Simple steps for breast self-examination

Step one:
 Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.


Here is what you should look for:
• Does your breast have their usual size, shape or colour?
• Are they evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling?
If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor’s attention:
• Dimpling, puckering or bulging of the skin
• A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple; pushed inwards instead of sticking out.
• Redness, soreness, rash or swelling.
Step two and three:
 Raise your arms and look for the same changes.

Step four:
While you’re at the mirror, look for any sign of fluid coming out of one or both nipples; this could be a watery, milky or yellow fluid or blood.

Step five:
Lie down and then feel your breasts using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.
• Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen and from your armpit to your cleavage.
• Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts.
For the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you have reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your rib cage.

Finally:
Feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements you used while lying down.


Refernce:

tribuneonlineng

No comments:

Post a Comment