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BREAST SELF-EXAM
GENERAL
INFORMATION:
What
is it? Breast self-exam (BSE) is checking your breasts
monthly for lumps and other changes. Regular self-exams will
help you learn how your breasts feel. Checking your breasts
will help you find any changes in your breasts from month
to month. A caregiver should check your breasts each year.
Why
should I do a BSE? More women get breast cancer than any
other kind of cancer. The best way to beat breast cancer is
to find it early. Learning how to check your breasts can save
your life. You may not do BSE because you are "too busy"
or "don't know what you are looking for." Some women
do not check their breasts because they are afraid of finding
a lump. Most breast lumps or changes in your breasts are not
cancer.
When
should I do a BSE?
Check
your breasts every month if you are 20 years or older. The
BSE should be done about 1 week after your monthly period.
Your breasts are not swollen, lumpy, or tender at this time.
At first, you will find it hard to know what feels normal
and what does not feel normal in your breasts. Regular BSEs
will help you learn how your breasts feel normally and if
something has changed.
If you have had a hysterectomy (hiss-ter-ek-tuh-mee), check
your breasts on the first day of each month. You should do
a BSE at the same time each month if you are pregnant or have
gone through menopause (change of life). BSE should be done
each month if you have breast implants.
How do I do a BSE? The following steps teach you how
to check your breasts.
Stand
in front of a mirror with your arms at your sides. Look at
each breast and nipple to check for swelling, lumps, dimpling,
scaly skin, or other skin changes. Gently squeeze both nipples
and check for discharge (fluid) coming from them.
Join your hands behind your head and look at your breasts
in the mirror. Repeat these steps again with your arms raised
over your head.
You may find it easier to check your breasts while taking
a shower or bath. Lumps can be felt more easily when your
skin is wet. Standing in the shower or in front of the mirror,
put your right hand behind your head. Use the finger pads
of the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel your right
breast. The top third of each finger is a finger pad.
Press firmly on your breast as you move your fingertips. Ask
your caregiver if you do not know how hard to press. By pressing
firmly you will learn what your breasts feel like most of
the time. Check your breasts the same way every month. Choose
one of the following 3 ways to examine your breasts. Make
sure you touch all areas of your breasts and underarms during
the exam.
Circle. Start at the nipple and move your fingertips in a
circle around your breast. Include the area under your arms
in this circle.
Vertical strips. Move your fingertips up and down your breast
from the top to the bottom of your breasts. Include the area
under your arms during your exam.
Wedge. Picture your breasts like a pie that is cut into pieces.
Move your fingertips around your breast, starting at the top
of your breast and fanning down to the nipple. Remember to
examine under your arms.
Now lie down and put a pillow or towel under your left shoulder.
Put your left hand over your head. Gently press into the skin
of your left breast using the pads of the middle 3 fingers
of your right hand. Move your finger pads in a circle, up
and down, or like a wedge as you feel your breast tissue.
Move the pillow or towel under your right shoulder. Check
your right breast the same way. Gently use pressure as you
move the fingers of your left hand around your breast. Feel
the skin deep in your breasts and the skin near the top.
Raise your left arm and use the pads of your first 3 fingers
of your right hand to feel in and around your armpit. Do the
same thing with the other armpit.
CALL YOUR CARE GIVER IF:
You find any lumps or changes in your breasts.
You have breast pain or fluid coming from your nipples.
CARE AGREEMENT:
You
have the right to help plan your health care. To help with
this plan learn about breast self-exams. Ask caregivers questions
about the breast self-exam. You can work with them to decide
what is the best way to check your breasts. You always have
the right to refuse treatment.
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