How to check for breast lumps

Breasts are something that every woman has, and many people are familiar with them. We should pay attention to the phenomenon of breast lumps. So how does one conduct a personal breast examination? What are the possible causes of breast lumps?

How to perform a personal breast examination:

Diseases such as breast hyperplasia, breast fibroids, and breast cancer seriously affect women's physical and mental health.

In recent years, the incidence of breast cancer among women in major cities in my country has shown a significant increasing trend.

How to ensure early detection and early treatment is something many female friends urgently need to know.

Since Yao Beina passed away due to breast cancer, many women are afraid of talking about cancer and are rushing to check their breasts to see if there are any abnormalities.

Three ways to do a personal breast exam:

It is recommended that adult women perform a personal examination once a month. Premenopausal women should perform self-inspection and palpation 7 to 10 days after menstruation to observe the appearance of the breasts and check for lumps and nipple discharge.

1. Check in front of the mirror

Female friends stand in front of the mirror, expose their upper body, hang their arms on both sides, and observe the shape of their breasts. It is important to be familiar with the shape of their normal breasts so that if there is any abnormality, you can find it out.

However, it is not abnormal for one breast to be slightly larger than the other.

Then, women should raise their arms above their heads and rotate their bodies to see if the shape of their breasts has changed.

Then, put your hands on your waist and slowly turn your body to the right and left to check if there are any dents, swelling or skin damage on the nipples and breasts.

Finally, place your palms on your buttocks, press forward and rotate your body, which will make the outline of your breasts clear.

Pay attention to observe whether there are any abnormal changes in the shape of the breasts. If there are any abnormal changes, you need to compare them with the other side to check whether the breasts on both sides are symmetrical. If they are not the same, you must be alert and seek medical attention in time.

2. Observe while standing or sitting

Female friends should raise their right hand and place it behind their head, and then use their left hand to check their left breast.

The normal range of breast examination: from the bottom of the neck to the sixth rib, from the sides to the axillary line, and from the inside to the side of the shoulder blade.

The correct technique for examination: close three fingers, start from 12 o'clock on the breast, and use the fingertips to massage and examine the skin circulation in a clockwise direction. After each circle, return to 12 o'clock, and sink 2 cm to do the second circle; for the third circle, check the entire breast to the nipple. The fingers cannot leave the skin during the examination, and the force should be even. The amplitude should be controlled so that the fingers can touch the ribs. This method is called acupressure circulation massage technique. After checking the left breast, raise the left hand and put it behind the head, and use the right hand to check the right breast in the same way as above.

After checking the breasts in detail, female friends should use their ring finger, middle finger and thumb to gently lift and squeeze the nipple, and look carefully for any secretion. If secretion is found, they should go to the hospital for further examination.

3. Supine inspection

Female friends lie flat on the bed, with a small pillow or a stretched cotton towel under their shoulders, so that the entire breast is flat on the sternum, making it easier to check whether there are any abnormal lumps in the breast.

Because the breasts sag when sitting or standing, especially in plump women, it is easy to miss the lump located in the lower half of the breast. Therefore, lying flat is also very necessary, and the scope and techniques of inspection are the same as those of sitting or standing inspection.

There are several possible causes of breast lumps:

Breast lumps are common breast diseases, and many good diseases can also manifest as breast lumps and lumps. Once you find a lump or hard mass in your breast, don't scare yourself and think that you have a dangerous disease like breast cancer. You should first see a doctor to find out what disease the lump is from and whether it is benign or malignant.

1. Most lumps expand and shrink during menstruation, which may be breast hyperplasia.

The lumps caused by breast hyperplasia are irregular in shape, appearing as small pieces, lumps or cords, with unclear boundaries and no adhesion to the skin. They expand or shrink with the menstrual cycle and are often accompanied by breast pain or tingling.

2. Lumps are easily promoted or breast fibroadenoma

Breast fibroadenoma is the most common malignant breast tumor, more common in young women, in one or both breasts, more often a round or oval lump, slow growth, clear boundaries and easy to be promoted, the lump has no adhesion to the skin.

3. Lumps caused by fibrocystic breast disease are more dangerous

Cystic breast hyperplasia is characterized by cysts caused by enlarged height of mammary lobule tubes and terminal tubes, accompanied by symptoms of abnormal changes in breast structure. Compared with common breast hyperplasia, the breast hyperplasia caused by fibrocystic breast disease coexists with intestinal metaplasia and has the risk of worsening. It should be regarded as a precancerous lesion and should be taken seriously.

4. If the lump grows faster and is not easy to grow, you should be alert to breast cancer.

In the early stages of breast cancer, it appears as a painless, rotating lump that grows rapidly, has an uneven surface, is hard and has unclear boundaries. It is not easy to grow and adheres to the skin as it expands. If there are also orange peel signs such as nipple retraction, breast muscle atrophy and sternum fixation, or even ulceration, it is very likely to be breast cancer.