As I'm sure you all know October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and in honor of that I wanted to make sure that you are all practicing self love and self breast exams. Here are a few tips that I wanted to share with you today about how to *correctly* give yourself a breast exam. 

1. Do your breast exam at the same time each month. 

Pro Tip: If you get your period each month, preform the exam a week after. This is when breast tissue is the least lumpy. But if you dont get a period each month than pick a day each month and stick to it. ***Set those calendar alerts!

2. Stand in the mirror and examine your breast.

- Note the size and shape of your breast. (It's common for one to be larger or smaller than the other)

- Note any nipple changes. If you see new changes in the size or shape of one breast or in a nipple, report them to your healthcare provider.

- Next, lift your arms above your head. Note any dimples or lumps. If you notice anything different or asymmentric (only one side) see your doctor. 

3. Check for changes or lumps in your breast. 

Now, lie on your back and lift one arm above your head.

Fun Fact: Did you know lying down flattens and thins out your breast tissue, allowing for easier examination? If you didn't, well now you know. 

Reach your other hand across your chest and use the fat pads of your index and middle fingers (the part of the finger you use to type on a keyboard) to gently press your breast tissue against your rib cage. You want to use enough pressure to check all of the tissue between your skin and your ribs, but obviously not so much that it is painful.

Now, gently slide your fingers in circles, either from the outer breast to the nipple, from the nipple outward, or up and down across your chest. Cover the area up to your collarbone, across to your sternum or breast bone, and then laterally up into your armpit.

You’re looking for a hard lump that is the consistency of a frozen vegetable, like a pea or lima bean. Lumpy areas are very common — try to become accustomed to what is normal for you.

It’s also very common to feel a thickening at the bottom part of the breast (where an underwire would sit on a bra), which is usually normal. But when in doubt, have your doctor double-check. Finally, give your nipple a gentle squeeze.

4. Report changes in family history.

Part of self breast awareness is knowing your family history and making sure that your doctor knows of any updates to it. Cancers that occur early (under the age of 50), and rare cancers such as ovarian cancer or pancreatic cancer, are particularly important to report. Red flags may prompt a referral to a genetic counselor.  

Visual Aid to Help You with Your Self Breast Exam Process

What to do if you find a lump:

Don’t panic if you think you feel a lump in your breast. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time, and most breast lumps turn out to be benign (not cancer).

Don’t hesitate to call your doctor if you’ve noticed a lump or other breast change that is new and worrisome.

This is especially true for changes that last more than one full menstrual cycle or seem to get bigger or more prominent in some way. If you menstruate, you may want to wait until after your period to see if the lump or other breast change disappears on its own before calling your doctor. The best healthcare provider to call would be one who knows you and has done a breast exam on you before — for example, your gynecologist, primary care doctor, or a nurse practitioner who works with your gynecologist or primary care doctor.

Know what to expect. At an appointment to evaluate a breast lump, your doctor will take a health history and do a physical exam of the breast, and will most likely order breast imaging tests. Ultrasound is often the first or only imaging test used to evaluate a lump in women who are under age 30 or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Both an ultrasound and a mammogram are typically recommended to evaluate a lump in women who are over age 30 and not pregnant or breastfeeding. If further testing is needed, your doctor may recommend additional imaging with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), MBI (molecular breast imaging), and/or a biopsy. He or she may also refer you to a breast specialist (typically, a breast surgeon) for further evaluation.

Make sure you get answers. It’s important that your doctor gives you an explanation of the cause of the lump or other breast change and, if necessary, a plan for monitoring it or treating it. If you’re not comfortable with the advice of the first doctor you see, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion. Always advocate for yourself. 

Read The Full Articles Here:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-do-a-self-breast-exam-correctly/

 https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam