Men may experience pain in the chest tissue at some point, in which case there are a few common reasons. One of the most common causes of male breast pain is gynecomastia, which is inflammation of the male breast tissue. Certain medications can also cause this problem, including diuretics, steroids, and medications taken for high blood pressure. Finally, liver damage can also lead to sore man boobs as excess fat builds up in the liver. Fortunately, male breast cancer is not a common cause of breast pain.
Gynecomastia involves excess fat in the chest area of men, often leading to tenderness and swelling. Although fat is not supposed to accumulate naturally in that area in men, this condition is quite common, especially in those going through puberty. It is usually attributed to hormonal imbalance, which tends to occur during puberty or old age. Fortunately, it's usually temporary and usually doesn't require treatment. As soon as the hormones balance, the male breast tissue should return to normal.
Male breast pain is also sometimes caused by the use of certain medications. Steroids are responsible for some cases, as they can cause breast growth and tenderness. Diuretics can also cause male breast pain, so patients are generally advised to talk to their doctor before taking over-the-counter medications that can have side effects like this one. Of course, some prescription drugs also cause pain in the breast tissue. For example, methyldopa, which is used to treat high blood pressure, can cause chest tissue tenderness in some patients.
Liver damage is another somewhat common cause of man boobs pain, as fat tends to accumulate in the liver with this condition. Excess fat can cause pain in both the abdomen and chest. A fatty liver is usually caused by alcoholism, obesity, or a diet high in unsaturated fats, and can lead to liver failure if not treated quickly.
One of the first conditions that may come to mind when treating breast pain is breast cancer, but this is not generally considered a common cause of male breast pain. This is in part because breast cancer is much less common in men than women, which means that men are very unlikely to get it. Also, few cases of male breast cancer involve chest pain, as most are diagnosed after noticing a painless lump. Therefore, male breast pain is more likely to be caused by other treatable conditions in most cases.