Fibrocystic Breast Condition

Did you know that over 50% of women of menstruating age will be dealing with fibrocystic breast condition? As the term implies, it’s fibrous and cystic. 

The symptoms of the fibrocystic breast often manifest as: breast swelling, tingling, thickening, lumps, tenderness, sharp or burning pain, and itching. These symptoms may range from mildly annoying in some women to extremely painful in others.  

Women with fibrocystic condition are at a higher risk for breast cancer primarily due to additional testing, x-raying and routine biopsies leading to additional physical and emotional trauma caused by the test-associated probing.  

The most appropriate diagnostic testing for fibrocystic breast condition is breast ultrasound. Mammography is not specific enough and not very useful for fibrocystic or dense breast. Breast thermography can be very useful as an overall risk assessment tool as well as for follow up and treatment monitoring of this condition.

Conventional (i.e. Allopathic) treatment of fibrocystic condition involves needle aspiration, which includes draining liquid from the breast. This approach may alleviate some immediate discomfort but it is invasive and not especially effective in the long term. Once the liquid is drained out, the underlying cause is still not altered. The root cause of why the cysts and nodules are in that breast in the first place remains unaddressed. In many cases cystic fluid will come back and can lead to more cysts developing.

A more pragmatic approach would be to address the cause of the fibrocystic condition rather than the mere symptom. Most common causes of fibrocystic breast will include: hormonal imbalances, elevated prolactin levels, insulin resistance and thyroid dysfunction. In my experience, iodine deficiency, environmental, dietary and metabolic toxins are usually present as well.  

Ways to deal with this condition are to avoid caffeine, tea, chocolate and soft drinks. Anything that will contain caffeine will promote fibrocystic breast. After treating many women with fibrocystic condition and I have to say that if you just give up on caffeine alone, 50% of your symptoms will disappear over a relatively short period of time. 

Also of benefit is a high fiber diet including a great variety of plant based foods free of pesticides and hormones will help prevent cyclical fluctuations in cyst size and breast tenderness. For detailed information on how to prevent or treat fibrocystic condition please refer to my previous article called “Fibrocystic Breast Disease”.