The mammary gland, its structure and functions in women. Interesting facts about the structure of female breasts

Female breast- a complex organ, built in such a way as to provide optimal conditions for performing its main physiological functions: milk formation and feeding the child. The breast consists of skin, under which the gland itself is hidden, as it is also called, glandular tissue - the very organ in which milk is formed. Glandular tissue (gland) is attached by connective tissue to the muscles of the chest. Around the glandular tissue, between its lobes lies fat - adipose tissue.

The amount of fat in a woman's breasts varies widely. Some women's breasts are composed almost exclusively of fat. As a result, their breasts can vary greatly in size as their body weight fluctuates. Some women have much more glandular tissue than fat, and the size of their breasts is practically independent of diet and weight. If the growth of adipose tissue can be accelerated by abundant nutrition, then the growth of glandular tissue is partially controlled by hormones. This explains why breast size can change over time. menstrual cycle or after menopause.

Beneath the mammary gland lies the pectoralis major muscle. The chest is, as it were, attached to this muscle, but in the chest itself, contrary to popular belief, there are no muscles, so increase breast size with physical exercise impossible. You can tighten the surrounding muscles, but this will only lead to an increase in the volume of the torso and will not affect the size of the breast itself. Of course, it is impossible to tighten sagging breasts through exercise.

There is a common belief that after the breast, as a rule, loses reflex responsiveness. Allegedly, during the incision, the nerves are cut, as a result of which the breast loses sensitivity and ceases to be an erogenous (especially sensitive zone). This is not entirely true. The 4th intercostal nerve is responsible for the sensitivity of the nipple and areola. It passes at the level of the axillary line, branches into two parts and, passing along the circumference of the chest, enters the gland tissue. As shown in the picture below.

This nerve is not cut during surgery, however, if the implant is not installed correctly, or if the implant is too large, this nerve may become trapped between the prosthesis and chest and get pinched. If the 4th intercostal nerve becomes pinched or damaged, the breast may lose sensation. This complication occurs in 21% of women. However, first-class specialists should not have such defects.

It would be wrong if scientists remained aloof from such an important issue as the correct volume and shape of the female breast. The average parameters of the “ideal” breast were calculated through long measurements of classical and modern sculptures and live models. The basis was a woman 162 cm tall, aged 17 - 18 years. After much debate, most authors accepted the following dimensions:

The diameter of the areola averages 3.7 cm (37 mm) and varies from 3.5 to 4.5 cm. The distance between the collarbone and the nipple is on average 21 cm. The distance from the inframammary fold to the nipple is approximately 7 cm.

However, when analyzing the real state of affairs, one can see how far we are from ideals and how contradictory the tastes of various authors regarding size and volume are. mammary glands. Some researchers suggest that the volume of a woman's breasts be considered optimal as 275 cubic centimeters (size C), and larger volumes are considered hypertrophy, i.e. increase relative to average norm. However, in the search for the ideal, it is necessary to take into account such body features as height, weight, figure features, etc. For example, fragile women with a height of 152 - 177 cm and a weight of 45 - 54 kg look harmoniously developed, having a chest volume of 150 - 200 cubic meters. cm (size B).

Beautiful female breasts have attracted the attention of men at all times!

Before you do anything to change or maintain the shape and size of your breasts, it is logical to understand anatomical structure of female mammary glands.

The structure of the female breast

A woman’s breast is, first of all, an organ designed by nature to produce milk and feed the child. Hence the complexity female breast structure.

The female breast consists of mammary glands and milk ducts, fatty tissue, connective tissue, pectoralis major and minor muscles, lymphatic and blood vessels, nerve fibers, and skin.

Directly, breast covered with a connective tissue capsule, with the help of which it is attached to the collarbone and to the pectoralis major muscle. On top is the fat layer and the skin itself.

Body of the mammary gland consists of 15–20 glandular lobes arranged in a circle, in which milk is formed. Each lobule has an excretory duct. The excretory ducts, connecting to each other, open with milky openings on the surface of the nipple. Around the nipple there is a highly pigmented circle - the areola. In addition to sweat and sebaceous glands, usually about 12 tubercles are found in the areola. These tubercles increase during pregnancy, become more convex and provide the function of accessory glands.

Around the glandular tissue, between its lobes there is a fatty layer. Dimensions of the gland body and volume of adipose tissue each woman is individually different.

Physiological changes in the female breast

The amount of female sex hormones changes naturally during adolescence, childbirth and breastfeeding, menopause and menopause. During these periods of life there are age-related changes in the mammary glands.

Adolescence

Breast growth in girls can be observed from 8-9 years of age depending on genetic predisposition. Breasts may grow unevenly and asymmetrically, but by the age of 10-12 years, the size of both mammary glands in girls becomes approximately the same size. The process of formation of mammary glands in modern girls, as a rule, ends by age 15.

Childbearing age

During the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and during lactation, a woman feels changes in the mammary glands associated with the amount of hormones produced by the body (estrogens, prolactin and progesterone).

With age, due to the decline of ovarian function, the level of sex hormones changes and, accordingly, appearance and structure of the mammary glands. The volume of glandular tissue decreases, its place is taken by adipose tissue, so the breasts become less elastic.

Menopause

When a woman reaches menopause, in addition to atrophy of the mammary gland lobules, their connective tissue also undergoes atrophy. Breasts begin to sag, the skin on the chest loses its elasticity.

Climax

During menopause, only large milk ducts remain, surrounded by connective and fatty tissue. Large breasts sags. Small breasts can be kept in fairly good shape.

Note. Atrophy of the glandular tissue of the mammary gland and its replacement with adipose tissue can also be observed in young women.

Natural muscle bra

Beautiful shape and firmness of female breasts provide well-developed, strong chest muscles and backs, as well elastic skin, which support the mammary glands in the correct position.

The main muscles whose tone affects the condition of the female breast are the pectoralis major and minor, deltoid, sternocleidomastoid, scalene, coracobrachialis, trapezius, serratus anterior, latissimus dorsi.

By training these muscle groups with specific chest exercises and chest machines, you can add additional breast volume, tighten sagging breasts, make the breast shape more beautiful.

In addition, exercise improves blood flow and lymphatic drainage in the tissues of the mammary glands, which means they provide good nutrition to the tissues.

The condition of the breast skin is also important factor to maintain and giving beautiful shape breasts. Speed ​​dial weight, a sharp increase in breast size during pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause stretching of the skin, the appearance of stretch marks, weakening of the interlobular ligamentous apparatus of the mammary glands, which leads to sagging breasts.

Now that you have dealt with the structure of the female breast, it becomes more clear what influences breast growth, shape, size, firmness. And with knowledge of the matter he treats any advice and means for breast enlargement, for changing its shape.

Next, we consciously use available safe methods and methods for strengthening and enlarging the breasts without surgery, at home.

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Many young girls, mature girls and even adult women study their breasts with interest, feel them, and look at them in the mirror. Of course, they are interested in what a woman’s breasts are made of. External study of the female bust does not answer this question. And therefore, most women remain in the dark about how women’s breasts work.

Knowing what such a wonderful organ is allows us to better and more thoroughly understand its natural functions. As you know, a woman’s breasts develop tirelessly as a girl grows up. When a girl reaches puberty, the development of milk ducts begins, penetrating the body of the gland. At the age when a woman can give birth to a child, her breasts perform their main function - feeding the newborn baby.

It is worth recognizing that the mammary glands are a truly unique creation of nature, and therefore they can be studied endlessly. And it is absolutely not enough to know that the female breast consists of lobules that can be rebuilt and formed.

The structure of the female breast: anatomy, structure, composition

The anatomy of the female breast is of genuine interest to both girls and boys. Externally, the female breast resembles semicircular elevations, which are located at the level of 3-6 pairs of ribs. These “hemispheres” are attached to the so-called serratus pectoralis muscle. The nipples are located slightly below the middle of the female breast. They are located somewhere on the line of the 5th rib. The nipples are small projections.

