Breast Self Examination

BREAST SELF
EXAMINATION
ZML
OVERVIEW
A breast self-examination (BSE) involves checking your
breasts to help detect breast problems or changes.
Many breast problems are first discovered by women
themselves, often by accident. Breast lumps can be
non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).
Other breast conditions such as mastitis or a
fibroadenoma can also be detected. Breast cancer can
occur at any age, though it is most common in women
older than 50.
OVERVIEW
A breast self-examination is involves checking your
breasts for lumps or changes while standing and lying in
different positions and while looking at your breasts in a
mirror to note any changes in their appearance. Once
you know what your breasts normally look and feel like,
any new lump or change in appearance should be
evaluated by a health professional. Most breast
problems or changes are not because of cancer. A
regular clinical breast examination by a health
professional and mammograms is mandatory if you are
older than age 40.
HOW IT IS DONE
The best time to examine your breasts is usually one week after
your menstrual period begins, when your breast tissue is least
likely to be swollen or tender. If your menstrual cycle is irregular, or
if you have stopped menstruating due to menopause or the
removal of your uterus (hysterectomy), do your examination on a
day of the month that's easy to remember. Women who are
pregnant or breast-feeding can continue to examine their breasts
every month. Breast-feeding mothers can examine their breasts
after a feeding or after using a breast pump so that the breasts
have as little milk as possible, making the examination easier and
more comfortable.
The examination is done while standing up, looking in a mirror and
While lying down.
LYING DOWN
To do a breast self-examination, remove all your clothes above the
waist and lie down. The examination done while lying down
enables your breast tissue spreads evenly over your chest wall and
is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all your breast
tissue. Use the pads of the three middle fingers of your left hand-
not your fingertips-to check your right breast. Move your fingers
slowly in small coin-sized circles. Use three different levels of
pressure to feel of all your breast tissue. Light pressure is needed
to feel the tissue close to the skin surface. Medium pressure is
used to feel a little deeper, and firm pressure is used to feel your
tissue close to your breastbone and ribs. A firm ridge in the lower
curve of each breast is normal. Use each pressure level to feel your
breast tissue before moving on to the next spot.
LYING DOWN
Feel all of the tissue from the collarbone to the bra line and from
the armpit to the breastbone. Start in the armpit and work down to
the bottom of the bra line. Move one finger-width toward the middle
and work up to the collarbone. Repeat until you have covered the
entire breast. Avoid lifting your fingers away from the skin as you
feel for lumps, unusual thicknesses, or changes of any kind.
Repeat this procedure for your left breast. Most breast tissue has
some lumps or thick tissue. When in doubt about a particular lump,
check your other breast. If you find the same kind of lump in the
same area on the other breast, both breasts are probably normal.
Pay attention to any lump that feels much harder than the rest of
your breast.
IN THE SHOWER
In addition to examining your breasts while lying down,
you may also check them while in the shower. Soapy
fingers slide easily across the breast and may increase
your chances of detecting a change. While standing in a
shower, place one arm over your head and lightly soap
your breast on that side. Then, using the flat surface of
your fingers-not the fingertips-gently move your hand
over your breast (in the strip pattern described above),
feeling carefully for any lumps or thickened areas.
STANDING UP
Using a mirror, inspect your breasts with your arms at
your sides, with your hands on your hips, and with
your arms raised while flexing your chest muscles.
Look for any changes in contour, swelling, dimpling of

skin, or appearance of the nipple. It is normal if your
right and left breasts do not match exactly
Using the pads of your fingers, press firmly on your

breast, checking the entire breast and armpit area.
Move around your breast in a circular, up-and-down, or
wedge pattern.Remember to use the same method
every month. Check both breasts.
STANDING UP
There are three patterns you can use to examine your
breast: the circular, the up-and-down, and the wedge
patterns. Use the pattern that is easiest for you, and
use the same pattern every month.
Gently squeeze the nipple of each breast and report

any discharge to your doctor immediately
Examine both breasts lying down. To examine the

right breast, place a pillow under your right shoulder
and place your right hand behind your head. Other
steps outlined above.
NORMAL BREAST CHANGES
Normal: It is important to know what your breasts normally
look like and feel like so you can identify any changes as
soon as possible. One breast is usually slightly larger than
the other. You may find a ridge of firm tissue in the lower
curve of the breast below the nipple. This is normal. You may
also notice that your breasts change throughout your
menstrual cycle, and you may notice increased swelling and
tenderness before your period starts. Both breasts have a
similar consistency and there are no new lumps since your
last self-examination. You may have breasts that feel lumpy
throughout. If both breasts feel this way, this is normal for
you.
NORMAL BREAST CHANGES
You may be able to express a clear or milky
discharge from your nipple. This may be due to
nursing, breast stimulation, hormones, or some
other normal cause. If you have small breasts,
you may feel your rib as a firm mass through
your breast tissue. If you follow the curve of firm
tissue, you will be able to tell it's your rib and
not a mass.
ABNORMAL BREAST CHANGES
 Abnormal: Abnormal changes are those that are
unusual for you. The color or feel of your breast or
nipple may change. This can include wrinkling,
dimpling, thickening, or puckering or an area that
feels thickened. A nipple which previously pointed out
now points in (inverted). A red, scaly rash or sore
may be found on the nipple. Nipple discharge is
green or bloody. A new lump can be felt in breast
tissue. Most lumps are pea-sized. If you find a lump,
don't panic; 8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. A
lump is most often caused by a cyst, a fibroadenoma,
or generalized breast lumpiness (fibrocystic breast
changes), none of which are cancerous.
OBJECTIVE
If you find anything that concerns you, schedule a visit with your
health professional. The important thing is to learn what is normal
for you and to report any changes to your health professional.
Remember that most changes you find are not breast cancer but
should be checked. These changes may include:
 Any new lump. It may or may not be painful to touch.
 Unusual thick areas.
 Sticky or bloody discharge from your nipples.
 Any changes in the skin of your breasts or nipples, such as
puckering or dimpling.
 An unusual increase in the size of one breast.
 One breast unusually lower than the other.
WHAT AFFECTS THE TEST
Reasons why the results may not be helpful include:
 Changes in your breasts or breast tenderness that
occur during your menstrual cycle.
 Examining your breasts at different times in your
menstrual cycle. This may make it difficult to compare
results of one examination with those of another.
 Having fibrocystic lumps. These may make a breast
self-examination difficult because lumps occur
throughout the breast. The fibrocystic lumps can also
become tender before your menstrual cycle.
BSE
THANK YOU

Breast Self Examination

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Breast Self Examination

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Breast Self Examination

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

BREAST SELF

Look for any changes in contour, swelling, dimpling of

Using the pads of your fingers, press firmly on your

Gently squeeze the nipple of each breast and report

Examine both breasts lying down. To examine the

You might also like