OverviewA breast self-exam for breast awareness is an inspection of your breasts that you do on your own. To help increase your breast awareness, you use your eyes and hands to determine if there are any changes to the look and feel of your breasts. Show
If you notice new breast changes, discuss these with your doctor. Though most breast changes detected during a self-exam for breast awareness have benign causes, some changes may signal something serious, such as breast cancer. Most medical organizations don't recommend routine breast self-exams as a part of breast cancer screening. That's because breast self-exams haven't been shown to be effective in detecting cancer or improving survival for women who have breast cancer. Still, doctors believe there is value in women being familiar with their own breasts, so they understand what's normal and promptly report changes. Why it's doneA breast self-exam that you do for breast awareness helps you understand the normal look and feel of your breasts. If you notice a change in your breasts that seems abnormal or if you notice one breast is different when compared with the other, you can report it to your doctor. There are many conditions that can cause changes in your breasts, including breast cancer. Although the breast self-exam technique isn't always a reliable way to detect breast cancer, a significant number of women report that the first sign of their breast cancer was a new breast lump they discovered on their own. For this reason, doctors recommend being familiar with the normal consistency of your breasts. RisksA breast self-exam for breast awareness is a safe way to become familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts. However, there are some limitations and risks, including:
Discuss the benefits and limitations of being familiar with the consistency of your breasts with your doctor. How you prepareTo prepare for your breast self-exam for breast awareness:
What you can expectBegin with a visual examination of your breastsSit or stand shirtless and braless in front of a mirror with your arms at your sides. To inspect your breasts visually, do the following:
If you have a vision impairment that makes it difficult for you to visually inspect your breasts, ask a trusted friend or a family member to help you. Next, use your hands to examine your breastsCommon ways to perform the manual part of the breast exam include:
When examining your breasts, some general tips to keep in mind include:
If you have a disability that makes it difficult to examine your breasts using this technique, you likely can still conduct a breast self-exam. Ask your doctor to show you ways you can examine your breasts. ResultsWhat's normalMany women find lumps or changes in their breasts, since some of these are normal changes that occur at various points in the menstrual cycles. Finding a change or lump in your breast is not a reason to panic. Breasts often feel different in different places. A firm ridge along the bottom of each breast is normal, for instance. The look and feel of your breasts will change as you age. When to contact your doctorMake an appointment with your doctor if you notice:
Your doctor may recommend additional tests and procedures to investigate breast changes, including a clinical breast exam, mammogram and ultrasound. Clinical trialsExplore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. What should a nurse look for when examining patient's breasts?Breast inspection. With the patient seated and arms at sides, visualize both breasts noting the skin color, any rashes or lesions, skin thickness, size, and symmetry. ... . Observe breast contour, including dimpling, masses, or flattening.. Inspect the nipples and areolae for discharge, size, shape, inversion, or lesions.. What should I assess for breast exam?Face forward and look for puckering, dimpling, or changes in size, shape or symmetry. Check to see if your nipples are turned in (inverted). Inspect your breasts with your hands pressed down on your hips. Inspect your breasts with your arms raised overhead and the palms of your hands pressed together.
What is the most important requisite in performing proper breast examination?Basic requirements for a proper breast examination include the following: Patient undressed down to the waist. Examining table with access from both sides. A mobile bright light with an assistant to focus the light from one area to another as the examination is being conducted.
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