ABSTRACT
A total of 232 patients with breast pain were studied with a structured pro forma measuring the type of pain, the periodicity and duration of pain, its distribution and radiation, and aggravating and relieving factors. In addition, the impact on lifestyle was described. Analysis showed that the pain could be classified into clear groups: the dominant pattern was cyclical pronounced pain (40%), while there was non-cyclical pain in 27% of cases. These patterns were easily defined in the clinic using simple pain charts.
