What methods should we use for breast examination? What recommendations should we consider in this regard? How should breast examination be done individually? What are the important recommendations in this field?
At the same time, women need to know that any change in the breast does not mean that they have cancer.
In women who have a breast exam, most cancers are diagnosed in the early stages, when there is a good chance of successful treatment. In the UK, more than half of cancers diagnosed during screening and breast examination, in the very early stages, when [تودههای سرطانی] They are small and have not been transmitted to the glands around the breast, they have been diagnosed.
Women who have a breast exam are much more likely to be diagnosed with cancer early. This means that there is a good chance that the cancerous gland is small and that instead of breast resection (mastectomy), breast cancer removal (lumpectomy) will be performed. A comparison between cancers diagnosed by screening (breast examination) and other breast cancers showed that about 7 out of 10 (70%) women who were diagnosed with breast cancer by breast examination with breast preservation This rate is 55% in women diagnosed outside of cancer screening.
Have a regular breast exam
Women can be aware of their condition from time to time by examining their breasts and notice changes. But the doctors’ recommended method of breast examination is to follow a step-by-step technique based on a regular schedule for permanent examination of all breast tissue. If you also feel that a breast exam can help you live a healthier life, use it on a regular schedule (for example, once a season).
The best time for a breast exam
The best time to examine the breasts is when the breasts are not tender or swollen. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or have had a breast implant can also have their breasts examined regularly. It is best for women who have a breast exam to occasionally discuss their procedure with a specialist to make sure they are working properly.
How to examine the breasts by the person himself
– The first method of breast examination
To examine your breasts, you should stand in front of a mirror while taking off your clothes and look at each of your breasts separately. Pay attention to the size, shape, color, margins and direction of your breasts and nipples.
When examining your breasts, raise your hands and place them over your head and look at your breasts as you slowly move from side to side.
– Press your hands firmly to your waist and bring your shoulders forward. Now look at each of your breasts separately.
– Now raise your right hand and place it behind your head. Using the fingers of your left hand, begin to touch the right breast. This stage of breast examination is best done in the bathroom while the hands are soapy. Start touching the outside of the breast and examine and touch the entire breast in a circle until it reaches the nipple. Then examine the area between the chest and armpits and finally the armpits. Then do this for your left breast.
– The second method of breast examination
You can do the following for a breast exam.
Lie on your back with your hands under your head. This position causes the breast tissue to spread as wide as possible over the chest, resulting in the lowest possible height. In this case, it is easier and more accurate to touch all the breast tissue and identify the lumps. Hold the middle three fingers of the other hand together and look for the lumps with the tip of them on the chest. Try to feel the breast tissue completely with small circular movements the size of a coin that fall on each other.
Pay attention to these points when examining the breasts
Use three levels of pressure to examine the breasts for a more accurate diagnosis. First, at low pressure, examine the tissue close to the skin. Then feel the inner tissue with moderate pressure, and finally with more pressure, examine the tissue close to the chest and ribs.
When examining the breast, remember that a bulge in the lower curvature of each breast is normal. First test each point of the chest with all three presses and then move on to the next point.
– It is recommended to choose your direction of movement from top to bottom when examining the breast to move along the breast. That is, first consider a hypothetical line from the armpit to the middle of the sternum and examine the breast tissue from top to bottom in its path, and after reaching the lower extremities of the breast, move the hypothetical line slightly inwards and again from above start.
– Do not forget that during the examination and examination of the breast, all the breasts should be examined and it is even better to test it a little up and down. That is, consider the lower and upper extremities of the breast as the ribs and clavicle (below the neck). There is evidence that this method of examining and examining the breast allows the largest volume of breast tissue to be tested and no area to be missed.
– After examining both breasts, stand in front of the mirror and gently press the palms of your hands on the hips. This way of standing causes the chest muscles to stretch and as a result, the breasts are better exposed. Now look at the breasts to see any changes in size and shape or the presence of spots on it.
During the breast exam, if you are also interested in examining your armpits, examine them in a standing position with only your arms raised enough to reach your armpits for the fingers of the other hand. Be available.
When examining the breast, do not forget that if you feel any mass in the breast tissue, you should see a doctor immediately.
What should be done if there is a problem during the breast examination?
If you notice any changes in your breasts during a breast exam, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, whether the problem is on the inside of the breast, its skin or the nipple. It is normal to feel anxious at such times, but try to remember that 9 out of every 10 lumps in the breast are noncancerous. Even if the lump in your breast is cancerous, there is no doubt that early and timely diagnosis and proper treatment will increase the chances of a complete cure.
Breast examination by a doctor
The doctor examines your breasts in such a way that he will look at your breasts first and this will be while your hands are normally on both sides. The doctor will then ask you to raise your hands above your head, and finally ask you to press your hands to either side of your waist. By observing the breasts in such cases, the doctor can often detect changes in the breasts. Then you should lie on the bed and put your hands under your head so that the doctor can examine your breast.
If during the breast examination, the doctor notices the presence of a lump in the breast, he will focus his examination more on that point and try to determine the size of the lump with his fingers. After examining the breasts, the doctor usually examines the axillary lymph nodes and those in the lower part of the neck.
Remember that:
After the age of 20, women should learn about breast examinations (BSE), be aware of the normal condition of their breasts, and report any new changes to a specialist as soon as possible.
If you notice any changes, such as a lump or swelling, itchy skin or spots on the breast, nipple pain or sagging, redness or scaling of the skin or nipple, or any discharge other than milk from the breast, you should make an accurate diagnosis. See your medical counselor more quickly. However, keep in mind that most breast changes are not cancerous, but caution is always needed.
After observing any of these cases during the breast examination, the person should refer to a specialist for a more accurate diagnosis. An experienced professional can determine if the change is benign or malignant. They will use other tests to make this diagnosis, and if they have the slightest chance of developing breast cancer, they will do a biopsy of your breast tissue.
Undoubtedly, physical examination of the breast without the use of mammography will leave out the possibility that some cancers will be ignored in the early stages. The opposite is also true; Cancer may not be detectable in the early stages by mammography, but it can be detected by a breast exam or physical examination by a doctor.