Their shape can be flat-cylindrical or cone-shaped. The skin of the nipples is covered with tiny wrinkles; at the top of the nipples there are small holes through which the milk ducts are laid. These openings are called milk pores. The female nipple is surrounded by an areola, its diameter varies from 3 to 5 centimeters. The tiny raised structures that can be seen on the areola are called Montgomery glands.

Due to the fact that they produce a special secretion, the areola is lubricated and never dries out, just as the nipple does not dry out. It is important to note that both areolas and nipples can have different skin colors: from soft pink to red (in young girls) and even brown or brown (in mothers). The pigmentation and size of the areola increase significantly in pregnant women, because her hormonal levels undergo serious fluctuations, and the mammary glands prepare for future feeding. Interestingly, nipples and areolas tend to turn a richer color at the moment when sexual arousal occurs.

When a woman wants sex, her breasts become very sensitive, plus they increase in size. You should know that after the operations, the breast still remains an erogenous zone, since the sensitivity provided by the fourth intercostal nerve is not affected and remains the same. Therefore, you can safely agree to some cosmetic amendments. As for the internal structure, it should be noted that the mammary glands are a disc-shaped dense body, which is surrounded by dense layers of fat with numerous alveoli (they are also called lobes), presented in the form of cones (there are about 15-20 of them).

Large alveoli include smaller lobules. They are separated from each other by connective tissue, the lobes are arranged in a circle, their tops are directed towards the nipple, where 8-15 milk ducts pass, through which breast milk goes to the nipples. If a woman does not study the structure of the female breast, she cannot explain many points to herself: what is the main natural function of the mammary glands, how and where breast milk is formed, why a woman’s bust loses its shape over the years, etc. In order to avoid many problems, you should definitely take a timely interest in the anatomy of the female breast.

Women's breasts: sizes and shape

When you don’t know what’s inside a woman’s breast, you can’t understand why the condition of the mammary glands changes during exercise, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. This is where panic arises in those moments when suddenly the breasts become full, swell, turn red or change the color of the nipples and areola. And how much horror women experience if they begin to notice that their breasts have begun to sag more over the years. In fact, many external changes mammary glands are easily explained by their internal transformation.

When studying the anatomy of the female breast, many want to understand what can affect the volume and shape of the breast. As is known, these parameters depend on a number of factors. Some girls have more breast tissue in their breasts. important tissue- glandular, in others connective tissue dominates (their breasts seem more elastic), and in others the composition of the female breast mainly includes adipose tissue. But the main thing is that any breast produces breast milk. Exception: underdeveloped breasts (hypoplasia), such female breasts contain an insufficient amount of the most important glandular tissue. It is important to know:

• A significant influence on the volume of a woman’s breasts is exerted by how much fatty tissue there is.
• There are practically no girls with symmetrical breasts. Almost all representatives of the fair half have breasts located at different heights (one is slightly lower or higher than the other), and they are also different in size (one is smaller or larger than the other).
• Breast growth and development are influenced by different hormones: estrogens are responsible for the growth of connective tissue cells and the development of glandular ducts; progesterone affects the increase in alveolar cells; prolactin is involved in the growth and division of the epithelium, the usefulness of mother’s milk depends on it; insulin, thyroid hormones and corticosteroids act as assistants to progesterone, prolactin - stimulate the growth of important new cells.
• Are you wondering if there are muscles in the chest? No, they are not there, except for the small muscles located in the nipples themselves. Therefore, no matter what exercises you do, you will not be able to change the shape of your breasts. If you want to slightly raise your chest, you should take care of your posture.
• Many mammologists compare the female breast to a bunch of grapes, where the ducts resemble stems and the glands resemble grapes. When palpating, you can feel “clusters” - lobes of glands that resemble small bumps or nodules.
• The entire alveolar system, together with the ducts, is enveloped in two types of tissue: connective and adipose. If your breasts are incredibly soft to the touch, they are mostly made up of fat. When you decide to lose weight, be prepared for your breasts to shrink significantly. For every pound of fat lost, you gain 20 grams of chest fat.
• In the female breast there are Cooper's ligaments that are intertwined with each other. They literally pierce the chest. Over time, both the ligaments and the skin are stretched by gravity, causing the bust to droop and sag. Do you want to prevent this from happening? In this case, pay attention to breast hygiene and wear high-quality tightening underwear.
• After forty years, you can notice involutive age-related changes: functional tissue is replaced by adipose tissue. When menopause occurs, the glandular lobes leave the breast, leaving only adipose tissue with connective layers.

