Today we will guide you about the self examination of breast cancer, and screening steps which you can perform to make sure that you need to consult the specialist or not. Breast cancer is a type of cancer in which the malignant cells or the cancer cells get formed in the tissues of the breast. Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer found in women. Let us glance at some important facts related to breast cancer.
- All over the world, breast cancer is the second major reason of cancer death in women.
- Though breast cancer is rarely found in men it is a noticeable fact that almost 460 men die every year because of breast cancer.
- In the comparison of men, breast cancer is a hundred times more common in women.
- According to the National Cancer Institute, there is one out of eight chances that a woman can be diagnosed with breast cancer disease.
- Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are often the ones who have breast cancer cases in their closest relations including a sister, mother or daughter.
Breast Cancer Self-Examination – All Women Should Know About It!
Every woman should have the essential knowledge of breast cancer self-examination process. They should do it at least every month to make sure that there is nothing wrong happening in their breast area. Remember that breast cancer screening self-examination is quintessential and helpful in identifying the diseases at an early stage. This helps in the timely and suitable treatment of breast cancer.
Self-Examination of Breast Cancer- How to examine it yourself?
Breast cancer self-examination is the screening test performed by women for early detection of breast cancer. The method involves, the women looking herself in the mirror and observing the unusual change such as lumps, swelling, rashes or distortions. Self-examine is a very crucial procedure as it is an effective means to find cancer at a curable stage.
Breast cancer is a screening technique that one can perform at home to find:
- Cysts
- Lumps
- Tumors
- Other abnormalities in the breast.
Amongst all known cancers, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in females, hence the self-examination is vital to reduce down the risk.
Breast cancer examination familiarizes an individual with his/her size, shape and texture of the breast. It is important because it helps you to recognize an abnormality in the breast. If you find any unusual change consult your doctor for further evaluation. However, let us tell you a very important fact here. Not every lump that you discover in the breast is cancerous! The fact is that 8 out of 10 lumps in the breast are NOT cancerous. Hence, one should not panic if any lumps are found in the breast. Still, contacting the doctor is advised so that the situation can be diagnosed and clarified.
Mentioned below in the article are tips, prevention and methods for self-examine breast cancer.
Tips for breast cancer self-examination
Ø You can perform breast cancer self-examination at the end of your monthly period.
Ø If you are facing irregular periods, then choose a specific day to self-examine.
Ø Breast cancer self-examination should not be performed under the shower.
Ø Avoid using lotion while performing the self-examination.
Ø You can perform the self-examination during pregnancy also.
Here’s How to Do Self Examination of Breast Cancer-
1. By touch
- Examine the outer half of your right breast
To examine your right breast, lie down and roll down on your left side. Keep your breast straight as much as possible, one can use a pillow behind the shoulder or back to lie straight. Put your right hand on your forehead.
- Observe the pressure by using three middle fingers.
Use the flatten pad of middle three fingers and make a round circle in your armpit. Continuously make the circle for three-times by altering the pressure from light to deep.
- Observe the bra line area
Don’t lift the finger from the breast, move them over the entire area. Continue this up and down vertical pattern from collarbone to bra line until you reach nipples.
- Examine the inner half of your right breast
When you reach the nipple point, roll back and lie on your back. Remove your right hand from the forehead and place it down at a right angle. Carefully observe the nipple by applying the same pressure without squeezing. Then observe the tissue and area above or below the collarbone.
You can observe the left breast by performing the same steps. If you find an unusual change or lumps, then contact doctor these may be early symptoms of breast cancer.
2. By look
Regularly check the following features to avoid breast cancer.
- Shape
Compare the size with one another. Normally one breast is larger than another, but sudden increase or change should not occur.
- Skin
If you notice sudden redness, itching, rashes and dimpling then, consult a doctor as soon as possible. Orange peel texture is an early sign of breast cancer.
- Vein pattern
Observe the sudden increase in size or number of veins. The sudden increase may cause some serious problem.
- Nipples
Examine any physical change including color, appearance, swelling or discharge. If any consult your doctor.
Stand in front of the mirror and observe the breast carefully by standing in the following posture mentioned below.
- Stand straight by aligning your arm aside. And observe the front portion of your breast.
- Now raise your arm and bend forward to observe the breast from some other angle.
- One of the most efficient ways to observe is by placing hands on hips and hunch over.
Repeat this examine process regularly every month. You can perform this examination procedure even if you are pregnant. This helps you to become familiar with the normal shape and feel of the breast. If you notice any unusual change or lump, consult a doctor for further evaluation.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Let us glance through the symptoms of breast cancer now! We have already discussed these symptoms in detail in our previous article.
- Lumps – Not every lump is an indication of breast cancer. However, check and feel if there are any lumps. If you find any lump, contact your doctor.
- Pain – Pain in breast along with other symptoms is a symptom of breast cancer. Only the pain in the breast does not mean the possibility of breast cancer but still, it is advised to see the doctor.
- Some sort of change in size & shape – Observe if there is any change in the size and shape of your breast. One breast size might be bigger than the other or it might be lower in comparison to the other.
- Change in the skin of breast – Dimpled or cracked breast skin may be a sign of breast cancer
- Change in color – If you see any change of color in your breast, you should see the doctor.
- Change in nipples– Any abnormality in nipples, like an inverted nipple, some sort of discharge from the nipple, accumulation of skin crusts or rashes around nipples, can be a sign of breast cancer.
In a nutshell, if you see anything unusual in your breasts, you should consult the doctor and should opt for mammography. A mammography is a screening tool which is quite helpful and reliable for detecting any breast cancer possibility.
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
By adopting healthy food habits can also help to lead a cancer-free life. Try to eat fresh fruits or vegetable and avoid the excessive alcohol consumption
- 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.
Conclusion
The breast is the vital part of the body, hence it requires some extra care and maintenance. The above mentioned are the maintenance tips of the breast. By adopting these tips you can lower down the risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer self-examination makes an individual familiar to its shape size and texture of breast, hence is an effective way to lower down the risk rate of cancer. Also, one should acquire knowledge about CANDROL. It is a wonderful homeopathic cancer treatment for breast cancer and other sorts of cancers too. The most worthy fact about this natural treatment option is that it has almost no side effects.
Also Read: Herbs to Fight Against Breast Cancer Naturally
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