How to check breasts yourself during menstruation?

Women should not only perform regular breast examinations through hospital programs, but also perform self-examinations of their breasts. Generally, when going to the hospital for examination, breast ultrasound, ultrasound, breast color ultrasound, and infrared breast ultrasound will be performed. However, if women have physiological breast pain before, during, or after menstruation, they don't need to worry. However, if they have abnormal breast pain, they need to perform self-diagnosis as soon as possible.

What exactly should be included in a breast examination?

Tools/Raw Materials

External breast ultrasound machine

Methods/Steps

Breast color ultrasound: Breast color ultrasound can display breast masses and the surrounding blood vessels. According to the morphology, blood flow and pulse Doppler spectrum analysis results of the lesions, the nature of the lesions can be determined, effectively distinguishing between benign and malignant breast lesions.

Infrared breast radiography: It can quickly, accurately, painlessly and non-destructively diagnose various breast diseases, such as mastitis, breast cysts, and breast lobular hyperplasia, and is particularly insightful in the discovery of breast cancer.

Carbohydrate antigen (CA-15-3): Mainly used for early screening of female breast cancer and breast cancer metastasis.

Precautions

1. Early menarche, late menopause, no childbearing, no breastfeeding, etc.

2. There is a family history of breast cancer, especially maternal family history.

3. Have a history of breast disease and other related medical history, such as unilateral breast cancer, benign breast disease, post-breast augmentation surgery, and reproductive system tumors.

4. Long-term use of estrogen may increase the risk of breast cancer.

5. Lifestyle habits such as high-intensity work and high-fat diet.

6. Long-term exposure to ionizing radiation and chemicals, etc.

7. People at high risk of breast cancer should undergo a comprehensive breast examination every 12-18 months. But non-high-risk groups also need regular check-ups.

Look, touch, lie down, twist

1. Look: Face the mirror with your hands down, and carefully observe whether the two sides of the breasts are symmetrical in size, whether there are abnormal protrusions, and whether the skin and nipples have depressions or eczema.

2. Touch: Raise your left hand to the back of your head, use your right hand to check your left breast, and gently press the breast with your fingertips to feel whether there are any lumps. Start checking from the nipple in a circular clockwise direction, gradually moving outward (about three or four circles) until the entire breast is checked. Use the same method to check the right breast.

3. Lying down: Lie down flat, put a pillow under your left shoulder, bend your right hand under your head, repeat the "touch" method to check both breasts.

4. Twisting: In addition to the breasts, you should also check for swollen lymph nodes in the armpits. Finally, press and twist the nipple with your thumb and index finger, paying attention to whether there is any abnormal secretion.

The best time for self-examination: For women with normal menstruation, the best time for breast examination is 9 to 11 days after menstruation. At this time, the effect of estrogen on the breast is minimal, the breast is in a relatively static state, and lesions are easy to detect. If a lump appears during lactation and is clinically suspected to be a tumor, further examination should be conducted after weaning.

If you find the following symptoms during self-examination, it is recommended to go to the hospital for treatment:

1. Changes in breast size and shape.

2. Changes in the shape and position of the nipple (such as inverted nipple).

3. Blood or other fluid leaking from the nipple.

4. The breast skin is sunken and eroded.

5. Lump or any hard tissue in the breast.

6. Any pain or discomfort.