So, any girl or woman should have the basic information described above. Study what is inside a woman's breast, how it functions. Be interested in the anatomy of the female breast! This will definitely benefit you.

Sociologists have revealed a striking fact - the vast majority modern women practically nothing is known about female anatomy mammary gland, one of the important parts of the female body.

A woman's breasts are a sign of femininity, attracting the attention of the opposite sex and providing an opportunity to breastfeed. new life. But given the increasing number of breast cancers, this organ can be considered capable of taking this life. That is why any girl or woman needs to know well how the female breast works, what the mammary gland in women consists of, its functions and how to properly care for it important part bodies.

Appearance

Mammary glands are present not only in women, but also in men. The anatomy of the female mammary gland is initially completely identical to the male anatomy, since the mammary glands are formed in both sexes during prenatal development.

Before puberty, the difference is completely unnoticeable, and only during the period of hormonal changes do the size, shape and structure of the female breast change.

Form

The mammary glands in women look like two symmetrical convex hemispheres. The location of the mammary glands in women is at the level of the third to sixth pair of ribs. Just below the center of the roundness is the nipple, surrounded by the areola.

There is also a generally accepted classification of breasts depending on their shape:

• discoid - a small gland with a wide base;
• hemispherical - diameter and height are approximately equal;
• pear-shaped – the height significantly exceeds the base;
• mastoid - similar in parameters to the piriformis, but the gland itself is more strongly lowered, the nipples are located lower and directed downwards.

Size

It is impossible to accept any specific size as the norm, since it develops individually for each woman.

The average is considered to be a girth of 80 to 85 cm. A slight asymmetry, when one gland is slightly larger, can be considered normal.

The size of the mammary glands depends on several factors:

• amount of adipose tissue:
• the size of the gland itself;
• full of milk.

The weight of the mammary gland in a nulliparous girl is on average 200 g, during breastfeeding can reach 800-900 g. After the end of lactation, iron decreases in size. Size does not affect the amount of milk and the possibility of lactation.

The hormonal background of the female body affects the size of the mammary gland; its appearance can change depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle and change with age.

Nipples

The areola (a pigmented round area of ​​skin with a diameter of 3-5 cm) is located slightly below the middle of the mammary gland, approximately at the level between the fourth and fifth pair of ribs. In its center there is a nipple, which has a flat-cylindrical or cone-shaped shape. The color of the areola and nipple varies from light pink in nulliparous and fair-skinned women, to dark brown or brown in women who have given birth, or in women with more dark skin. In lactating women with large size bust, the diameter of the areola can exceed 10 cm, pigmentation of the areolar-nipple area becomes more intense during this period.

The structure of the nipple: the milk ducts come out and form the nipple, around which the areola is located. Under the skin of the areola there are from 10 to 15 rudimentary areolar glands and Not a large number of sebaceous and sweat glands. There are small holes on the surface of the nipple, which are the exit of the milk ducts, through which milk flows.

The skin on the nipples and areola is very thin and covered with small folds that resemble wrinkles.

Bundles of smooth muscle cells located on the areola and nipple contract when exposed to cold or touch, causing the nipple to shrink and slightly increase in size.

Internal structure

What are women's breasts made of? The structure of the mammary gland in a mature woman consists of the body of the mammary gland itself, adipose and connective tissue. The size of the breast and its shape depend on the amount of fatty tissue. Changes in a woman's weight will certainly affect her bust size.

