How To Do Self Breast Examination For Cancer

Can I Rely On Breast Self

Mammography can detect tumors before they can be felt, so screening is key for early detection. But when combined with regular medical care and appropriate guideline-recommended mammography, breast self-exams can help women know what is normal for them so they can report any changes to their healthcare provider.If you find a lump, schedule an appointment with your doctor, but dont panic 8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. For additional peace of mind, call your doctor whenever you have concerns.

How To Make Breast Self

Make it routine. The more you examine your breasts, the more you will learn about them and the easier it will become for you to tell if something has changed. Try to get in the habit of doing a breast self-examination once a month to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. Examine yourself several days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you are no longer having periods, choose a day that’s easy to remember, such as the first or last day of the month.

Get to know your breasts’ different neighborhoods. The upper, outer area near your armpit tends to have the most prominent lumps and bumps. The lower half of your breast can feel like a sandy or pebbly beach. The area under the nipple can feel like a collection of large grains. Another part might feel like a lumpy bowl of oatmeal.

Start a journal where you record the findings of your breast self-exams. This can be like a small map of your breasts, with notes about where you feel lumps or irregularities. Especially in the beginning, this may help you remember, from month to month, what is normal for your breasts. It is not unusual for lumps to appear at certain times of the month, but then disappear, as your body changes with the menstrual cycle .

Learn more about Breastcancer.org’s recommendations on when to begin annual mammograms.

How To Perform A Breast Self

Self-examination is an essential part of being breast aware, it takes less than 10 minutes and you do not have to be an expert to perform it. The main purpose of breast self-examination is that you become familiar with what is normal for your breasts, so you can spot any differences.

Equipment needed:

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When Should You Do Your Diy Breast Self

A breast self-examination should be done once every month.

The best time to examine your breasts is 7 to 10 days after the start of your period, when your breast are least tender and least swollen.

If you no longer have periods, then choose a date that is easy to remember.

It is best done while lying down on the bed. You can also check while standing in the shower or in front of the mirror.

Diy Breast Cancer Self Examination Step By Step Guide

Breast Cancer

Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells that develop into a tumor. The development of these tumors in and around the breast region in women is referred to as breast cancer. In rare cases, men also develop breast cancer. These tumors are viewed in X-rays as lumps, and they can also be felt during physical examination.

Breast cancer is typically in the milk ducts , and some begin in the milk glands . Other less frequent conditions are phyllode tumors and angiosarcoma. Different cancers like sarcomas and lymphomas begin in other surrounding tissues or lymph nodes.

It is essential to know that all breast tumors or lumps are not malignant . There are benign tumors that do not pose any threat. Benign tumors are known to be painful and can grow in size. A tumor or lump in the breast region needs medical examination to rule out malignancy and further complications.

Breast Self Examination

There are conflicting views about breast self-examination amongst the medical fraternity because of the assumptions, unwanted tests, or misjudgment on finding lumps by an individual. However, the significance of women being aware of their own breasts, recognizing normalcy, and swiftly spotting any change makes breast self-examination worthwhile.

DIY Step by Step Guide

Breast self-examination takes significantly less time once the procedure is learned. It can be performed,

• During regular shower.
• Before dressing up or after undressing for the day.
• When lying down in the bed.

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Visual Examination In Front Of A Mirror

Stand in front of a mirror with your shirt and bra off. Be sure that you are in a well-lit area and that you can clearly see your entire chest area.

Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Look for the following things: changes in the contour of the breasts, unusual swelling, dimpling of the skin, or changes in the shape of the nipple.

Raise both of your arms over your head. Again, look for any changes in breast contour, swelling, dimpling of the skin, or changes in the shape of the nipple.

Bring your arms back down to your sides. Press your palms firmly on your hips to flex your chest muscles. Look for any dimpling, puckering, or other unusual changes in the appearance of your breasts.

Report any changes to your healthcare provider. Report any visual changes you notice to your healthcare provider so that he or she can conduct a proper examination.

What Are The Stages Of Breast Cancer

There are 5 stages of breast cancer:Stage 0: Non-invasive breast cancer no evidence whether the cancer is spreading in neighboring regionsStage 1 4: Varying stages of invasive cancer which starts spreading to nearby tissuesDoctors use various sophisticated techniques to determine which stage cancer you have.

