self-awareness and is preferred over breast self-exams (BSEs) by the ACS, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, among other bodies, based on lack of evidence that regular BSEs are beneficial.

Mammography and Ultrasound

It's sometimes difficult for a regular mammogram to differentiate between fibrocystic tissue and a potentially cancerous lump, so an ultrasound is often the preferred diagnostic test.

If you have dense breasts, you may be urged to have both tests regularly. (Dense breasts are common early in life, as breasts tend to become fattier with age.) Density can only be determined by mammography, not by the look and feel of breasts.

Biopsy

When screening and/or testing reveal that a lump may be a fluid-filled cyst, sometimes a healthcare provider will choose to do a fine-needle aspiration. With this, a thin, hollow needle is used to extract the fluid to be examined in a lab.

If tests are inconclusive—and your healthcare provider still can't rule out cancer—then a biopsy of the actual tissue may be necessary.

Most people with fibrocystic breasts don't have abnormal breast cells when a biopsy is performed.

How Is Fibrocystic Breast Disease Treated?

If your breasts aren't bothering you, there is no need to treat fibrocystic breasts. If you do experience pain, you have several treatment and management options to consider.

Medications

A variety of medications are used to ease symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease.

Anti-Inflammatories

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) or other pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) may help ease soreness caused by fibrocystic breast changes.

Diclofenac, which has the same ingredient as an oral NSAID, is also available in topical form. Ask your healthcare provider what type and dose might work best for you. Your healthcare provider may also prescribe prescription versions of these or related medications. 

Oral Contraceptives

Birth control pills are sometimes prescribed for pain related to fibrocystic breast changes, as they may help regulate levels of hormones linked to them.

Decreasing the dose of estrogen in a birth control pill can also be effective.

Tamoxifen

A prescription drug called tamoxifen and androgens (male hormones) may also be used. However, because these drugs can have severe side effects, they are typically only recommended if symptoms are severe and not relieved by other treatments.

Progesterone Cream

Applying 15 to 20 milligrams of progesterone cream daily, starting with ovulation and going until a day or two before your period, sometimes helps breast tissue return to normal in three to four months. 

Once you've achieved symptom relief, you can gradually taper your dose until you find the lowest amount that's effective. Ask your healthcare provider about a prescription.

Try a Different Bra

You may get relief from extremely painful breasts by wearing a bra that provides more support. Being fitted for a bra by a specialist is an ideal way to find one that's the right size and shape for you.

If the band is too tight or the cup is too small, the fabric, underwire, or other structural elements of the bra may be putting unnecessary pressure on your breasts.

If you play a sport or spend a lot of time working out, purchase a good sports bra as well. Consider wearing one to bed during periods, when your breasts are likely to be extra sensitive.

Apply Heat

Heat may help alleviate pain from pressure and swelling. Use a regular heating pad or make your own using a tube sock and rice.

A cold compress or gentle massage may help as well.

Change Your Diet

Although little research supports a link between diet and fibrocystic breasts, anecdotal reports hint that specific changes may help relieve symptoms in some people. Plus, a nutritionally smart approach to eating may improve your general health.

First, cut down on:

  • Caffeine from coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, and chocolate
  • Added sugar
  • Sodium
  • Fat

Then, include more:

  • Fiber (30 grams a day is recommended)
  • Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Surgery

In extreme cases, cysts or lumps that cause pain can be removed. Options include:

  • Surgical excision: A persistent cyst (one that won't collapse even after being aspirated several times) may need to be surgically removed.
  • Fine-needle aspiration: A hair-thin needle is inserted through the breast and into the cyst to drain fluid. This causes the cyst to collapse, which should relieve pain; it can also confirm the lump isn't a tumor.

Decrease Estrogen Intake

If you're postmenopausal and taking estrogen, talk to your healthcare provider about reducing your dose or stopping hormone therapy altogether.

It also may help to decrease sources of estrogen from your diet, such as commercially-raised meats, which sometimes contain excessive amounts of hormones.

Supplements

Evening primrose oil contains an omega-6 fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid that may make breast tissues less sensitive to hormonal changes. You can find it in drugstores and health food stores, usually in capsule form. It has been studied in many trials, though it hasn't been shown to be more effective than a placebo.

Research also suggests fish oil, another source of essential fatty acids, may also help reduce pain associated with fibrocystic breast changes, although it didn't do so more than a placebo in one study. Other vitamin suggestions include vitamin B6 or a B-complex and magnesium.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

While it should be reassuring to know that not all changes to your breast are worrisome, if you notice thickened areas or changes in texture, it's still a good idea to see your healthcare provider to confirm your suspicion that it's just fibrocystic breast changes.

If you notice any of the following breast changes, see a healthcare provider to rule out breast cancer:

  • New or changing lumps
  • Bloody nipple discharge
  • Nipple discharge that occurs on just one side
  • Skin changes, such as itchy or red skin, scaling, or dimpling

Coping With Fibrocystic Breasts

If your healthcare provider seems to dismiss your complaints, see someone else if possible. With all the options available, you shouldn't have to endure chronic pain without treatment.

If you're having trouble dealing with the condition and feel depressed, talk to your healthcare provider. You may benefit from therapy and/or antidepressant medications.

Lastly, dedicating time to some of the self-care measures above can go a long way in making you feel that you're doing all you can to ease your discomfort.

Summary

Fibrocystic breasts have a lumpy, rope-like texture. They're usually asymptomatic, but some people have swelling, tenderness, breast pain, or nipple discharge. Hormones are believed to play a causal role, but causes aren't fully understood.

Fibrocystic breast disease is now called fibrocystic breast changes or fibrocystic breasts because the changes are harmless and not a "disease."

Simple home remedies and possibly medication are usually enough to ease any related discomfort. However, it's always best to have breast changes evaluated to ensure you are dealing with fibrocystic breasts.

8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. American Cancer Society. Fibrosis and Simple Cysts in the Breast.

  2. Chen YY, Fang WH, Wang CC, et al. Examining the associations among fibrocystic breast change, total lean mass, and percent body fat. Sci Rep. 2018;8:9180. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-27546-3

  3. American Cencer Society. Fibrocystic changes in the breast.

  4. American Cancer Society. What Is Breast Cancer?

  5. American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer.

  6. American Cancer Society. Frequently Asked Questions About the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Screening Guideline. Revised January 24, 2019.

  7. Horner NK, Lampe JW. Potential mechanisms of diet therapy for fibrocystic breast conditions show inadequate evidence of effectiveness. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000 Nov;100(11):1368-80. doi: 10.1016/S0002-8223(00)00383-7. PMID: 11103660.

  8. Blommers J, De lange-de klerk ES, Kuik DJ, Bezemer PD, Meijer S. Evening primrose oil and fish oil for severe chronic mastalgia: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002;187(5):1389-94. doi:10.1067/mob.2002.127377a

Additional Reading

By Tracee Cornforth
Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women's health issues.