How to examine your breasts

Before the age of 50 in the UK, you are your own mammogram to try and pick up a breast lump that might be a breast cancer or pre-cancer.

National breast screening with mammograms start at age 50, but did you know you can have a scan with the charity Action Cancer? See the link here.

In some countries breast screening starts at age 40.

So how do you examine your breasts?

If you have a bath, it is easiest to examine the breast when sitting slightly reclined in the bath, alternatively you can do this propped up in your bed

There is wonderful book a friend recommended called Breast Cancer? Breast health!, which describes breast massage as a a way to get to know your breast tissue better.

Feel the whole of the breast gently, starting at the bottom, using your finger tips to gently push toward the centre areas. the finger tips are very sensitive and can pick up changes.

As well as the breast it is useful to feel the lymph nodes in your armpit and the lymph nodes between the breast and your armpit. These lymph are usually not enlarged and so you should not feel any bumps or nodes in this area.

Also look at the skin over the breast to see how looks smooth, AND look at the nipple too

For women with larger breasts or dense feeling a lump can be more difficult. But do not worry. You can always check with your doctor to understand how to better monitor your breast for lumps.

Breasts do change throughout your menstrual cycle (from period to period ) so it’s important to perform a breast examination at different times of your cycle to get to know these changes. But, overall the most important things is simply to examine your breasts regularly even if only every 2-3 months.

If you are breast feeding, remember to examine your breasts and if there are any changes:

• change in size or shape

• Pain

• Nipple pain

See you doctor.

Some of us have ‘lumpy’ breasts but always get this checked out if it seems different than before.

If you are a busy woman then remember to set a reminder in your calendar to examine your breasts. Do this in your 30’s so that if you decide to have kids and find yourself distracted or too busy, you will always have a little reminder their to look after yourself.

Women are having children at an older age these days and this increases their risk of breast cancer, so don’t forget that if that’s you or someone you know.

Treatment for breast cancer has improved significantly over the last 30 years, but we still want to try and pick it up as early as possible so treatments can be less drastic in some cases.