The soreness can be related to a number of changes in the female body, and the pain can be ongoing or it can come and go with monthly hormonal changes. Breast tenderness can affect women of all ages, but it is most common during early pregnancy and the decade prior to menopause. There are many reasons why a woman may experience breast tenderness, but the most common cause is the monthly hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle. Breasts tend to swell and become tender just prior to and during a woman’s period as part of the normal female reproductive cycle. Breasts also swell during pregnancy and while breast feeding. Other common causes of breast pain include puberty, chronic cystic mastitis, vigorous running or jogging, approaching menopause, estrogen therapy, medications, alcoholism with liver damage, injury, nipple problems, arthritis in the neck, shingles and PMS. Painful breasts are not a symptom of breast cancer. Symptoms of breast tenderness include pain, sensitivity to touch, heaviness and an uncomfortable feeling of fullness. The degree of pain varies from person to person and can range from a mild ache to severe discomfort. Possible Lifestyle Changes for Breast Tenderness: Eat high fiber foods and avoid caffeine, chocolate, butter and salt. Take a 30- to 60-minute walk daily to get the blood pumping and stretch the muscles. Wear a good quality bra that fits well and properly supports the breasts, especially when exercising. Some women wear bras while they sleep to protect the delicate breast tissues. Take a pain reliever before the period starts to help control pain. Apply ice packs for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce swelling and discomfort. Ask a medical professional if hormone replacement therapy would help reduce pain. Hope this helps.

Good heavens I am not sure that that first answer is even addressing your question at all is it? You said nipples and that is a long lecture on hormones and breast pain and tenderness copied out of a text some where. I had the nipple problem and it was mostly during sex because that was mostly when my boyfriend was handling my breasts. Not that I minded this one bit, but I did come to realize at some point that they were just plain chafed and raw, and consequently very tender because he was very attentive to my breasts and did a lot of handling of them and at some point they just got a down right chafed and a bit painful it was pretty much isolated to during sex or when I was not wearing a bra and fabric was rubbing on my nipples so it was pretty much only due to one thing. He just had to take it easy sometimes for a while or I had to grin and bear it! But I did not really mind.