The breasts each contain an extensive system of glandular tissue, surrounded by fatty tissue, blood vessels, lymph nodes, connective tissue and nerves. Diseases affecting the breast can cause inflammation, potentially leading to breast tissue and nerve irritation and damage. This tissue damage can lead to persistent pain and a burning sensation within the breast.
Mastitis
One possible cause of a burning sensation in the breast is a breast infection, also called mastitis. Breast infections most commonly occur in women who are breastfeeding, since infant suckling can damage the skin around the nipple, allowing a point of entry for bacteria. Medical News Today, an independent health and medical news website, indicates that women with a breast infection experience a constant burning sensation, or sensation that increases during breastfeeding. In a breast infection, the burning sensation is often accompanied by redness and swelling of the affected breast, pain when the breast is touched and a general fever due to the infection. Most breast infections are easily controlled with antibiotics, and the symptoms of the infection managed with pain medication.
Neuropathy
Another possible cause of a burning sensation in the breast is peripheral nerve damage, called neuropathy. Patients may develop neuropathy due to a number of disorders, such as poorly controlled diabetes, or due to medications, such as cancer chemotherapy. In some cases, nerve damage leads to abnormal signaling from pain-sensing nerves, which causes a burning pain, according to MayoClinic.com. As a result, patients with peripheral neuropathy in the breast experience a burning, painful sensation, which may be accompanied by numbness and tingling in the breast. Although nerve damage often proves irreversible, patients may help slow or stop nerve damage with medication or lifestyle changes, and they can manage burning pain with analgesic medications.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
A serious possible cause of a burning sensation in the breast is inflammatory breast cancer. This relatively rare form of cancer accounts for around five percent of breast cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute. Patients with inflammatory breast cancer develop a swelling of the affected breast, because cancerous growth obstructs the lymph vessels and causes a buildup of lymph fluid in the breast. In addition to swelling, the affected breast becomes red and inflamed, and patients may experience a burning or itching sensation. Inflammatory breast cancer can progress rapidly, with symptoms developing in weeks, so patients experiencing breast swelling and burning should seek immediate medical attention to investigate the cause of the symptoms.
