With more emphasis on education and advances in technology, breast cancer does not have to be a death sentence. You can do many things to help improve your chances of surviving this disease. The most important is early detection. This includes monthly self breast exams and getting the right tests.
Step 1
Look for physical changes. Notice any changes in the size, shape or color of your breasts. Look for signs of swelling, redness, dimpling, puckering or development of a rash in the skin. Note if your nipple has changed color, position, turned inward, become itchy, scaly or painful. Also examine your nipple for any signs of a watery, milky, yellowish or bloody discharge. Do this exam in front of a mirror with your arms down by your sides and then again with your arms lifted overhead.
Step 2
Feel for abnormalities in the breasts. Lie down and use the opposite hand to breast. For example, use your right hand to examine your left breast. Check a large square area that encompasses all of the breast tissue. This runs a width from your armpit to your breastbone and then from your collarbone to your bra line (where the bottom of your bra would touch). Use the pads of three fingers to make small dime-size circles. Start in one area of the breast. In each area you test, make three circles. Do the first circle with a light touch, the second with a medium touch and then one circle with deeper pressure. As you move from one area to another, keep your finger pads in contact with your skin. Move in an up-and-down pattern.
Step 3
Examine under your armpits. Feel for abnormalities in this area as you did in your breasts, by making small circles. Notice any firm lumps or areas that feel thicker than others. When you lift your arm to examine underneath, just lift it slightly and avoid straightening your arm all the way up. According to the American Cancer Society, "raising your arm straight up tightens the tissue in this area and makes it harder to examine."
Tips and Warnings
If you still have a period, do the exam several days after your period ends. If you no longer have a period, choose a day that is easy for you to remember, such as the first of each month. Learn what your breasts normally feel like. Most women have areas of their breasts that are naturally lumpy. Each area of the breasts has a different feel. It may be helpful to use a journal to record the results of your exams so you can compare your exam from month to month. When you first start, have your doctor watch you do a self breast exam to make sure you are doing it properly.
Any changes that last beyond one full cycle of your period and irregularities that get bigger or drastically change should be addressed by your doctor. In addition to monthly self-exams, get mammograms as scheduled by your doctor. A combination of self-testing and professional testing gives you the best chance of catching breast cancer early.
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