Glandular and adipose tissue

The body of the mammary gland consists of 15-20 individual hollow cones. The structure of the female mammary gland resembles a grapevine with an abundance of grapes, since the lobes are divided into small lobes by layers of fatty and loose connective tissue. The lobules consist of alveoli, a kind of bubbles that produce milk. The structure of the female breast can be felt by palpation; it consists of small bumps or nodules. The lobes are arranged in a circle, their tops directed towards the nipple.

The gland is surrounded by adipose tissue, which protects the gland from external influences. The fat layer helps maintain a certain temperature necessary for milk production, and it also contains nutrients necessary during pregnancy and lactation.

The ratio of adipose and glandular tissue is individual for each woman.

The size of glandular tissue is influenced by hormonal levels, which is especially noticeable by changes in breast size at different periods of the menstrual cycle. The amount of glandular tissue increases during lactation, and upon completion of feeding, part of the glandular tissue is converted into intraglandular fat.

In young girls, glandular tissue predominates in the structure of the breast, so the bust of young girls is more elastic.

Channels

Milk ducts extend from the tops of the lobes, which extend to the end of the nipple (milk pores), and in front of the mouth they expand, forming milk sinuses, where breast milk accumulates.

Blood supply

Three large arterial vessels are responsible for the blood supply to the mammary gland:

• branches of the internal mammary artery;
• lateral thoracic artery;
• medial thoracic artery.

Nerves, lymph nodes

The connection between the mammary gland and the central nervous system is carried out mainly through branches of the intercostal and supraclavicular nerves. The nerve plexuses reach their greatest density in the areola-nipple region. Since the nerve endings are located close to the surface, this part of the mammary gland is one of the most sensitive erogenous zones.

The structure of a woman's mammary gland is quite complex, especially with regard to the lymphatic system. Due to the anatomical features, the breasts are quite mobile, this is also reflected in the structure of the lymphatic system of this part of the body. The paramammary system is the main group of lymph nodes that are located on the pectoralis major muscle.

Muscles

The structure of a woman's sternum consists of muscle tissue located around the mammary glands. The pectoralis minor and major muscles are located under the gland and fatty tissue. The serratus anterior muscle runs around them, the biceps brachii muscle runs nearby and part of the latissimus dorsi muscle is located, supporting the bust from the side and from above. Minor amount muscles are located in the nipple. There are no muscles in the mammary gland itself.

How hormones affect breast development

The structure of the breasts in women directly depends on the level of hormones. The entire cycle of breast development, from puberty to menopause, is influenced by about 15 hormones.

Let's look at the most important ones:

1. Estrogens – stimulates the growth of connective tissue cells and the development of mammary glands.
2. Progesterone - increases the number of alveolar cells, affects the growth of glandular tissue.
3. Prolactin causes the division and growth of new epithelial cells. It has a very important role during lactation, ensuring the fullness of milk.
4. Insulin - stimulates the growth of new cells caused by the action of prolactin, glucocorticoids and progesterone.

Functions

The main function of the mammary glands is to produce breast milk and supply it to feed the baby. At different stages of pregnancy, lactation and the menstrual cycle, the functions and structure of the mammary gland change significantly.

Changes

All changes in the female breast are directly related to changes hormonal levels.

Puberty

Before the onset of puberty, the mammary glands consist of a small number of lobes, connective and fatty tissue, and are in an underdeveloped state. During puberty, branching and growth of the milk ducts occurs, as well as the growth of adipose tissue.

Birth of a child

Intensive growth of glandular tissue with branching and elongation of ducts, development of alveoli, production and accumulation of milk in them, intensive growth of glandular tissue lead to a significant increase in the bust during pregnancy and lactation.

After breastfeeding ends, breast size decreases due to a reduction in secretory sections. When the next pregnancy occurs, the entire cycle repeats again.

Menopause

During menopause, the reverse development of the mammary glands begins - senile involution. The body of the gland disappears, and only connective fibers and adipose tissue remain.

Anomalies

There are breast anatomy with congenital or acquired pathology.

Macromastia is a pathological increase in the size of the mammary gland that occurs after failure endocrine system during pregnancy or puberty.

Polymastia - failure to intrauterine development The fetus leads to the appearance of additional mammary glands, which can be located on the chest and abdomen from the armpits to the groin area. With polymastia, there is a high chance of developing oncology, so it is recommended to remove its manifestations.

Polythelia is a congenital genetic pathology expressed by an increased number of nipples located along the mamillary lines of the body. Accessory nipples are often mistaken for moles. This anomaly can occur in both women and men.

Amastia is a rare abnormality in which one or both mammary glands fail to develop. This pathology can be found in infants of both sexes. It does not pose a threat to life, but if the pathology is detected in a girl, then breastfeeding will be impossible for her in the future.

A flat or inverted nipple in a woman is not a pathology, but it does cause some inconvenience during breastfeeding. Small Plastic surgery will help correct the shape of the nipples.

Care

The female breast is a very important and very sensitive organ of the reproductive system, requiring careful care and increased attention.

1. Regular hygiene procedures, especially important during breastfeeding, will help maintain breast health. To care for breast skin, you should choose natural-based cosmetics without abusing hormonal products.
2. Contrasting rubdowns and air baths have a beneficial effect on the condition of the breast.
3. The bra should be chosen according to size, giving preference to products made from natural fabrics, with flat seams, without protruding underwires.
4. The chest should be protected even from minor injuries. The slightest damage can lead to malignant formations in the future.
5. Regular self-examination and visits to a mammologist will help monitor breast health and detect the disease at an early stage.

Proper breast care and timely examinations will help you maintain beauty and health for many years.

Video

For educational material on the structure of female breasts, watch our video.

This is the gland that secretes milk characteristic feature animals belonging to the class of mammals. The mammary glands (mamma; synonymous with the mammary gland) are a paired glandular organ that produces milk in women after childbirth; in men it remains underdeveloped and does not function. Its secret is breast milk - the natural food of young mammals in the initial postpartum period of development. Breast diseases are currently “younger,” which makes the problem of early and modern diagnosis even more relevant in the practice of mammologists and gynecologists.

Outside the lactation period, it has an average diameter of 10-12 cm and a thickness of 2-3 cm. The weight of the gland in girls ranges from 150-200 g, during the lactation period 300-900 g. In most young healthy women it is elastic and has the shape of a hemisphere.

STRUCTURE OF THE MAMMY GLAND

The mammary gland is a complex alveolar-tubular organ consisting of 15-20 lobes. The lobe consists of many lobes (which form glandular tissue), from each of which a lactiferous duct departs. These terminal ducts, merging into larger ones, form lobar ducts. Each lobe is cone-shaped with its apex at the nipple, where its main excretory duct opens. In front of the nipple, the ducts expand and form the lacteal sinuses. The lobes are separated from each other by adipose connective tissue and are located radially relative to the nipple. "Additional lobes" - their appearance in an atypical location - can be located in front of the sternum, in the axillary and clavicular areas.

The pigmented area around the nipple is called the areola or areola, and the numerous hills (tubercles) on it are sweat glands. In the area of ​​the nipple and areola skin especially thin ones. There is no layer of subcutaneous fatty tissue.

The body of the mammary gland is located in a connective tissue sheath formed from the superficial fascia, which splits into two plates surrounding the gland. A large number of dense connective tissue cords (Cooper's ligaments) are directed from its anterior surface to the deep layers of the skin, which maintain the shape and anatomical structure of the mammary gland. Between the posterior surface of the fascial sheath and the fascia of the pectoralis major muscle itself there is a layer of loose fatty tissue that tightly covers the body of the gland.

The skin of the female breast is thin and mobile. It glides easily and folds. The tissue is well supplied with blood, lymphatic vessels and nerves, which are under the constant regulatory influence of the central nervous system and hormones.

PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTION

The main function of the mammary glands is the formation and secretion of milk. The structure and functions of the female breast change significantly in different phases of the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and lactation. These changes are determined by the function of the endocrine glands.

