Can Wearing An Underwire Bra Cause Breast Cancer
The claim that bra-wearing can put women at serious risk for breast cancer has been around for almost 20 years. Does this idea hold any truth? Dr. Laura Hutchins, a UAMS medical oncologist who specializes in breast cancer, says that there is not enough evidence to support this idea.
According to a Scientific American article this myth began with the publication of a book in the mid-90s, that claimed that women who wear tight-fitting bras with underwire have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who do not. The authors suggest that bras can compress the lymphatic system of the breast, causing toxins to become trapped in the breast tissue to cause cancer.
The overall consensus among doctors is that neither the type of bra worn nor the tightness of undergarments has any connection to the risk of breast cancer.
Dr. Hutchins also commented that the belief that physical trauma to the breast, such as being hit or kicked, can also cause cancer.
Patients sometimes report previous trauma in the area of the breast where cancer develops at a later date, she says. So far, as can be determined, these occurrences are coincidental.
Nerves That May Be Affected
You have 3 types of nerves that send messages to your brain and spinal cord. The information below tells you how nerve problems can affect each type.
Sensory nerves. These nerves affect your sense of feeling. Damage to the sensory nerves can cause the following problems in your hands and feet:
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Tingling, burning, a buzzing electric feeling, or numbness. These symptoms usually start in the toes and then later in the tips of the fingers. They can continue along the hands and feet toward the center of the body.
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Pain. This might feel like pinching, sharp stabs, a burning sensation, or electric shocks. Things like shoes or bed covers might cause pain, when they normally do not.
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A tight feeling, as if you are wearing tight gloves or stockings.
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Discomfort that gets worse when you touch something.
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Difficulty feeling hot and cold temperatures or knowing if you hurt yourself.
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Difficulty knowing where your hands and feet are in space. You might have difficulty walking or picking things up. It might be worse in a dark room or working with small objects.
Motor nerves. These nerves send information between your brain and your muscles. Damage to the motor nerves can cause the following problems:
Autonomic nerves. These nerves control the body functions you dont have to think about. These include keeping your blood pressure, bladder, and bowels working normally. Damage to these nerves can cause the following problems.
Causes Of Tingling In Breast
Following lists some of the most common causes of tingling sensation in the breast that may be associated with pain and other symptoms:
1. Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes during, before or after the menstrual period affects the tissue and fluid concentration of the breast tissue and may lead to pain, discomfort and feeling of heaviness in the chest. Same factors are responsible for pain in the breasts during pregnancy as a result of growth and development of glandular tissue of breast under the influence of estrogen and progesterone in an attempt to prepare the mammary glands for lactation.
2. Breast Trauma
Trauma or direct injury to breast tissue can also lead to pain and tingling sensation due to cyst formation, pressure changes as a result of inflammatory response or moderate to severe damage to the connective tissue or muscular elements of breast.
3. Breast Surgery
Various cosmetic procedures like breast reduction, breast augmentation and other reconstructive surgeries can lead to mild nerve damage as part of the procedure that may be transient in most cases however, depending upon the degree of nerve damage, the symptoms may be permanent. Sometimes, the post-surgical inflammatory process can also lead to tingling sensation that may extend up to arm-pits, anterior chest wall or towards the shoulder region.
4. Nerve Damage
5. Medications
7. Common Cold
6. Fatty Tissue Imbalance
7. Breast Cancer
8. Costochondritis
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What Other Conditions Can Cause Nipple Changes
Some women naturally have inverted nipples. If your nipples were always inverted, theres no need to worry, but if theyve recently retracted, call your doctor.
An infection of the mammary ducts called mammary duct ectasia can also change your nipple orientation. This condition commonly affects women over age 50.
A milky nipple discharge is perfectly normal if youve recently given birth or if youre breastfeeding.
Even if youre not pregnant or nursing, nipple discharge is usually a sign of a benign condition, such as:
- an underactive thyroid gland
- sores that dont heal
- itching
- change in skin color
- visible veins in the breast, which can be a sign of increased blood flow to the cancer
Skin changes arent necessarily cancer, but they can sometimes warn of a rare type of breast cancer, like Paget disease or inflammatory breast cancer. Let your doctor know if your skin doesnt go back to its normal appearance within a few days.
A few other skin conditions can affect your breasts, including:
- rashes
- moles
- skin infections
Skin changes such as rashes and skin infections should clear up within a few days. If they dont go away, have your doctor take a look.
Breast Cancer And Shoulder Blade Pain
Some women may feel back pain in the upper back between the shoulder blades before any other sign of breast cancer reveals itself. The discomfort is usually attributed to muscle pain, inflammation of the spine or stretching the tendon and ligaments in the back.
