The
Importance of Breast Self-Exams
Early discovery of changes in the breast
are important in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Being
familiar with the look and feel of your breasts helps to detect even the
slightest changes. Breast self-examination is a simple practice that takes
only a few minutes and is an important technique that any woman can use
to keep herself healthy.
According to OLBH Gynecologist, Mrudula Shah, M.D., the self-exams should
be performed monthly after completion of the menstrual cycle and include
looking at the breasts and feeling the breasts. To observe your breasts,
stand in front of a mirror. "Women should observe changes such as
change in size, dimpling or an inverted or pulled-in nipple," Dr.
Shah explained.
Next, gently squeeze the breast just behind the nipple to see if there
is any discharge. The third step is to feel the breast in a systematic
manner. "When doing this, women should be sure to feel deeply through
all breast tissue and to cover all areas of the chest and underarm,"
Dr. Shah said. "The proper technique involves using the three middle
fingers held flat against the breast, not the fingertips. Begin this process
at the nipple and with small circular motion, feel all of the tissue."
When performing the self-exam, Dr. Shah states you should be alerted to
a lump or change that stands out as different from the rest of your breast
tissue. "If you find a lump or other change in your breast, either
during breast self-exam or by chance, you should examine the other breast,"
Dr. Shah said. "If both breasts feel the same, the lumpiness is probably
normal as breasts are usually a mirror of each other."
Besides a lump or swelling, other changes in your breast might include:
- Skin
irritation or dimpling
- Nipple pain or retraction
- Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin
- A discharge other than breast milk
As you become accustomed to the look and
feel of your breasts by doing breast self-exams, you should be able to
tell the difference between normal tissue and what may be a change. "If
you detect any unusual lumps or changes, contact your physician immediately
for a clinical breast examination, which may be followed by a mammogram,"
Dr. Shah concluded.
If you do not currently have a family physician or gynecologist that you
see regularly, the Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital CareLine can
refer you to a physician who will meet your needs; simply call (606)
833-CARE (2273).
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