How to self-check for breast diseases? The incidence of breast cancer is rising rapidly, and the age of patients is getting younger. In order to prevent potential problems, daily maintenance and examinations for women are particularly important. Patients who discover the following conditions unintentionally or during self-examination should seek medical attention promptly for early diagnosis and treatment. Having healthy and full breasts is the expectation of every woman, but there will always be some diseases that disturb their lifelong happiness. To block these diseases, one must first learn how to self-examine the breasts. So, how do women self-check for breast diseases?
Self-examination should be conducted 3~5 days after menstruation ends or on the 9th~11th day from the start of menstruation:
Breast Self-Examination
Breast examination should first observe the development of the mammary glands, whether both breasts are symmetrical, if their sizes are similar, if both nipples are at the same level, if there is any retraction or indentation of the nipples; if there is any erosion around the nipple and areola, what is the color of the breast skin, if there is any swelling or orange peel-like changes, if there is any redness or inflammation, and if there is any dilation of superficial veins in the breast area.
Best time for examination: For women with regular menstruation, the best time for breast examination is between the 9th~11th day after menstruation begins. At this time, the influence of estrogen on the breast is minimal, and the breast is in a relatively stationary state, making it easier to detect abnormalities. If a lump appears during lactation and is suspected clinically as a tumor, further examination should be conducted after weaning.
Breast Lumps
Breast lumps are the main symptoms of breast tumors, and they can also be seen in cases of fibrocystic breast disease, breast tuberculosis, etc.
Localized thickening of breast tissue
When touching the breast, you may find slightly thicker tissue compared to its surroundings, with unclear boundaries, making it difficult to measure its exact size. Clinically, it is often diagnosed as "fibrocystic breast disease." This condition is especially common in premenopausal women and may vary with the menstrual cycle, generally being physiological. However, if the thickened tissue persists, is unrelated to the menstrual cycle, or continues to thicken and expand, especially in postmenopausal women, it must be taken seriously because about 8% of such lesions are cancerous.
Breast Pain
Severe breast pain accompanied by tenderness is often an inflammatory manifestation, commonly seen in acute mastitis and breast abscesses. If localized breast pain occurs, it is often related to the menstrual cycle and is generally associated with simple or cystic hyperplasia of the breast.
Nipple Discharge
During non-lactating periods in women, nipple discharge is mostly pathological. The most common cause is intraductal papilloma, followed by cystic hyperplasia of the breast and duct ectasia. About 15% of cases are breast cancer, so particular attention should be paid to bloody discharge accompanied by breast lumps. Some medications can also cause bilateral nipple discharge, such as estrogen and contraceptives.
Changes in Breast Skin
Most breast diseases show no change in breast skin. Acute mastitis often presents with redness and swelling of the skin, breast tuberculosis may accompany skin ulcers or fistulas, and breast cancer can present with "orange peel" like changes in the skin.
Changes in Breast Contour
Normal breasts have complete arc-shaped contours. Any defect or abnormality in this arc is very important and is often an early sign of breast cancer.
Nipple Changes
Congenital underdevelopment of the breast can lead to inverted nipples, which is more common in women without breastfeeding history. Inverted nipples can also be seen in breast cancer, usually unilateral. Persistent eczema or itching around the nipple should raise suspicion for Paget's disease, a special type of breast cancer.
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