Breast cancer is a terrible disease that affects both men and woman of varying ages. Most people do not even know they have the disease until prevalent symptoms expose themselves. However, there are early warning signs and if you pay special attention to your body, you can spot them and begin treatment as soon s possible. When performing self-breast exams, you can spot changes within your breasts early on. A self-breast-exam should be performed every month, especially during a woman’s menstrual period. During menstruation, lumps are more likely to be found due to increases in certain hormonal levels. Sometimes, a partner will discover a lump in the significant other’s breast.
Should you ever feel an abnormal lump in your breast, make an appointment with your doctor right away to rule out breast cancer. Many times, a lump in the breast proves to be benign after a biopsy is performed. However, if the lump is malignant, the earlier treatment is started, the better. Discovering a lump in your breast can be terrifying and leave you with a ton of questions and fears running through your mind. Don’t let your fears prevent you from seeking medical help, especially in Sand Diego, CA as there are a number of highly killed oncologists located there. You might think that by ignoring the lump, it will just go away but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many women with breast cancer are afraid of possible surgery, dying, and even losing a breast. These are all legitimate fears and should be discussed with your doctor. Early warning signs of breast cancer include but are not limited too: A lump (no matter the size) within the breast tissue or under the armpit Unexplained swelling within the breast area Color change around the nipple area Puffy or scaly nipple area Unexplained lumps and bump under in the underarm area Unexplained pain within the breasts or nipples When a lump I detected within the breast tissue, it often feels hard to the touch. The lump typically will not hurt when pressed on. In many cases, the lump is going to feel very small, especially if you are performing a self-breast exam and do them regularly. This is a good thing because it means you have caught the lump early and if it is cancer, it can usually be successfully treated. After finding a lump, make an appointment with your doctor, even if no other symptoms are [resenting themselves. In many cases of breast cancer, early symptoms other than the lump are not prevalent. Your doctor will order a serious of tests such as a mammogram, blood tests, and a possible biopsy to rule out breast cancer.
Make sure to detail any symptoms you are having with the doctor such as what the lump feels like, if it is tender or painless, hard or pliable. Anything you can think of that is a change in your breasts; please let your doctor know. San Diego cancer specialists are trained extremely well and have a high success rate for helping patients beat the odds. If you notice the area around your nipple looking raised, thick, and red, go to the emergency room or make a same day appointment with your doctor. This type of symptom can reveal a fast moving breast cancer and you want to have it checked out as soon as possible so that appropriate treatments may be applied. It is understandable that breast cancer is scary, but prevention is key. Performing self-breast exams on a monthly basis will can help you avoid many of the issues that go along with advanced stage breast cancer. If you find a lump, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can.
