Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 1/11/2006

Question
Is it unusual to have one breast slightly bigger than the other one? or hang down slightly lower than the other one? The soreness is getting better but that was until I started pressing very hard on it again yesterday and now its fairly sore again.  Does me pressing very hard on it irrirate it or make it worse?  Just curious

Thanks

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Followup To
Question -
Hi, I'm 28 yrs. old. Have no children just came off birth control pills about 3 months ago.  My husbasnd and I are thinking of maybe trying to get pregnant.  I suffer from anxiety/panic attacks and I have a huge fear of cancer (paternal grandmother died of Ovarian cancer 4 yrs. ago, she was only one in our family to have any type of cancer).  Anyway, Thursday as I taking a bath I noticed some soreness under my right breast so when I got thru I did a breast exam and I was pressing rather firming on each breast and comparing them to one another but I felt nothing out of the usual other than a spot of soreness towards the bottom outer right of my right breast.  I already had my annual checkup scheduled w/ my OB/GYN yesterday.  She did the breast exam and felt nothing but I didn't metion the soreness to her because I thought that maybe it was from me pressing firmly on it the night before.  It's not a consistent soreness or even a pain.  I can only feel it for a brief second or two when I lay on my stomach or if I press my arm against it or press firmly on the area.  There is no stabbing pain, no redness, no color change, size looks same as the other one, no dimpling, no secretions from nipple, no scaling, no orange peel look, no underarm swelling or pain.  I am about 10-12 days from the start of my next period but I have never had breast soreness only sore nipples that would last a few days.  I do know that my mind starts racing and then I get myself freaked out, thinking that its breast cancer.  In your professional opinion, should I go back to my OB/GYN next week to get it checked out since I was just there yesterday or does it sound like something more innocent? Thank you for your time
Answer -
Breast pain, especially alone, is very rarely associated with early breast cancer. If you also are less than 2 weeks from your next period it is most probable that you are feeling the result of hormonal effects in your breast -a very common problem. However since this causes you to worry I do suggest that you let your dr. check you again right after the next period and then also with ultrasound, x-ray mammography & MRI-mammography. If all these do not show anything you can feel rather safe! Good luck!

Answer
Yes indeed, if you press a sore point you may provoke more soreness. Well human bodies are rarely fully symmetrical. The small differences in breast size etc. between the left and the right side are fairly common and usually if they are constant do not mean anything.