Vibrations in the Breast: Should I Worry?

It’s common for people to experience what’s usually described as vibrations, buzzing, quavering, zinging, or twitching sensations in different parts of the body at some point. Some people may experience this feeling in or around their breasts.

Why Do I Feel Vibrations in My Breast?

Vibrations in the breast or its surrounding areas are involuntary, meaning you have no control over them. There are a number of reasons why you may be experiencing this.

Fasciculations and Muscle Contractions

“The most likely cause of vibration in the breast is a pinched nerve or twitching muscle,” says Tingting Tan, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist and hematologist specializing in breast cancer at City of Hope in Newport Beach, California.

Muscle fasciculations, also called muscle twitches, occur when a nerve that controls the muscle becomes overactive, causing it to contract. If this happens in the muscles underneath or around your breast, you may feel your breast vibrating.

Fasciculations are often minor and quite common; up to 70 percent of the general population experiences them. They usually don’t last more than a few days and, in some cases, even go unnoticed.

Common causes of fasciculations or muscle twitching include:

• Insufficient sleep
• Stress or anxiety
• Depression
• Drinking coffee or alcohol
• Strenuous exercise
• A nutrient deficiency
• A medication overdose or side effect
• A viral infection

When fasciculation is persistent without your doctor identifying any medical condition that could be causing it, they may diagnose it as benign fasciculation syndrome.

Hormone Fluctuations

“The most common cause of involuntary sensations involving the breast tissues — sometimes generalized, sometimes localized — would be related to changes in hormone status, which [occur during the] menstrual [cycle] or in a person undergoing menopause,” says Walter Kim, MD, an integrative medicine physician at Brio-Medical Cancer Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The breast is quite sensitive to hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which affect its growth during puberty.

These hormones are also linked to the changes the breast tissue undergoes during different phases of the reproductive cycle and may be linked to some of the sensations you feel in your breasts.

For instance, during early pregnancy hormones cause the breasts to enlarge; they also feel sore and tender. Some women notice similar breast changes or sensations during their period, at perimenopause, and during menopause.

Underlying Medical Conditions

Most muscle twitches come and go and are not linked to a disease. However, some do occur because of an underlying medical condition that affects the nerves and how they function.

Neurological conditions that may cause involuntary muscle twitches and contractions include:

• Neuropathy (nerve damage)
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive motor neuron disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells
• Myopathy (weak muscles)
• Spinal muscular atrophy, a group of hereditary motor neuron diseases

Other non-neurological medical conditions can also cause muscle twitches, including abnormal electrolyte levels, an overactive thyroid, and kidney disease.

Hormone Therapy

According to Dr. Kim, hormone therapy, “whether it’s birth control or hormone replacement therapy,” can cause involuntary quivering sensations in the breast. This is still linked to a surge of reproductive hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, stimulating the breast tissue and increasing blood flow to the breasts, which can produce various breast sensations in different people.

If yours is linked to hormone therapy, you may also experience other side effects, such as:

• Acne
• Appetite and weight changes
• Bloating or stomach cramps
• Breast discharge, swelling, or tenderness
• Changes in menstrual flow
• Changes in sex drive

Cancer Treatment

Breast vibration may also occur in some people receiving treatments for cancer when the cancer is responding to the treatment, says Kim. “The patient may feel a relatively out-of-the-ordinary sensation right at the tumor area or in other areas where there’s a tumor present,” he says.

He explains that this sensation may not necessarily be a side effect of treatment but a result of the inflammatory changes that happen when tumors break down, leading to tumor lysis and the release of toxins that can irritate the breast area. The breast vibration sensation caused by this can start immediately after the initiation of treatment or hours later.

Can Breast Vibrations Be a Sign of Breast Cancer?

Breast vibration isn’t a known symptom of breast cancer. “It is unlikely to be a symptom of breast cancer,” Dr. Tan says.

However, Kim believes that in some cases they may be related. “As the tumor grows, it can cause localized inflammation. As a result, the body reacts and causes sensations that occur around the tumor if it progresses,” he says, noting that patients sometime describe these sensations as a “tingling” or “pulsation.”

How Can I Treat Breast Vibrations?

Minor muscle twitches usually don’t need treatment because they often subside on their own. However, some lifestyle factors, such as lack of sleep or consuming too much caffeine, may contribute to the muscle twitching causing your breast vibrations, Tan says. In that case, doing the following may help:

• Avoid or limit stress.
• Drink enough water.
• Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation.
• Ensure you get enough sleep (experts recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults).
• Eat a well-balanced diet to get all the nutrients your body needs.
• Limit stimulants like caffeine that can affect the nervous system.
• Stick with moderate-intensity exercises.

If your breast vibrations are related to inflammatory changes, Kim says taking antiinflammatory medications like aspirin or ibuprofen may be helpful. If they’re linked to hormone replacement therapy, talk to the doctor who prescribed the medication. They may suggest you stop the treatment temporarily or reduce the dosage and frequency.

Ultimately, the approach to treating breast vibrations will depend on the underlying cause, if there is one, which needs to be determined by your healthcare provider.

When to Call a Doctor

If you experience a persistent vibration sensation that doesn’t resolve within a few days, even after getting enough sleep and rest, it would be best to consult your healthcare provider. Also, let your doctor know if there are additional symptoms present, such as pain or weakness in the muscles.

Your doctor may need to run tests, such as blood tests, to see if you have any nutrient or vitamin deficiencies. They may also ask you questions to determine if you have other symptoms and whether you are taking any medications that may be causing the vibration sensation.

The Takeaway

• A feeling of vibration in the breast can occur for a number of reasons, most of which are minor and not cause for alarm.
• About 70 percent of people experience this type of muscle movement, and it typically resolves on its own within a few days.
• If these sensations in your breast are persistent, speak to your healthcare provider.