Breast Self Examination:
Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-examinations at least once a month. While mammograms can help you to detect cancer before you can feel a lump, breast self-examinations help you to become familiar with how your breast looks and feel so you can alert your doctor if there are any changes.
How should a breast self-examination be performed?
1)In The Shower
Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center,checking the entire breast and armpit area. Check both breast each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened know. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your doctor.
2)In Front Of A Mirror
Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead. Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. left and right breasts will not exactly match--Few women's breast do, so look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes, particularly on one side.
3) Lying Down
When Lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions covering the entire breast area and armpit. Use light, medium, and firm pressure. squeeze the nipple; check for any discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.
National Breast Cancer Foundation,Inc. Breast Self-Exam. Retrieved from http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam
If you have any question regarding a breast lump or breast cancer
call (559) 782 8533 to make an appointment with Dr. Pandya.