Its important to know that tumors will sometimes develop deep within the breast tissue of the chest and felt in the spine or ribcage. There is also the possibility of metasis, a malignant spreading of the disease to the ribs or spine.
For example, The National Breast Cancer Foundation reports about a patient who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and suffered from a severe back pain.5
The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association reported that metastatic bone disease secondary to breast cancer is a common cause of low back pain. The report stressed the need for further imaging in patients with a history of breast cancer and whose physical examination and plain film radiographs are inconclusive or suspicious.6
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Unconventional Signs Of Breast Cancer That You Must Know About
Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Health
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease in the world that affects both men and women. The chances of getting the disease increase as you age, but detecting it at an early stage could be life saving. In this article I am going to discuss uncommon signs and symptoms of breast cancer that many people overlook.
The majority of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in people who are aged 40 and up, but in the instances where it affects younger people it tends to be more aggressive. This makes early detection an essential part of treating the disease within its onset stages.
Its important to have a firm grasp of bodily knowledge, as the earliest stages of breast cancer usually come without pain. The most common indicator is the discovery of a lump, but cancer goes through multiple progressive stages before these lumps form. It may sometimes take years for lumps to develop, so people shouldnt rely solely on lumps to indicate breast cancer, as they usually indicate an already progressive disease.
There are several signs that the American Cancer Society claim should be analyzed closely by a specialist. It is important to remember that these signs arent definitive proof of existing breast cancer. They can sometimes indicate smaller hormonal or health factors, so visiting an expert can clear any ambiguity. Some of the more obvious signs are:
- Change in breast structure
- Changes in the skin or nipple
Tingling Feeling In The Breast: Causes And Remedies
It has been observed that almost 30 to 50% of all the women experience at least one episode of moderate to severe pain or tingling in the breast during entire lifetime. In most cases, the pain disappear gradually or incidentally without any management however a small percentage develop persistent and long standing breast pain. Pain in the breast may occur alone or may be associated with symptoms like swelling, lump, discharge, redness, edema and other similar features. Here are a few most common causes of tingling in the breast.
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Pinching Feeling In Breast What Could It Be
Asked by Lizzle
Pinching Feeling In Breast. What Could It Be?
I have been having breast pain for the last couple of months but i thought that it was just because my breasts were getting bigger. But now the last 2 days every once in awhile throughout the day i will feel a pinch around the nipple. It is happening in both breasts but not at the same time. What could this be? I am only 20 so i didn’t think that it was anything too major like breast cancer.
Thank you
Warning Signs Of Breast Cancer
The warning signs of breast cancer are not the same for all women.
The most common signs are:
- A change in the look or feel of the breast OR
- A change in the look or feel of the nipple OR
- Nipple discharge
If you have any of the warning signs described below, see a health care provider .
If you dont have a provider, one of the best ways to find a good one is to get a referral from a trusted family member or friend.
If thats not an option, call your health department, a clinic or a nearby hospital. If you have insurance, your insurance company may also have a list of providers in your area.
Learn more about finding a health care provider.
In most cases, these changes are not cancer.
One example is breast pain. Pain is more common with benign breast conditions than with breast cancer, but the only way to know for sure is to get it checked.
If the change turns out to be breast cancer, its best to find it at an early stage, when the chances of survival are highest.
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Itchy Breast Redness And Pain
The American Cancer Society mentions that while the most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump, other possible symptoms include skin irritation and dimpling, as well as redness, scaliness or thickening of the breast skin.1
Its common for breasts to be sore and sensitive during menstruation, but this symptom could mean something more serious if you have sore breasts sensitivity that persists after that period. There may also be swelling involved with skin that is warm to the touch, indicating the less common forms of inflammatory breast cancer.
It is worth noting that it is rare that breast pain or sore breasts after period is a sign of cancer. Doctors from Harvard Medical School say that sore tender breasts are usually not connected with breast cancer.
Cancer Research UK says that itchy breasts can be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer, however this is very rare. With this type of cancer, the area of skin over the tumor can become red, inflamed, painful and itchy.2
Inflammatory cancer may also cause swelling and pain in the chest. The skin may look scaly or have small blue marks similar to hemorrhages, somewhat like cellulite holes on the breast.
