Self Examination of your Breast

Women should perform a breast self examination at least once a month. This helps to get accustomed to the normal appearance and feel of the breasts. As such if any changes occur, they will be detected more easily. The aim of the breast self-examination is to detect changes as early as possible to ensure a better prognosis.

If you are menstruating, the breasts are likely to be swollen and tender. As such it is better to wait for a couple of days after menstruation stops and then perform the self examination. One of the methods of performing a breast self-examination is to stand before a mirror and check each breast for any changes such as scaling or dimpling of the skin or fluid discharge from the nipples. Then you need to detect any unusual changes in the shape of the breasts. This can be done by clasping your hands behind the head and pressing the hands forward. Keep looking into the mirror closely. Then stand with your hands placed firmly on the hips. Bend forward slightly and pull the elbows and shoulders forward. The next step may be done in the shower as the fingers will be able to easily slide across the soapy skin allowing for better examination of the texture beneath the skin. Raising your left arm, examine your left breast using your right hand. Do this in a firm and thorough manner. Start at the outer edge and move your fingers in circles around the whole breast, pressing the flat portion of the fingers down on the skin. Explore the entire breast until you reach the nipple. The area between the arm pit and the breast must be felt very carefully for any unusual bumps beneath the skin.

Once this is done, squeeze the nipple gently to detect any discharge. If discharge occurs, you must consult your doctor. For the next step, lie down on your back with a pillow under the left shoulder. Lift the left arm above the head and examine the right breast using the same circular movements. The initial signs of breast cancer are the presence of a painless lump beneath the skin, discharge or erosion of the skin around the nipple. At later stages, the lump may feel as if it is attached to the deeper tissue of the breast and becomes difficult to move. The nipple may also retract and the breast may become swollen, hard and inflamed. The earlier these signs are detected, the more positive the signs of a good recovery.