Women With Larger Breasts Had Higher Rates Of These 4 Conditions
When your breasts are larger, finding a comfortable bra can be a challenge, and sitting at a desk for an extended period of time can come with extra discomfort. But new research shows the effects may extend beyond the shoulders and upper back.
Researchers recently explored how macromastia, the medical term for unusually large breasts, is connected to migraines, persistent neck pain, and sleep apnea. Here's what they found.
About the study
Researchers used records from an academic neurology practice to compare 347 women with macromastia with 340 women without the condition. The groups were matched by age, race and ethnicity, and body weight.
The researchers looked at rates of chronic migraine, neck pain, cervical radiculopathy (pain caused by an irritated nerve in the neck), occipital neuralgia (nerve pain at the back of the head), and obstructive sleep apnea.
Larger breasts were linked to four health conditions
Women with macromastia had higher rates of chronic migraine, neck pain, cervical radiculopathy, and obstructive sleep apnea. Occipital neuralgia was also more common, but the difference wasn't statistically significant enough to rule out that the connection appeared by chance.
Within the macromastia group, women with neck pain were also more likely to have undergone breast reduction surgery than those without neck pain.
The associations remained after researchers accounted for body weight, demographics, depression, and anxiety.
What could explain the connection
The study can't prove that larger breasts cause these conditions. Researchers looked back at existing medical records for this study, so they could identify an association, but not cause and effect.
That said, we know that large breasts can place additional strain on the chest, shoulders, and upper back, which may stress the muscles and structures supporting the neck. Over time, this could contribute to neck pain or irritation of nearby nerves.
The link between large breasts and migraines is less clear. People with migraines can experience neck pain and muscle tension, but the study couldn't establish whether breast size was triggering the migraines.
The same goes for sleep apnea. Factors like body weight can influence sleep apnea risk, but there was no clear connection between large breasts and sleep disruption.
More research is needed to understand these relationships.
When your symptoms don't feel so separate
If you have macromastia along with ongoing neck pain, headaches, or migraines, tell your health care provider about the combination. You don't need to assume breast size is behind every headache or sore neck. But when several symptoms keep showing up together, it's worth discussing the bigger picture with your provider.
Depending on what's driving the symptoms, treatment may include physical therapy, supportive garments, pain management, or even surgical interventions. Breast reduction surgery is an option for women whose large breasts contribute to persistent physical symptoms.
The takeaway
Headaches, neck pain, and poor sleep don't always exist in separate bubbles.
This study found all of these conditions were more common among women with macromastia, giving providers another factor to consider when looking at the full picture of a patient's pain.
