I awakened with a sensitive lump in one of my breasts one morning. It was the size of a walnut knot. It was discovered to be a breast cyst.
I went in for my annual mammogram earlier this year. I had my boobs squeezed and photographed and didn't think twice about it until a few days later when I got a call. My doctor informed me that there was an odd discovery in both breasts and that I would need to return for more imaging.
Needless to say, that sent a shiver down my spine. Because mammograms are used to diagnose cancer, the first thing that came to mind was a tumor. My doctor told me, however, that my mammography did not show that. Whatever the radiology team saw, they didn't consider it an emergency; rather, it was something that needed to be looked at again.
I booked a follow-up ultrasound to examine the insides of my breasts more closely. My breasts had multiple pockets of fluid, which I could see on the ultrasound screen. I was seeing a cluster of completely benign breast cysts, according to the radiologist. I breathed a sigh of relief before getting dressed and texting my husband to inform him that I had breast cysts... again. I'd been down this path three times before.
I initially became aware of a cyst when I was in my early thirties. My breasts were changing swiftly as my milk production slowed as I was weaning my baby. I observed a huge, uncomfortable mass that I imagined was a blocked milk duct at one point. When it didn't go away, I called my doctor and scheduled an ultrasound and mammography. I went to a breast specialist to get it drained after those tests revealed it was a cyst.
After that, my breasts were cyst-free for ten years. Then, during the start of the COVID pandemic, I awakened with a walnut-sized knot in one of my breasts. I believed it was a pulled muscle because it was so sore. Rather than trying to get me in for a mammography at the worst of the shutdown, my doctor suggested using heat to see if it would help alleviate the pain. The cyst went disappeared after a few days of snuggling with a heating pad until spring 2021, when I was 46. It arrived just in time for my yearly mammography.
My experience with cystic breasts is not unique. My grandma, mother, and sister, as well as a large number of my acquaintances, have all had similar experiences. Breast cysts affect 70 percent to 90 percent of women at some point in their lives, according to some estimates. I feel like I'm a member of a huge club, but one that isn't talked about. It's as if the first law of breast cysts is to never.
Even if I've experienced breast cysts before, discovering a new tumor in my breast or receiving an unexpected mammography result will always be concerning to me. Learning more about breast cysts and what to expect from them, on the other hand, has given me a new perspective on the situation—and the same may be said for you. What you should know about breast cysts is outlined below.
What are breast cysts, exactly?
Breast cysts are little pockets of fluid in the breast tissue that are completely innocuous. This distinguishes them from malignant tumors, which are solid masses rather than fluid-filled masses.
When fluid gathers at the junction of a lobule, which produces milk during lactation, and a milk storage duct, cysts form. Each of your breasts has a dozen or more of these junctions. "Your breasts are like a bunch of grapes on the inside. Your nipple acts as the hub, with several little branches sprouting from it. Cysts develop in the branches that surround the stem "A surgeon at Cooley Dickinson Health Care in Massachusetts, Michelle Helms, MD, tells Health.
You may develop one cyst at a time or numerous cysts at the same time. Cysts can be large enough to feel when you touch your breast, and they can also cause pain or pressure. Cysts can develop in certain persons and go unnoticed. According to Dr. Helms, you might only find out about them when they show up on a routine mammography.
Both have happened to me. The cysts were painful knots that I could feel with my fingertips on two occasions. Because they were so close to my armpit, any movement of my arm bothered them. The most recent instance involved some hidden cysts that did not bother me. If I hadn't had a mammogram at the time, I might not have known about them. Inside both breasts, the ultrasound revealed roughly a half-dozen cysts. When I felt my breasts, I couldn't feel them, but they were clearly visible on the ultrasound screen.
Cysts can be linked to hormone levels, according to Dr. Helms, and they might appear at different times during your menstrual cycle. You may notice them near your period, but they will fade after that time of the month. Others receive them at random intervals. It's common to experience multiple episodes of breast cysts, with cysts appearing in the same area of your breast each time.
Are there different types of cysts?
Cysts are classified as simple, complicated, or complex. Simple cysts are nothing more than fluid sacs. According to the Cleveland Clinic, they're absolutely harmless and don't progress to something more serious.
Complicated cysts are fluid sacs with solid material particles inside. The solid chunks are frequently dead tissue floating in the fluid. According to Dr. Helms, the debris isn't very dangerous. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some doctors may recommend a fine-needle biopsy to check the fluid more precisely and ensure that the cyst is benign.
