How to Check Your Breasts for Cancer or Give Yourself a Self Breast Exam

It's important to do a self breast exam every month, or anytime you will be away from your doctor for more than the allotted time between physicals. Here is a step by step guide to self breast exams!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start by taking off your shirt and bra and stand in front of a mirror that is clean and in good lighting. Look at your breasts for any physical abnormalities, lumps, bumps, indents (don't count those stretch marks ladies, we all have them!) While you are doing your exam make sure you glance at the nipple once in a while to make sure there is no discharge, unless you are breast feeding, in that case it is perfectly normal.

2. Perform your self breast exam lying down with no clothes or bra on. If it feels weird, just relax, remind yourself that you are doing something that is good for your body and completely normal.

3. Pretend that your breast is a clock! Start your self breast exam by putting your left hand behind your head, and checking the left breast starting at the twelve o'clock position. Take the pads of your first three fingers and gently but firmly press into the breast tissue, rub firmly to feel around for any bumps, lumps, or other wise abnormal spots. It's going to hurt just a bit. Keep moving around the breast from the twelve o'clock position in a clockwise pattern until you come back to the twelve o'clock point.

4. Keep rotating around the "clock" getting closer and closer to the nipple, and be sure to check often for nipple discharge. Then move to your left armpit and do the same thing. Check in tissue around the breast and in the armpit as throughly as you do the breast. If you find a lump, don't over re-act, a lot of people get blocked sweat glads in the armpit. However, you do want to call your doctor immediately just to be on the safe side.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't skip your annual Breast Examinations, and perform the self breast check every month.

Resources

• Support Breast Cancer Awareness

[cb4me]

on 4/29/2009 This is such VITAL information! People do not realize how many women find their own cancer at an early very treatable stage by doing self breasts exams!

[AllFYB]

on 1/2/2009 This is such an impotant thing to do. Early Treatment is the most successful and know one knows you like you.

[TeryLynne]

on 1/1/2009 Very important subject and wonderful tips. 5*

[JMKnudson]

on 12/30/2008 People can't be reminded enough to check themselves regularly. Great job.

[jamaclassics]

on 12/29/2008 This is a good article on an important subject. Thanks.