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How To Do A Breast Self Exam

This article was co-authored by Carrie Noriega, MD. Dr. Noriega is a Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist and medical writer in Colorado. She specializes in womens health, rheumatology, pulmonology, infectious disease, and gastroenterology. She received her MD from the Creighton School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska and completed her residency at the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2005.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 201,827 times.

Breast self-exams are an optional screening tool to check for early signs of breast cancer. Performing these exams monthly can help you familiarize yourself with the look and feel of your breasts so that you can more easily detect changes.XResearch source Though breast self-exams were once thought to be essential to screening for breast cancer, they are now considered a helpful, optional tool.

What Should I Do If I Find A Lump

Donât panic. It could be many things other than cancer. But do check in with your doctorâs office if you notice any new breast changes, such as:

• An area that is different from any other area on either breast
• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that lasts through your menstrual cycle
• A change in the size, shape, or contour of the breast
• A mass or lump
• A marble-like area under the skin
• A change in the feel or appearance of the skin on the breast or nipple
• Bloody or clear fluid discharge from the nipples
• Redness of the skin on the breast or nipple

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Note. B = Unstandardized regression coefficient LL = Lower Limit UL = Upper Limit CI = Confident Interval SEB = Standardized error of the coefficient = Standardized coefficient R2 = Coefficient of determination, R =Adjusted R2. *P< .000.

The result of the study provides novel information on the potentiality of body appreciation as a determining variablein female’s wiliness to self-examine their breast for cancer. Relatedly, O’Neill et al. found a positiverelationship between body appreciation and health-related quality of life. Perhaps, the result adds a new dimension

942 ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 9, 940-946

to our knowledge of BSE behavior among young women. Based on the findings, one might suggest that femalescharacterized with low levels of body appreciation might beat higher risk of not personally screening their breast forcancer. Thus, females in this category may benefit from being identified for BSEadvice.

What To Do If You Find A Lump

Dont panic if you think you feel a lump in your breast. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time, and most breast lumps turn out to be benign . There are a number of possible causes of non-cancerous breast lumps, including normal hormonal changes, a benign breast condition, or an injury.

Dont hesitate to call your doctor if youve noticed a lump or other breast change that is new and worrisome. This is especially true for changes that last more than one full menstrual cycle or seem to get bigger or more prominent in some way. If you menstruate, you may want to wait until after your period to see if the lump or other breast change disappears on its own before calling your doctor. The best healthcare provider to call would be one who knows you and has done a breast exam on you before for example, your gynecologist, primary care doctor, or a nurse practitioner who works with your gynecologist or primary care doctor.

Make sure you get answers. Its important that your doctor gives you an explanation of the cause of the lump or other breast change and, if necessary, a plan for monitoring it or treating it. If youre not comfortable with the advice of the first doctor you see, dont hesitate to get a second opinion.

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Precaution Tips To Breast Cancer

Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits such as a balanced diet, exercise and limit use of alcohol. These are a simple and effective step to lower down the risk of breast cancer. By adopting these healthy habits one can promote his/her overall well being. Together all these tips will provide the positive change to life.

• Avoid overweight

A healthy weight is the life goal for everyone these days. Keep a check on your weight as overweight may lead to several diseases such as breast cancer. Regular exercise and a balanced diet help a lot in the maintenance of proper weight.

• Stay physically active

Exercise is essential for good health. The study reveals that being physically active for 30 minutes a day can lower down the breast cancer risk rate. Regular exercise is the best way to keep your weight in check.

• Balanced diet

• Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding for one or more year lower down cancer risk. It is beneficial for child health also. Avoid use of birth control pills, as it increases the risk rate of cancer.

• UV Protection

The person should properly cover their breasts, as it prevents from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Avoid the use of black color to cover the breast as it is good absorbent and increases the risk rate of breast cancer.

Easy Steps To Do Your Diy Breast Self

Doing a DIY breast self-check every month helps you to understand and be familiar with the condition of your breast

Step 1: Look

Put your hands on your hips and look out for changes in breast shape, skin surface and nipple abnormalities. Raise your arms above your head to look for changes on the underside of your breast.

Step 2: Touch

Touch and feel your breast using your middle 3 fingers, moving in a circular motion from outer area towards the nipple. Gently squeeze your nipple to check for any discharge.

Repeat this step for your other breast

Step 3: Touch

Check for lumps by examining your entire breast from your armpit to your cleavage with different pressure.

