Women's Wellness
Breast Health: At Your fingertips
When you think about breast health, think about the part of your body from collarbone to bra line, from breastbone to underarm. Breast size and shape varies with age, weight, nutrition, pregnancy and genetics. Slight differences in the size and shape of breasts are common. A change in one breast and not the other may indicate a health problem.
There are three very important ways to know of any change in your breasts. These are:
- Breast Self-Examination (BSE)
- Clinical Breast Examination (CBE)
- Mammography
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death to women. With regular use of the three procedures above, a woman who learns she has breast cancer can greatly increase her chances of recovery.
Breast Self-Examination: Perform this every month, one week after menstruation (your period). After menopause, perform BSE on the same day every month, such as the first day of the month or the day of the month your birthday falls on. If you don't have regular periods for any reason, speak to your physician or midwife to get the best examination schedule for you.
LOOK for changes...in a mirror. Three ways: 1) hands at side; 2) hands over head (front and side view) (Figure 1); 3) hands on hips, pressing down, and bending forward (Figure 2).
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| Figure 1 | Figure 2 |
Do your breasts look similar to each other? Check for changes from last month in size, shape or color. Check for dimpling, puckering, and discharge from the nipples.
FEEL for changes...in the shower. With right arm raised and hand pressed behind head, check the right breast (Figure 3). Use the three middle finger pads of your left hand with warm soapy water (Figure 4). Use three levels of pressure in one-inch circles in an up and down pattern. Examine from collarbone to bra line, from breastbone to underarm. Repeat for left breast.
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| Figure 3 | Figure 4 |
FEEL for changes again...lying down. Check both breasts again with one arm at a time raised over head. Place a pillow under shoulders to help arch your back and spread the surface of your breast (Figure 5). Use the same pressure and pattern as in the shower.
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| Figure 5 |
CLINICAL BREAST EXAMINATION: Done by a physician or a nurse to check your breasts for lumps or anything unusual. The American Cancer Society recommends that women in their 20’s and 30’s get a CBE done every three years. Women age 40 and older should have a CBE done every year.
MAMMOGRAPHY: A low-dose x-ray of the breast used to look for lumps and anything unusual that is too small to be felt by hand. It is recommended that CBE always be done before mammography. Follow the schedule below:
For a person at average and high risk for breast cancer:
- ages below 40 -- can be requested by your doctor.
- ages 40 to 74 -- every year.
- ages 75 and over -- member request & physician discretion.
REMEMBER: EARLY DETECTION = BETTER CHANCES OF RECOVERY
For individual questions concerning your health, consult your physician.
