Painful gynecomastia

[Unusual]

About mid May my right breast was hurting and went to the Dr. 3 weeks later to get it checked out.  My initial labs showed low testosterone and a more sensitive lab result showed normal testosterone a week later even though it was on the low end but acceptable given the range.  A surgeon did a biopsy and it came back as gynecomastia.  I'm 37, don't take any meds or drugs and I'm in otherwise, great health.  My weight is a factor for me personally, 185-190 at 5'-10".  I used to be very fit as a dancer and being retired now the lack of exercise has taken it's toll.  I do drink alcohol almost on a daily basis sometimes having more than the moderate average of 2 drinks but max would be a bottle of wine.  I have also been drinking a lot of loose leaf teas during the day, green, oolong, black and herbal.  I have a followup in Sept with the surgeon but no one can explain the pain.  The mass they felt to be 2 cm to the side of my nipple.  I have no family history of cancer or illness or gynecomastia to my knowledge. Does this sound like it will disappear on it's own?  It always starts to hurt by mid day but never in the morning.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Any one-sided breast pain or tenderness associated with a mass, particularly if it is new, is of concern.  It indicates that something is going on -- perhaps being stimulated by hormones, etc.  But a tumor cannot be ruled out -- even with a biopsy of "gynecomastia."

Would certainly recommend your seeing an endocrinologist, who will do many more hormone tests than just testosterone alone.

Sometimes doctors can pin down what may be causing the problem -- and sometimes we don't know, even with lots of tests. 

There may come a time when your doctors may recommend an excisional biopsy, at which time the entire mass is removed for pathological study.

Dr Jacobs