Mondor’s disease happens when a blood clot in a chest, groin, or leg vein causes the vein to harden. This is most common in the outer breast area, and women are more likely than men to experience Mondor’s disease.

This vein hardening can be painful, although in many cases it presents as chest pain, which can make diagnosis difficult. The symptoms of Mondor’s disease, without proper examination, could be mistaken for other conditions such as inflammatory breast cancer, a breast abscess, or vasculitis.

Mondor’s disease can also affect the penis. While this is typically rare and painless, it can be uncomfortable or alarming when first noticed. Some patients may mistake this for Peyronie’s disease due to the hardness of the vein that wraps around the top section of the penis.

Causes for Mondor’s Disease

For Mondor’s disease of the breast (most common), there are a variety of potential causes, with no primary cause:

• Breast surgery or biopsy,
• Inflammation due to illness or infection,
• Wearing too tight a bra too often,
• Vigorous chest exercise, like maxing out on a chest press,
• Breast cancer.

For Mondor’s disease of the penis, the most common cause is prolonged and rigorous sex or masturbation. However, this could also be caused by:

• Sexually transmitted infection (STIs),
• An obstruction in the vein,
• Pelvic tumors,
• Pancreatic cancer,
• Abstinence,
• Use of a vacuum erection

Treatment Options

Most often, Mondor’s disease will go away on its own, but it may be recommended by healthcare providers to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen; anti-coagulant drugs (blood thinners); antiplatelet medications like aspirin; and warm compresses. For penile Mondor’s, it is also recommended to abstain from sexual activity until the issue has resolved itself.

If Mondor’s disease is persistent or recurring, surgical options may include thrombectomy, which removes blood clots from the affected vein, or, for penile cases, a dorsal vein resection, which blocks a portion of the dorsal vein in the penis.

Key Takeaways

• While Mondor’s disease does not necessarily affect sexual health, it may be a sign of other issues that could have lasting consequences, such as cancer.
• Generally, Mondor’s disease should go away on its own, and patients may be recommended over-the-counter options to help with discomfort, as well as avoiding rigorous activity until the issue resolves.
• If you are experiencing chest pain or feel a hardened vein in your chest/breast, groin, or penis, it may be beneficial to speak with a healthcare professional to rule out more serious health issues.

Resources:

Binjawhar, A. S., Aldurayhim, M. I., Alghamdi, A. S., Madani, M. Y., & Gutub, E. H. (2023). Thrombosis of the superficial dorsal penile vein following aggressive sexual intercourse: A case report. Urology Case Reports, 50, 102518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eucr.2023.102518 

Hamilton, J., Mossanen, M., & Strote, J. (2013). Mondor’s disease of the penis. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 14(2), 180–180. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2012.8.13276 

Rountree KM, Barazi H, Aulick NF. Mondor Disease. [Updated 2023 May 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538282/

Seemann, L. L., Ardon, T., Bowie, R. A., Bullock, K. C., & Clapp, A. D. (2024). Breast pain differential: Mondor’s disease of the breast. Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports, 12. https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096241246621

Todd, B., Nierenberg, L., & Price, J. (2020). Mondor’s disease: A rare cause of chest pain in the emergency department. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.6917