Need assistance?
Key takeaways:
- Researchers analyzed health records of 687 women to find associations between macromastia and neurological or sleep disorders.
- The study found women with macromastia are about 50% more likely to have OSA compared to those without the condition.
- Findings highlight the need to view enlarged breast tissue as a potential factor in sleep-related breathing disorders rather than strictly a cosmetic issue.
Women with enlarged breast tissue, known medically as macromastia, may be more likely to experience obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic migraine, neck pain, and certain spinal nerve disorders, according to a newly published study.
The research, published in the journal Headache by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, used a medical record database to examine electronic health records from 687 women. These patients were treated between 2017 and 2024 at headache and neurology clinics affiliated with Stanford Medical Center.
The cohort included 347 women diagnosed with macromastia and 340 women without the condition. After adjusting for factors like age, body mass index, depression, and anxiety, the study found that women with macromastia were about 50% more likely to have OSA. Additionally, they were approximately 40% more likely to have chronic migraine, twice as likely to experience neck pain, and more than twice as likely to have cervical radiculopathy, a condition caused by nerve compression in the neck.
“Many people think of enlarged breast tissue primarily as a cosmetic issue, but our findings suggest it may be associated with a broader range of women’s health concerns, including chronic migraine, neck pain and sleep-related breathing disorders,” says Kristyn Pocock, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and lead author of the study, in a release.
The researchers also noted that while patients often report symptoms such as headaches and shoulder discomfort, relatively little is known about how macromastia specifically relates to neurological conditions and sleep disorders.
Because the study was based on a retrospective review of medical records at a single point in time, further research is needed to understand the mechanisms linking breast tissue size to these conditions and whether treating macromastia could improve symptoms.
“These findings raise important questions about how enlarged breast tissue may contribute to painful symptoms for women,” says Pocock in a release. “More research is needed to determine whether treating macromastia could help certain women find relief and enhance quality of life.”
More in Women’s Sleep Health
ID 466563955© Panuwat Dangsungnoen| Dreamstime.com
Advertisement
