Breast Self Examination Breast cancer is an unpleasant subject to think about. But as it is a very common cancer, its existence cannot be ignored. Up to one in eight women gets breast cancer at some point in life. While there’s no surefire way to prevent it, self-examination may help boost the odds in your favour, depending on your age and medical history. Talk to your doctor to find out if breast self-examination may be of value to you. If so, you can follow the techniques described below. NB - breast self-examination may not be appropriate for everyone. Your doctor can help you determine if you stand to benefit from these techniques. A breast self-exam (BSE) includes both looking and feeling over the entire breast and chest area, and as a general rule should be performed once a month. The best time to conduct an exam is about a week after the beginning of your period, when your breasts are at their least swollen and tender. Here’s how to do it: *Manual inspection - Stand upright or lie down on your back - For each breast: move the pads of your middle three fingers - not your finger tips - around the breast in a pattern, making sure to cover the entire breast area. Try different patterns, such as vertical, circular etc. - Bear in mind that most breast cancers are found in the upper, outer portion of the breast or in the area behind the nipple, so pay particular attention to these areas - Also inspect the areas around your breasts, including the region from the armpit to the collarbone, and below the breasts - If you began by standing up, lie down and repeat the same procedure; if you began by lying down, stand up and repeat the same procedure *Visual inspection - Stand in front of a mirror with your arms by your sides and check your breasts for any changes in size, shape or position, dimpling or puckering of the skin, pushed-in or misshaped nipples, redness, swelling or other irregularities. - Repeat the inspection with your hands on your hips - Raise your arms over or behind your head, and turn to each side to inspect your breasts in profile. Your health is your wealth. This information is very important to all women. Click SHARE - You just might be saving a life today... ***DR SAM***
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:02:51 +0000