You can look up instructions on the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation web site at www.breastcancerinfo.com

If premenopausal you should do a monthly self-breast exam at the end of your period. This is the time when your breasts are least fluid filled and tender, and women are more aware of their bodies at this time of the month. To learn to do a proper self-breast exam make an appointment with your health care provider or a MammaCare specialist who can coach you to determine if you are properly examining your breasts.

Check the other breast. Some lumpiness is normal. However, if the lump is new or unusual, it warrants examination by a physician. A lump found during a breast self-exam, a clinical breast exam or a mammogram does not necessarily mean that a woman has breast cancer. Nearly 80 percent of all breast lumps are noncancerous (benign). However, cancer is a possibility. Early detection and treatment provides the best outcome, so a woman shouldn't let fear stop her from seeing a physician.

The key to doing a BSE is "knowing your own breast." At the Breast Center we provide informative brochures on the process of BSE. Please ask the staff if you need additional instruction.

Breast self-exams are the best way for you to learn about your breasts so that you can detect any changes. Breast self-exams can be done at home using your fingers and do not require special equipment.

The YSC does not endorse the practice of a formal BSE, which you can read more about in our YSC Position Paper on Breast Self Examination (BSE) and Early Detection. Instead, until there are reliable early detection and high-risk screening methods, the YSC recommends that young women be familiar with their breasts and be able to detect any change from the norm.

Once a month. Breast self-exams should be done 5-7 days after your period starts. For postmenopausal women, pick the same day of every month for your breast self-exam.

Women over 20 years of age should practice breast self-examination (BSE) every month. Physicians recommended that women perform BSE a few days to one week after their period when the breasts are least tender and swollen. Click here for more information on how to perform BSE.

Breast exams are not performed at Lenox Hill. We only accept patients who have been referred by their physician and have therefore most likely already had a breast exam.

Most women detect their own breast cancer. That's why you should give yourself monthly breast self-exams. But get one from your doctor once a year, too. With her expertise, she might be more likely to detect a tumor at an early stage before it spreads. Symptoms to watch for: breast lumps, thickening, swelling, distortion, tenderness, skin irritation, dimpling, nipple pain, discharge, or scaliness.

Yes, patients with breast implants who are in an age group for which routine screening is recommended can effectively have mammograms. (Those who have had implants as reconstruction after breast cancer surgery on both breasts should ask their doctors whether mammograms are still necessary.) When she schedules her appointment, she should do two things: ask if the facility has personnel with training and experience in implant imaging and interpretation.

Beginning at age 18, all women should perform monthly breast self examinations (Cancer Research Foundation of America).

of all breast cancers are found through breast self examination (National Breast Cancer Foundation). Early detection of breast cancer can increase survival rates to 90% (BBC Health). Therefore, performing your breast self exam and becoming familiar with the characteristics of your breasts is critical to your breast health. Breast Self Examination takes only a few minutes and may be the best time investment of your life.

Answer: No. Women who routinely do breast self-examination can pick up a mass when it is about one-half inch is size. Mammography can pick a malignancy about three years sooner than it can be felt. However, mammography is not 100% accurate. It is only 85% accurate and breast self-examination is an important part of early breast cancer detection.

After a bath or shower, stand in front of a full-length mirror in a well-lighted room. Use a hand-held mirror to look at hard-to-see areas. Begin with the face and scalp and work downward, checking the head, neck, shoulders, back, chest, and so on. Be sure to check the front, back, and sides of the arms and legs. Also, check the groin, the palms, the fingernails, the soles of the feet, the toenails, and the area between the toes.

If you have implants, you should perform breast self-examination monthly on your implanted breast. In order to do this effectively, you should ask your surgeon to help you distinguish the implant from your breast tissue. Press firmly inward at the edges of the implants to feel the ribs beneath, checking for any lumps or bumps. However, be careful not to manipulate (i.e., squeeze) the valve on the implant excessively, which may cause valve leakage and make the implant deflate.

With practice, nearly anyone can achieve a comfortable relaxed hypnotic state on their own, and benefit from positive suggestions. With practice you will become more familiar with your own abilities to relax and receive the helpful thoughts and images which can greatly improve the quality of your life.

You are feeling for a firm lump or area of thickening that is different from the rest of your breast tissue. In addition, you should look for a change in size or shape of your breast, a spontaneous discharge from the nipple, or a change in the color or feel of the breast, areola or nipple. If you are not sure what you are feeling, visit your doctor and get his or her opinion. Women should promptly report any breast abnormalities to their physician.

Answer: In pre-menopausal women, the best time to do breast self-examination is generally a week after your menses. In post-menopausal women, pick a day of the month to do breast self-examination such as the first day of every month.

It is very important to do monthly exams and to become familiar with your body to detect any changes. Most women find breast lumps before their physicians.

Visit the Microsoft Learning site for tips on how to prepare for your exam and for links to exam preparation guides. Be sure to thoroughly read the preparation guide for the exam that you plan to take.

Your doctor should spend at least 30 seconds on each breast. You should definitely be doing self breast exams at home to familiarize yourself with your own anatomy and to notice any changes or lumps. Lumps are often fibroids or cysts, but the more comfortable you are with examining your breasts, the more likely you are to find any growths or tumors. Your doctor will want to take special care if you have a family history of breast cancer.

A clinical breast exam is performed by a medical professional. It includes visual examination and feeling of the entire breast and underarm area. A CBE is done in both sitting and lying positions. Recommended guidelines for the CBE: Some breast cancers are not detected by mammography but can be felt during a CBE. So, it is very important to have both the mammogram and the CBE in the same month each year.

If you have a question about breast biopsy or other Breast Health Services at Sarasota Memorial, please call (941) 917-2636. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Public Relations Offices by phone or in writing:

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