Breast Self Examination Part 2

One always starts a breast self exam by looking at the breast in front of a mirror. Check the breast from all sides and look for changes in shape, size, puckering or dimpling. While inverted nipples are common, any new changes in the nipple should be investigated further. Look at the breast after raising your hands or placing your hands on the hips.

The actual manual part of the breast exam is best done when lying down. Some women may prefer to do the breast exam in the shower. This is made easier after application of a soap which makes it easier to glide the fingers. Always start in an organized fashion. One can start clockwise and go from inside to outside the breast. The breast should be pressed to ensure that there are no deep masses. While there are many ways to examine the breast, one should choose a method which is most comfortable. If any suspicious breast mass, redness, nipple discharge or nipple inversion is found, a visit to the physician is highly recommended.

Most cancer organizations recommend that women start to examine the breast after the age of 20. However, breast exam at this age is fraught with difficulties and can lead to a lot of unnecessary doctor visits. The reason is that the young breast is still growing and there are often lumps and bumps discovered. The majority of these are harmless. However, it is essential that one have a proper breast exam by a health care professional every 3 years until the age of 40. After the age of 40, the breast exams should be annual.

The breast is best examined about 5-7 days after the last day of your menstrual cycle. The breasts are least tender during this time period and much less swollen. During pregnancy the breasts do enlarge and may feel more uneven or lumpy. If there is any doubt about a breast exam during pregnancy, always get a health care professional to examine the breast for you.

Over the years there has been a lot of debate of breast self exams. The one major benefit of this exam is that the breast mass is detected at a much early stage and the chance of a cure are high. On the other hand, breast exams can also lead to anxiety and panic about masses and this often leads to more biopsies and tests. And in our health care system where we have to pay, this can also get to be somewhat expensive. One should not be fooled and believe that breast self exams are a replacement for the physician or a mammogram.

Breast self exam is a complimentary method of detecting breast cancer. And despite all efforts, breast self exams do miss a number of breast cancers. All women should make an effort to examine their breast. If you are lucky you will identify a cancer which is just beginning and be cured; if you do not examine your breast and a cancer occurs, the chance of cure are small. The choice is simple.