Are Breast Lumps and Cysts a Sign of Menopause?

Yes, they are especially when accompanied by other signs of menopause. However, it’s important to visit a doctor if you’re not in the average age of menopause which is 51 in the USA. Also, if you have lumps that are larger than 2 inches, it’s important to see a doctor.

Menopause is considered the turning point in most women’s lives. Your periods stop, your hormones fluctuate, and your breasts may become sour and lumpy. It should be noted that it’s completely normal to experience these symptoms. 

How to identify normal lumps and cysts during perimenopause

Breast cysts are benign fluid-filled sacs inside the breast. As stated earlier, not all lumps and cysts are normal. Some may actually be a sign of other underlying conditions like cancer. Check out the following characteristics of normal lumps and cysts during menopause.

Characteristics of normal breast lumps/cysts

1. They have well defined oval/circle shapes. Normal breast lumps and cysts should feel like a fluid-filled grape near the surface. Sometimes they may feel hard.
2. Clear, yellow, straw colored or dark brown nipple discharge.
3. You may feel tenderness or pain near the area around the lump/cyst.
4. Increase in size just before your period.
5. Decrease in size after period.

While having breast lumps and cysts does not increase your risk of cancer, it can make it difficult to identify cancerous lumps. It’s therefore important to visit the doctor if you don’t experience these other signs of menopause.

Signs of menopause onset

Menopause marks the end of your menstrual cycle. It’s diagnosed when you have gone 12 months consecutively without a period without suppressing them or during gestation. You should understand that some of these symptoms may start years before your menopause, a period known as perimenopause. They include:

• Irregular periods
• Vaginal dryness
• Hot flashes
• Chills
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Mood changes
• Weight gain and slowed metabolism
• Thinning hair and dry skin
• Loss of breast fullness
• Periods coming on and off between months.
• Period cycles get shorter so they’re closely together.

Other causes of menopause

Apart from natural causes brought about by age, menopause can be caused by other processes.

Total Hysterectomy- That is when your reproductive organs, ovaries, uterus, are completely removed through surgeries. This causes immediate menopause and you may experience the same menopausal signs and symptoms.

Chemotherapy- It can induce menopause especially to older women. However, your body can go back to menstruation after the course of treatment.

Primary ovarian insufficiency - This happens when your ovaries fail to produce enough reproductive hormones due to genetic factors or autoimmune diseases.

Conclusion

Yes, breast lumps and cysts can be a sign of menopause, but not all lumps and cysts are signs of menopause. Menopausal lumps and cysts have well defined oval/circle shapes, can feel tender, and increase and decrease as your period comes and goes. If you’re not in the perimenopause period and you feel lumps and cysts in your breasts, it’s important to visit the doctor.