Vibrations in the Breast: Should I Worry?

Vibrations in the Breast: Should I Worry?

Vibrations in the Breast: Should I Worry?

why is my boob vibrating

It’s common for people to experience what’s usually described as vibrations, buzzing, quavering, zinging, or twitching sensations in different parts of the body at some point. Some people may experience this feeling in or around their breasts.

Why Do I Feel Vibrations in My Breast?

Vibrations in the breast or its surrounding areas are involuntary, meaning you have no control over them. There are a number of reasons why you may be experiencing this.

Fasciculations and Muscle Contractions

“The most likely cause of vibration in the breast is a pinched nerve or twitching muscle,” says Tingting Tan, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist and hematologist specializing in breast cancer at City of Hope in Newport Beach, California.

  • Insufficient sleep
  • Stress or anxiety
  • Depression
  • Drinking coffee or alcohol
  • Strenuous exercise
  • A nutrient deficiency
  • A medication overdose or side effect
  • A viral infection

Hormone Fluctuations

“The most common cause of involuntary sensations involving the breast tissues — sometimes generalized, sometimes localized — would be related to changes in hormone status, which [occur during the] menstrual [cycle] or in a person undergoing menopause,” says Walter Kim, MD, an integrative medicine physician at Brio-Medical Cancer Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Underlying Medical Conditions

Most muscle twitches come and go and are not linked to a disease. However, some do occur because of an underlying medical condition that affects the nerves and how they function.

  • Neuropathy (nerve damage)
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive motor neuron disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells
  • Myopathy (weak muscles)
  • Spinal muscular atrophy, a group of hereditary motor neuron diseases

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Hormone Therapy

According to Dr. Kim, hormone therapy, “whether it’s birth control or hormone replacement therapy,” can cause involuntary quivering sensations in the breast. This is still linked to a surge of reproductive hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, stimulating the breast tissue and increasing blood flow to the breasts, which can produce various breast sensations in different people.

  • Acne
  • Appetite and weight changes
  • Bloating or stomach cramps
  • Breast discharge, swelling, or tenderness
  • Changes in menstrual flow
  • Changes in sex drive

Cancer Treatment

Breast vibration may also occur in some people receiving treatments for cancer when the cancer is responding to the treatment, says Kim. “The patient may feel a relatively out-of-the-ordinary sensation right at the tumor area or in other areas where there’s a tumor present,” he says.

He explains that this sensation may not necessarily be a side effect of treatment but a result of the inflammatory changes that happen when tumors break down, leading to tumor lysis and the release of toxins that can irritate the breast area. The breast vibration sensation caused by this can start immediately after the initiation of treatment or hours later.

This post was last modified on November 29, 2024 5:06 am