Cancer is a terrible disease that destroys thousands of innocent lives every year. Breast cancer is especially dangerous: unlike other forms of cancer such as skin or lung cancer, there are few things you can do to prevent it.
Of course it’s always good to live a healthy life, work out and eat right, and use sunscreen when you go out, however breast cancer is a genetic cancer, which means it’s hereditary.
Even though you can’t prevent it from developing, there are ways you can catch the symptoms earlier, which increases your chances of survival and a quicker recovery.
The first thing you should learn to do is examine yourself. You should get to know how your breasts feel so that you can discover any changes by yourself.
Read on to learn 5 ways of discovering breast cancer early.
1. Check your breasts after every menstrual cycle
You should check your breasts regularly, and the best time to do it is the day after your period finishes. Lift your arm straight up in the air and feel your breast with one finger. You should also feel your underarms. If you feel any changes or lumps, you should consult your doctor straight away.
2. Know what you’re looking for
Maybe you already know what feels normal for you, but do you know what you should look for when you examine yourself? Most people will react to lumps, but lumps don’t always mean you have breast cancer. They can appear for lots of different reasons.
They can be caused by an infection, scar tissue, or a cyst, which are often harmless. Which is exactly why it’s important to check your breasts regularly. You need to know how your breasts normally feel to be able to know if any changes have occured.
A cancerous lump is often hard, difficult to move and is painful if you put pressure on it. Cancerous lumps can appear in your breasts and in your underarms.
3. Check the skin on your breasts
When you’re done examining your breasts, it’s time to look in a mirror to see if there are any changes in appearance.
You should look out for:
- Dimpling anywhere on the breast
- Wrinkled/pleated skin
- Scaly skin
- Rough skin
- Red or swollen skin
- Unexplained changes in size or shape of breast
- Asymmetry (only if the asymmetry occurs out of the blue: it’s normal for breasts to be naturally asymmetrical)
If your chest is swollen or tender for a long time, this may also be a sign of breast cancer.
4. Check your nipples
You also need to check both of your nipples when you perform a self-examination. If you see/experience any of the following signs, you should consult your doctor immediately:
- Pain
- Redness
- Itching
- Hardness
- Inverted nipples
- Fluid (except breast milk)
5. Ask your doctor to examine you
Whether you go to the doctor because you’re worried about something or if it’s your annual health check, you can always ask your doctor to examine your chest to be on the safe side.
If you have any concerns or feel any changes, always consult a doctor for a thorough examination.
Please share this life saving article with your friends so that more people are aware of the early signs of breast cancer.
Together we can save lives!
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