Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer amongst females. It is crucial that you are aware of these preventative measures to help detect your breast health early on. If you find a lump in your breast, do not panic.
You should also know that not all lumps are cancerous, but it's very important that you bring this up with your doctor right away.
Don't panic!
It can be scary when you feel a lump in your breasts – even if there is no pain associated with the lump it can seem scary!
However, try to remain calm and collected before rushing off to see a doctor. If the lump changes or gets bigger over time then it may indicate something more serious than just tissue swelling under the skin so click here to know everything that you should do in this case.
Not all lumps are cancerous
Many people worry that every lump in their breasts is an indication of breast cancer, but this isn't the case. It's important to know that not all lumps associated with the breast are cancerous and can be caused by a variety of things such as cysts, benign tumours, infection, or just plain old tissue swelling under the skin.
Unfortunately, however, there will always be times when these symptoms indicate something more serious than usual so it's important you get yourself checked out anyway if you notice an abnormality in your breasts – it doesn't hurt to play it safe!
Know what could happen if left untreated
Another thing that is often overlooked with lumps in the breast is what will become of them if no action is taken. Remember, please keep in mind that not all lumps are cancerous and most women who find a lump will be given an ‘all clear' when they get checked out by their doctor – but this doesn't always mean it was nothing!
Sometimes these ‘lumps' will turn out to be an infection when they're examined more closely or even when they're removed – do you really want to take that chance?
A good physician knows when something just isn't right and they'll recommend further testing regardless of whether they found any cancer during their examination or not.
What to watch for
It's important to know how your breasts normally look and feel so that you don't miss any abnormalities.
When your breasts are examined by a doctor, they will be looking for anything out of the ordinary including lumps, pain around specific areas of the breast, changes in size or shape, skin abnormalities (such as dimpling/rippling), nipple changes (including an inverted nipple – it is rarer but possible, however, this is usually accompanied by other symptoms so it's important not to worry yourself sick over this one symptom alone), redness or flaking of the skin on or around the nipples, discharge from either of the nipples, etc.
If you find something suspicious then visit your physician immediately! Don't wait until tomorrow because some types of cancer can spread very quickly in the body and can become life-threatening if left untreated. Remember, it's better to be safe than sorry!
It doesn't hurt to play it safe
You should always go in for a yearly mammogram – this is when you get an x-ray of your breasts so that anything abnormal can be spotted right away. The best time for this would be around the same time every year so you can keep track of when your examinations are supposed to take place.
This way it'll be easy for you to remember and you won't have to worry about forgetting or putting it off until next year.
Older women should do this even more frequently! Your breasts change as you get older and it's even more important to keep an eye on things so that nothing gets missed. The mass-population screening program in Australia is a terrific way of ensuring that your breasts are examined every few years, especially if you're not a fan of going to the doctor!
Also, don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion – most physicians will happily recommend another specialist or agree to testing or scanning if they believe something isn't quite right.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women today, so there's absolutely no reason why you should neglect this important part of your body!
Remember, if breast cancer is caught early enough then it can often be treated effectively – but only if it's diagnosed early on in its development.
Consult with your physician regularly and make sure they conduct thorough checks whenever you visit them. They should also ask for a medical history from you as well because knowing any personal information about yourself can help them spot potential abnormalities sooner rather than later.