The mammary glands are a classic target organ that is affected by a variety of hormones. There is a clear dependence of its structure on age, general hormonal status and the phase of the menstrual cycle. It begins to develop intensively at the age of 12-16 years, when the activity of the adrenal cortex and gonads increases. During the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation and menopause, the mammary glands are influenced by 15 hormones and undergo changes taking into account changes in the secretion of these hormones. And if at least one of them is produced in the wrong quantity, problems begin.

Breast size and shape vary from person to person. Actually, the gland itself is much smaller in size than the entire breast. Individual differences in the size of female breasts are determined by the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer. The shape of the breast (erect or pendulous) depends on the strength and elasticity of the connective tissue capsule in which this gland is enclosed. Thus, neither the size nor shape of the breasts affects a woman's ability to breastfeed.

It is undeniable that a woman's breasts are the most obvious symbol of femininity. This is one of the receptive erogenous zones. The nipples and areola in women are an area of ​​significant susceptibility to stimulation. The mammary gland is connected to the woman’s genital organs, and when exposed to it, the impulse is transmitted through the brain to them. Moreover, such a reaction mammary glands usually does not depend on their size, although according to some observations, small breasts are more sensitive and responsive...

Thus, a woman needs breasts not only for lactation and receiving sexual pleasures, but also for all kinds of socially significant deeds and accomplishments, about which the great Russian poet and lyricist Nekrasov wonderfully put it: “He will endure everything, and pave a wide, clear path for himself.”

However, despite the fact that most of a woman’s life the mammary glands are in relative “rest”, but, as a hormone-dependent organ, they undergo periodic cyclical and complex changes due to the physiology of the female body. And the occurrence of most breast diseases is associated precisely with hormonal imbalances.

BREAST DISEASES

Disturbances in the production of hormones can occur with various endocrine problems, menstrual irregularities, sudden fluctuations in body weight, infectious diseases, emotional overload (stress, depression, neurosis), conscious refusal to breastfeed without medical indications, artificial interruption pregnancy, alcohol abuse, smoking, etc., which may be accompanied by pain and discharge from the mammary glands. Excessive tanning can also impair normal life hormonal sphere and cause in women different problems with breasts.

Breast diseases include acute and chronic inflammation (mastitis), mastalgia (pain), cystic mastopathy and neoplasms, benign and malignant. Of course, the state of its receptor apparatus is also of great importance, which has been studied especially intensively in recent years.

In clinical practice, mammologists distinguish 4 groups of mammary gland diseases:

1. Inflammatory diseases: mastitis, specific infection (tuberculosis, echinococcosis, etc.).
2. Dyshormonal hyperplasia: mastopathy and gynecomastia.
3. Benign formations: adenoma, fibroadenoma, lipoma, angioma and others.
4. Malignant tumors of the mammary gland (cancer, sarcoma and other types of tumors).

It should be noted that a decisive role in their development is currently assigned to progesterone-deficient conditions, in which excess estrogen causes proliferation of breast tissue and disruption of the receptor apparatus. This is largely influenced by age. Based on this, patients with various diseases mammary glands are divided into the following age groups:

From 18 to 27 years: juvenile age,
- from 28 to 34 years: early fertile age,
- from 35 to 47 years: late fertile age,
- from 48 to 54 years: perimenopausal,
- over 55 years old: menopausal age.

MAIN DISEASES OF THE WOMEN'S BREAST:

• Breast abscess,
• Adenosis,
• Fibroadenoma of the mammary gland,
• Actinomycosis of the mammary glands,
• Intraductal papillomatosis,
• Inflammation of the nipple
• Galactocele,
• Fat necrosis of the mammary gland,
• Invasive ductal carcinoma,
• Breast cyst,
• Lactostasis,
• Leaf-shaped tumor of the breast,
• Mastitis,
• Mastopathy,
• Developmental defects,
• Mammary cancer,
• Paget's cancer
• Breast sarcoma.

Symptoms of breast diseases

Medical practice confirms that most patients with gynecological, and especially in combination with endocrine disorders, suffer from one or another disease of the mammary glands. At the same time, the highest risk group for their severe pathology are women with hyperplastic diseases of the genital organs. Depending on the suspected cause of breast pathology, certain methods are used