The type of breasts you have is genetically determined. Breasts are lumpy or smooth, just like breasts are large or small; it’s out of your control and usually nothing to worry about.
While it’s completely normal to have unique breasts, cancer screening can be more difficult for people with lumps in their breasts. If you find that your breast tissue feels bumpy or even cord-like, you may be one of the many people who face this difficulty.
Women with lumps in their breasts are either afraid to have any tests done or to pay attention to any relevant area of their breasts because they fear they will think everything is cancer.
This prevents them from checking anything at all for fear that they don’t know what they’re looking for.
Breast lumps that people find during self-exams at home usually don’t matter (as long as they stay up late and are consistent with their in-office appointments). Most signs of breast cancer are captured through advanced imaging technologies such as mammograms and ultrasounds.
But There are no downsides to self-examination.In fact, they are encouraged because some people do find noteworthy problems during regular home inspections.
If you have lumpy breasts and are afraid of self-examination, you’re certainly not alone. Here, experts share how people with breast lumps can get checked at home and what to pay attention to during the exam.
First, be aware of how your breasts look and feel.
Gone are the days of strict rules and specific self-study exams.By now, you should have overall self-awareness to help monitor for any signs of breast cancer.
It’s really good for women to have a general idea of how their breasts usually look and feel.
That way, if there’s anything new, different, or concerning, you can write it down and bring it to your doctor’s attention.
For people with breast lumps, it can be challenging to know when a lump is normal or abnormal. To determine how your breasts feel, it is recommended that you have a home exam within a month of your doctor’s breast exam or after your mammogram shows everything is normal.
If you do an at-home exam when your breast health is good, you’ll know what lumps and bumps are normal for your breasts. So when you get checked over the next few months and years, you’ll be able to identify any lumps that aren’t usually there.
Check a few key places during your self-exam.
Although knowing your breasts is more important than performing a home exam in a specific way, there are some tips that can make your self-examination more effective.、
First, lift the arm closest to the breast you want to examine.Feel around the breast, including the center area.
Finally, don’t end up at your chest; you’ll want to check your armpits as well. People with breast cancer may have enlarged lymph nodes in their armpits.In this case, these lymph nodes feel hard.Normally, lymph nodes are soft.
To check your armpits, place your hand on your hip on the side you’re checking. You can use your other hand to fill in the armpit.
Also check for similar lumps in both boobs.
If you notice a lump in one breast, check the other breast to see if there is a similar lump there.
If you feel something similar in size and texture on the other breast, this may be how your tissue usually feels.
Don’t perform your self-exams during your period.
Many people report that their breasts feel especially tender before and during their period. Therefore, having a breast exam at this time can be painful.
Additionally, many people experience breast swelling before and during their period, which may make their breasts feel different than usual. This may cause you to get some false positives during the inspection.
Therefore, it is best to wait until your period is over before performing a self-examination.
It is recommended that you perform self-examinations at the same time each month, and it may be helpful to develop a routine. You can always check in the shower, in bed, or in front of a mirror. This way, you’ll eventually get into your groove and know exactly how your breasts feel in a specific position.
A concerning lump should stand out from the rest of your tissue.
Many women have lumps in their breasts. My advice is to feel for whatever stands out.
When breast cancer is palpable, it is hard. The worrisome lumps feel like peas in mashed potatoes.
In addition to lumps, you should also let your doctor know if there is any redness, swelling, or dimpling of your skin.Discharge from your nipple when you don’t touch or squeeze it is another red flag.
Self-exams can only show so much. Be sure to stay on top of your breast imaging, too.
Your breast imaging should begin at age 40 and be performed annually.
In some cases, imaging at a younger age is necessary. This may be the case for people with certain genetic mutations or a significant family history.
We recommend that people start breast imaging 10 years before their nearest relative was diagnosed, or at age 40—whichever comes first. Therefore, if your mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 44, you should consider starting routine mammograms at age 34.
If you do feel a concerning lump, talk to your doctor.
If you think something might be unusual about what you’re feeling but you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to contact your doctor. In this case, it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry. Additionally, experts agree that it is difficult for women to distinguish between what they can and cannot do.
This can be challenging for women with breast lumps because many times, a benign cyst or fibroadenoma feels like a hard lump.
Finally, if you have any doubts, you should not assume that what you are feeling is normal.Your doctor will be able to help you and may be happy for you to bring potential abnormalities to their attention..