The term fibrocystic breast changes describe breast tissue that is very dense and/or lumpy. This is a very common, non-cancerous condition. This is most common in women in their 40’s. If you have fibrocystic changes, you may experience:
- Pain and sensitivity in your breasts and underarm area
- A feeling of fullness in your breasts
- Nipple discharge that may appear yellow, green or brown
- Lumpy areas
Hormonal changes, especially around the time of your period, may increase your symptoms.
Fibrocystic changes and breast self exams
Fibrocystic changes can make performing breast self-exams—looking for suspicious lumps—a challenge. It is important to examine your breasts each month to get a sense of what is “normal” for you and to let your doctor know if anything changes.
Diagnosis
- One our breast care experts will perform a clinical breast exam to manually check your breasts for fibrocystic breast changes.
- To confirm a diagnosis, and monitor any changes, your doctor may also use a digital mammogram and/or breast ultrasounds to better understand the appearance of the inside of your breast.
Fortunately, for most women, their breast density and fibrocystic changes decrease after menopause.
