October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

W.O.M.E.N. is going PINK for Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Throughout the month of October, we will be sharing important information vital to every woman’s health. There is no better time than now to take the best care of your body you possibly can and we hope to help you every step of the way. 

The first step in being proactive regarding Breast Health can be done in the comfort of your own home, a Breast Self-Exam. A woman is suggested to perform a Breast Self-Exam once a month. Johns Hopkins Medical center states, “Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.”  While mammograms can help you to detect cancer before you can feel a lump, breast self-exams help you to be familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you can alert your healthcare professional if there are any changes. How should a self-exam be performed? Below are some tips for performing a Breast Self-Exam at your convenience.

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 breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your healthcare provider.

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 breasts do, so look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes, particularly on one side.

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 discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.

Can you rely on self-exams alone to make sure you are cancer free? Remember, mammograms can detect tumors before they can be felt, so screening is key for early detection. But when combined with regular medical care and appropriate guideline-recommended mammography, breast self-exams can help women know what is normal for them so they can report any changes to their healthcare provider. If you find a lump, schedule an appointment with your doctor, but don’t panic — 8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. For additional peace of mind, call your doctor whenever you have concerns. 

W.O.M.E.N. has individual Brest Self-Exam cards in our office, which are free to the public! Can’t make it to the office? Just send us your information and we will be happy to send a card to you or your loved one.