Doctors on WebMD say that a reddish, pitted surface like the skin of an orange could be a sign of advanced breast cancer. They also mention a marble-like area under the skin or indentation on the breast, which may indicate a tumor that cannot be seen or felt.3
When To See Your Gp
See your GP if you have:
- a lump in your breast
- any other worrying symptoms, such as nipple discharge
- a history of breast cancer in members of your family and you’re worried about your chances of getting it
It’s very unlikely you have cancer, but it’s best to get your symptoms checked. Your GP will examine your breast and can refer you for tests and scans for breast cancer if needed.
If you do not have symptoms but have a clear family history of breast cancer, your GP may refer you to a genetic specialist to discuss your risk of getting it.
There are some inherited genes that increase your risk of cancer and a blood test can be done to check for these. Read about testing for cancer risk genes.
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Where Does Capsular Contracture Start
It is possible that you have capsular contracture if one or both of your breasts begin to feel unusually firm, tighten into a ball, or shift to a slightly higher position on your chest. It is also possible that your breasts feel sore to the touch, tight, or otherwise uncomfortable. Three months after surgery, the first signs of contracture may appear.
Media Flub: Squeezing Breasts Prevents Cancer
The media often takes a research studys findings completely out of context and confuses the public.
Researchers from the University of California at Berkeley found that compression of breast cancer cells grown in a laboratory made them assume a normal growth pattern.
Reports on this study may have been derailed by the universitys own press release which was entitled To revert breast cancer cells, give them the squeeze.
The study was presented at a meeting and has not been published. If you read the press release, it is very clear that the research involved only cells. The authors played down any practical use of the information, saying that even a compression bra would probably not be any value. Specifically, they said Compression, in and of itself, is not likely to be a therapy.
If you google Squeezing breasts prevents cancer, you will find over 50 hits. Most of them prominently feature photos of women in various stages of undress and articles with sophomoronic commentary.
Fox News went with Giving breasts a squeeze could hinder cancer growth. The article essentially replicated the Cal Berkeley press release.
Another Cosmo quote: Scientists didnt go into deets about how your boobs should be squeezed, but said physical pressure was key. They didnt go into deets because there was nothing about actually squeezing breasts in the paper or the press release except mentioning that direct pressure on the breasts would probably not be of value.
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Can Itching Be A Sign Of Breast Cancer
Itchiness of the breast is not usually due to cancer. It is usually due to other conditions that can affect the breast such as eczema or mastitis .
There is a condition that affects the nipple called Paget’s Disease that can cause itching.
This condition develops in the nipple or the darker area of skin around it . It usually first appears as a red, scaly rash of the skin that may look like eczema. There might also be some discharge or bleeding from the nipple.
With Pagets disease there might be breast cancer in the tissues behind the nipple. Or there might be carcinoma in situ. This means that there are cancer cells but they are completely contained within the lining of the breast ducts. It is possible for someone to have Pagets of the breast with no underlying cancer but this is less common.
Outlook For Breast Cancer In Men
The outlook for breast cancer in men varies depending on how far it has spread by the time it’s diagnosed.
It may be possible to cure breast cancer if it’s found early.
A cure is much less likely if the cancer is found after it has spread beyond the breast. In these cases, treatment can relieve your symptoms and help you live longer.
Speak to your breast care nurse if you’d like to know more about the outlook for your cancer.
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Pain And Tenderness In The Armpit
According to studies, the first place breast cancer spreads to is the axillary lymph nodes .
The axillary lymph nodes indicate breast cancer in the same way the lymph nodes in the neck and throat indicate a flu, making the axillaries an essential place for onset discovery.
The journal of Clinical Oncology reported about the significance of axillary lymph node metastasis in primary breast cancer saying that axillary lymph node status is the single most important prognostic variable in the management of patients with primary breast cancer.7
The American Cancer Society says that sometimes a breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collarbone and cause a lump or swelling there, even before the original tumor in the breast tissue is large enough to be felt.1 Therefore any pain or discomfort in the left or right armpit is something that should definitely be tested and you should also be aware of the other causes of armpit pain.
The first thing to do is to compare the painful armpit to the other armpit. If the difference is persistently evident, its worth consulting an expert.
How Is Breast Cancer Treated
Treatment for breast cancer is the same in men as in women. It depends on how big the tumor is and how far it has spread. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. For more information, see the National Cancer Institutes Male Breast Cancer Treatment.external icon
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Myth : Breast Cancer Doesnt Cause Pain
Thats not entirely true. Fast-growing breast cancers can be painful. Breast pain in one particular spot, especially in older women, is a warning sign.
Most women experience general breast pain or soreness that comes and goes, Dr. Pederson says. Thats not a sign of cancer, but usually due to hormone fluctuations or too much caffeine.