Repeat this step for your other breast.

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Check Yourself For Male Breast Cancer

How to Check Yourself for Male Breast Cancer Male Breast Self-Exam

1. Check each breast one at a time.

2. Use your right hand fingers to check

your left breast, and your left hand

fingers to check your right breast.

3. With your fingers flat against the

breast press firmly in small, clockwise circles.

4. Start at the outermost top edge of your breast

and spiral towards the nipple.

5. Feel for hard lumps or bumps in your breast.

6. Be certain to cover all parts of your breast.

7. Gently squeeze both nipples and look for any discharge.

8. Look carefully for changes in the size, shape,

and contour of each breast, e.g., puckering,

dimpling, or changes in skin texture.When is the best time to perform the MBSE?

During or right after a warm shower or bath

Warm, soapy water relaxes and smoothes the skin,

making the MBSE easier to perform

Remember to do the MBSE once a month

What are the symptoms?

A hard, painless lump in the breast tissue

Pain in the breast

Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin

Discharge from the nipple

However, remember that most breast lumps in men are due to gynecomastia and not cancer.

SYMPTOMS DIAGNOSIS SELF-CARE

1. Are you between the ages of 10 and 25 and have swelling under the nipple? Hormone changes of adolescence may bring about GYNECOMASTIA, benign swelling of the male breast. Gynecomastia is usually benign and lasts for a few months. See your doctor if youre concerned or if the mass keeps growing.

Physical Exam While Lying Down

A lying down exam allows the breast tissue to spread out evenly along the chest wall. In this position, a person can check the whole of both breasts and the wider chest area.

To check the breast while lying down, follow these steps :

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How To Do A Breast Self

Why Is It So Important To Check Your Breasts Regularly

Self-examination is a simple and entirely safe method of detecting changes in your breasts. It is important to do this regularly to be aware of your normal breasts and therefore to detect changes at an early stage. Early detection nearly always leads to less invasive treatments and better outcomes as cancer can be treated sooner.

In this blog we are going to show you how you can perform a breast self-examination you dont have to be an expert you just need to get to know your breasts and what your normal is.

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Symptoms To Look Out For

Some people with breast cancer experience no symptoms. In some cases, however, changes may start to occur from an early stage. People should speak with a doctor about their screening plan if they have any concerns.

It is also worth noting that not all breast lumps are breast cancer, and not every case of breast cancer involves a lump. For these reasons, people should attend regular screening as a doctor recommends.

Breast cancer can cause changes in the lymph nodes in the early stages.

To check the lymph nodes, look for:

• a lump, swelling, or thickening around the underarm
• a lump or swelling in the collarbone area
• a thickening of the skin in the armpit

Lymph node involvement can also result in a rash on the breast in people with inflammatory breast cancer.

A person should contact a doctor about these or any other unexplained changes, especially if they only seem to affect one breast.

If You Feel A Lump Does It Mean You Have Breast Cancer

Only 20% of the breast lumps are cancerous. Also, no doctor bases a cancer diagnosis on a simple self-examination. There are other sophisticated diagnostic tools such as mammography and biopsy that determine whether or not you have breast cancer.

I hope this blog helped you understand the importance of breast self-examination at home. Plus, you now know the necessary steps for how to do your breast self-check every month.

If you found this breast self-exam guide useful, please share it with your friends and family. Also, dont forget to download the instructional breast cancer self-exam PDF for free!

References:

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Why Should You Know How To Do Breast Cancer Self

Here are a few reasons why you should know how to do complete self-examination for breast cancer:

• To Ensure Timely Detection& Treatment: Having awareness of breast cancer self-check steps can help you discover lumps or tumors at the early stages. In many developed countries, you have to go for periodic screening for breast cancer. Early detections are easier to treat & improve longevity.

• To Reduces Stress: The path after a breast cancer diagnosis is difficult for both the patient and her family. Chemotherapy and the fight alone brings a major mental & physical toll. So identifying the warning signs of breast cancer through self-examination can greatly reduce this stress.

• To Stay Prepared During Emergencies: During COVID, many women had no access to yearly mammograms. Women who know how to do breast self-check can stay alert and look out for any abnormal symptoms even if medical check-ups arent available.

Now lets move on to the self-check breast cancer guide. You can also jump right to the breast self-exam PDF.