How to Keep A Breast Exam Journal

Video Transcript

"Breast self examinations will help you to understand the way your breasts normally look and feel and you'll be better able to detect changes in breast tissue sooner rather than later. The American Cancer Society recommends that women start performing monthly breast self examinations as early as in their twenties. Partners can help remind one another to perform their monthly breast self examinations and actually assist in the examination themselves. In order to help you remember to perform your monthly examination, it is recommended that you keep a journal. Partners can keep a journal together. What you should do is record the date and month that your examination is performed. As a matter of fact you might save one page for the wife and one page for the husband. Record the month and the date and after or during your monthly breast self exam, record the results of your examination here in your journal. Place an x in the box where it feels tender or sour. Completely fill in a box with a dark square at a place where you think that you may have detected an abnormality. Do the same with the male on the opposite page. This journal will help you remember to perform your monthly exam and can therefore be used by your physician in tracking monthly breast changes. Don't forget, when you go visit your physician at your annual exam, please bring your journal with you. That journal can guide your physician to watch for special areas where there's been changes or you've recorded changed in your breast tissue. This will guide your physician to pay special attention to an area of concern. Remember, both men and women get breast cancer. It is important to become more breast aware through the performing of a monthly breast self examination you will be better able to detect changes in your breast tissue that should be immediately reported to your physician."