Breast Health:
The road to health almost always starts with the first step -- awareness. And
this includes your
breasts’ health. Awareness does not necessarily mean
following a rigid code of activities. Sometimes, all it needs is a little more
attention to your breasts.
Breast Awareness:
Being breast-aware means familiarizing yourself with your breasts: the changes
they go through, how they look and feel normally.
There is no set way to check your breasts, but you should find time to do it on
a regular basis. Remember 5 things when examining your breasts:
1. Know what is normal for you.
2.Know what changes to look and feel for.
3.Look and feel.
4.Report any changes to your doctor without delay.
5.Attend for routine breast screening if you are aged 50 and over.
Changes to be aware of:
size - if one breast becomes larger, or lower
nipples - if a nipple becomes inverted (pulled in) or changes position or shape
rashes - on or around the nipple
discharge – often white, from one or both nipples
skin changes - puckering or dimpling
swelling - under the armpit or around the collarbone
pain - continuous, in one part of the breast or armpit
lump or thickening - different to the rest of the breast tissue.
However, don’t get too carried away unless if you you’re your suspicious about a
breast cancer is verified. Most
breast changes are not cancer, so don’t fret
immediately; it’s best to check with your doctor as soon as possible.
The Breast Disorders:
Not all changes or lumps in the breast tissue mean that you have breast cancer.
Some of the most common types of breast disorders are listed below:
Fibroadenomas are fibrous, benign or non-cancerous growth in breast tissue. They
are usually solid, painless lumps and can be removed surgically, using a local
anesthetic.
Cyst is a fluid-filled sac that has an unknown cause. They are not
harmful but painful. They can disappear by themselves but sometimes your doctor
may need to draw out the fluid with a needle.
Breast abscess is a collection of pus, resulting from an infection. Symptoms may
include tenderness and inflammation. Your doctor may drain the pus.
Fibrocystic breast disease is a common condition. It is characterized by
small, nodular cysts, with a non-cancerous lumpiness, and tenderness. This has
no specific treatment but the treatment of the cysts may be sufficient.
A tumor may be cancerous or not. When a tumor is cancerous, it may appear
as a white area with radiating arms. A cancerous tumor may have no symptoms or
may cause swelling, tenderness, discharge from the nipple or indentation of the
nipple, or a dimpled appearance in the skin over the tumor.
Breast Cancer:
The worst breast disorder is cancer. This is a disease in which cells in the
body grow, change, and multiply out of control.
This disease is quite rampant that in the American Cancer Society estimate, each
year there is an average of nearly 175,000 American women and 1,300 American men
diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among
women between 40 and 55 years of age and is the second overall cause of death
among women.
To check for breast cancer, it is important that you have annual mammograms
especially when you’ve reached age 40 and up. See also your doctor for regular
breast exams. At least every three years when you’re aged 20 to 39 and every
year beginning at age 40. However, in the confines of your own privacy, practice
monthly self-breast exam.
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