Cyclical breast pain is also sometimes known as cyclical mastalgia. It refers to pain in the upper outer area of the breast, which can extend to the armpits.
Cyclical breast pain only affects pre-menopausal women because it is connected to the menstrual cycle.
In the UK, cyclical breast pain affects up to two-thirds of women, with around one in 10 women having moderate to severe pain.
Other breast-related conditions
Cyclical breast pain is a condition rather than a symptom of one. It is not related to breast cancer or any other serious breast conditions.
There are a number of other breast-related conditions and causes of breast pain, which are not covered in this article. See Useful links for more information about these.
Continue to next section: Symptoms of cyclical breast pain