Cysts, whether simple or complex, usually shrink on their own and pose no health risks. The masses can be a cause of discomfort as well as concern. However, according to Dr. Helms, these cysts aren't hazardous and won't turn into tumors over time.
Cysts that are more complex are more concerning. These cysts have a solid bulk surrounded by fluid. According to Holly Michaelson, MD, chief of surgery at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, the solid part could be a tumor, so if you have one of these, you'll require a biopsy to figure out what's causing the solid mass.
What does it feel like to have a breast cyst?
Again, a cyst will not be felt by everyone. Some are so little or buried so deeply in your breast tissue that you aren't even aware of them. They feel like a round or oval-shaped mass under the skin when they are detected. They are frequently movable, which means that when you press on them, they may slide around under your fingers. Imagine poking an ice cube suspended in a water balloon; it will move when you poke it, but it will return to its original position.
According to Dr. Helms, despite being a sac filled with fluid, cysts can feel remarkably hard. "Cysts can feel soft at times, but they can also be firm to the touch," she explains. "They can also grow to be quite huge." According to the Mayo Clinic, they can grow to be as huge as 2 inches across at their largest.
From personal experience, I can attest to how large a cyst can grow. One of my cysts was roughly 2 inches in diameter. My doctor noted at the time that the size, as well as the speed with which it appeared, indicated that it was a cyst. She explained that because breast cancer is a slow-growing malignancy, a brand-new, huge tumor was most likely a cyst.
Cysts can arise anywhere in the breast, according to Dr. Helms, because they form in the duct system underneath the nipple. They might appear in one or both breasts at the same time.
Unfortunately, you can't tell if a lump discovered during a breast self-exam is a cyst or a tumor only by touching it. Even your doctor, after feeling a mass, can't determine for sure what it is. A mammogram or ultrasound is the only way to know for sure.
Who is prone to breast cysts?
According to Dr. Michaelson, breast cysts are "very prevalent." "You'd probably find cysts in the majority of people's breasts if you ultrasound-scanned them all," she says.
Breast cysts are most common in women between the ages of 30 and 55. Men can acquire them, but it's uncommon since men's breast lobules and ducts don't develop the same way women's do. Dr. Michaelson claims that she has never seen a guy with breast cysts in her office.
Trans women on hormone replacement therapy can acquire cysts, too, because cysts are linked to female sex hormones. However, they aren't as common among trans women as they are among cis women. Researchers believe that because trans women are exposed to less estrogen, they are less likely to develop cysts.
Cysts are not affected by your race, ethnicity, or lifestyle.
Cysts run in your family, so it's possible you're predisposed to them. Cysts normally disappear after menopause, according to Dr. Michaelson.
What is the treatment for breast cysts?
The good news about breast cysts is that they usually don't require treatment. According to Dr. Michaelson, cysts often diminish or disappear on their own and do not cause additional health problems.
If a cyst is bothering you, consider applying heat to the affected area, which may help the cyst drain on its own. My doctor recommended that I use a heating pad to relieve pain from a particularly bothersome cyst, which I found to be really beneficial.
If a cyst is painful, it can be drained. The removal of the fluid takes place in the doctor's office. They extract the fluid with a needle. Dr. Helms says she only drains cysts if they are causing her a lot of pain. If the cyst isn't uncomfortable, the risk of infection from the needle puncture outweighs the benefit of removing it.
You and your doctor can talk about what kind of monitoring you'll need to make sure the lumps you're feeling aren't anything to worry about. To keep an eye on changes in your breasts, some doctors may recommend more frequent mammograms or ultrasounds. And, as the Mayo Clinic points out, if you have a lot of cysts, it can be difficult to recognize new lumps that need to be checked out. Regular screenings will aid in detecting changes that self-exams may miss, as well as ensuring that you receive the care you require.
Is it possible to prevent breast cysts?
There isn't a foolproof way to avoid breast cysts. According to Dr. Michaelson, some people find that reducing their coffee intake helps them experience reduced breast pain from cysts. (Others believe that a little boob pain is a little price to pay for the pleasure of sipping coffee—OK, it's just me.) "Other people" is who I am.)
According to Dr. Michaelson, utilizing hormonal birth control can help you avoid cysts. However, she warns that switching birth control methods is a significant decision with a lot of dangers, so talk to your doctor first.
Since my terrifying mammogram last spring, my breasts have been a low-cyst zone. It's a comfort not to have to be concerned about what's going on inside for the time being. However, I am aware that my cysts may recur at any time. I also understand that if they do, I should take the lumps seriously, but I don't need to be concerned about this typical occurrence.
