FitSugar

Do You Do Monthly Breast Self-Exams?

Susi May — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 03:47:19 PDT

If case you've missed all the pink ribbons, let me remind you that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And even though some health experts think breast self-exams are no longer necessary, getting to know your girls seems like a simple way to empower yourself against the disease. Becoming familiar with your breast tissue and how it changes monthly - oh what the crimson wave does to the breasts - is one way to put the fight against the disease in your own hands, literally. Here are details on how to perform a breast self-exam with helpful illustrations.

Before you start making excuses, here are 10 daily activities that take longer to complete than a breast self-exam.

A Girl's Guide to Breast Tissue

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:45:41 PST

Last Summer, health researchers recommended that women no longer need to perform self-breast exams, but that hasn't stopped me. A few women I know discovered breast cancer early through self-examinations and received early treatment, which saved their lives.

Breast tissue tends to be lumpy, so when you examine your girls each month, you want to look , or rather feel, for changes in consistency, size, or tenderness. If you happen to feel something different from the surrounding tissue, you may instantly think breast cancer. Here's a guide from Health magazine to help you figure out what to do based on what you feel.

What you feel	Cause and what it means	What to do
Soft lump: it's smooth and round (like a grape), and it moves a little when you press on it. This lump may be painful to the touch, and it can range in size from small to large.	Caused by hormonal changes in your menstrual cycle, it could be a cyst or sacs filled with natural fluid.	Get an ultrasound. If it is a cyst, your doctor may recommend that you go on the pill to lower your chance of developing cysts.

If you felt something different

What you feel	Cause and what it means	What to do
Hard lump: this will feel like a clearly defined smooth, hard, rubbery, round lump. It could be small like a pea, or up to five inches wide. If you can move it around under your skin and it doesn't hurt, then it sounds like it's a fibroadenoma, which is a noncancerous tumor.	They're not as common as cysts, but not uncommon for women in their 20s and 30s since they're caused by hormonal changes.	Make an appointment with your doctor just to be sure.
Fluid leaking from both nipples.	It could be caused by a thyroid or pituitary problem. Some women also experience discharge from this area when pregnant, taking birth control pills, or from stimulation.	Talk to your doctor. If it is a gland issue, medication should clear it right up.
Soft mass: it's soft, lumpy, and about one to four inches wide. It may be tender right before your period.	It's most likely caused by fluctuations in your hormones, which thickens breast tissue.	This isn't anything a little acetaminophen or ibuprofen (or chocolate) can't take care of. Wearing a more supportive bra may offer relief as well.
Hard mass: you feel a solid, irregular-shaped mass with jagged edges that won't move when you push on it.	Nobody knows for sure. Age, family history, and alcohol intake could be factors.	This is something to have checked out by your doctor immediately, as it could be cancerous.

What If You Do Find a Lump?

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:00:00 PDT

A few weeks ago a study stated that self-breast exams didn't save lives, but I am not buying it. Many women I know have caught their breast cancer early because they did monthly exams. So if you're still a believer and continue to check yourself monthly, you should be reassured to know that most lumps you find aren't cancerous. Here's what you may feel according to Living.Health.com:

A soft lump: It's smooth and round (like a grape), and it moves a little when you press on it. This lump may be painful to the touch, and it can range in size from small to large. It could be a cyst or sacs filled with natural fluid, but you should get an ultrasound just to be sure. If it is a cyst, your doctor may recommend that you go on the Pill to lower your chance of developing cysts.

A hard lump: This will feel like a clearly defined smooth, hard, rubbery, round lump. It could be small like a pea, or up to five inches wide. If you can move it around under your skin and it doesn't hurt, then it sounds like it's a fibroadenoma, which is a noncancerous tumor. They're not as common as cysts, but not uncommon for women in their 20s and 30s since they're caused by hormonal changes. Of course, it's best to have your doctor take a look and perform some tests just to make sure.

To find out what else you may feel and what it means

Fluid: If fluid is leaking from both nipples, it could be cause by a thyroid or pituitary problem. Talk to your doctor and if it is a gland issue, medication should clear it right up.

Soft mass: You could feel a soft lumpy mass that's about one to four inches wide, and it may be tender right before your period. It most likely is caused by fluctuations in your hormones, which thickens breast tissue. This isn't anything a little acetaminophen or ibuprofen (or chocolate) can't take care of.

Hard Mass: If you feel a solid, irregular shaped mass with jagged edges that won't move when you push on it, this is something to be concerned with. It could be a cancerous tumor so call your doc and schedule a mammogram.

Fit's Tip: This info isn't meant to scare you, but since you are the one person who can notice changes in your breasts, it's best to know what to look for. If you ever have any concerns, I'd recommend seeing your doctor because you'll feel relieved to get a professional opinion.

Source

Self Breast Exams - No Longer Needed?

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:00:00 PDT

If you often forget to perform your monthly self breast exams, you can rest easier and maybe even take the item off your to do list. An analysis by Cochrane Collaboration of two large studies on self breast exams (SBE) found that monthly self exams did not reduce breast cancer deaths. Even worse, these self exams lead to increased numbers of biopsies of benign lumps.

Like many women, this news perplexes me. But then again many women are perplexed by SBE to begin with since many lumps and bumps are perfectly normal. Many women are not quite sure how to perform a self exam and what exactly they are feeling for. This might be the reason why SBE aren't helping save lives. While I have friends who have survived breast cancer and these women found the tumors during their monthly breast exams, I still routinely forget to do mine. Due to the experience of my friends, I will continue to periodically do my SBE. A growing number of public health officials believe that unless a woman is highly motivated to do the self exams, due to a genetic risk for breast cancer, that the SBE are not necessary, especially for women in their 20s and 30s.

What do you think of this news? Are you relieved or confused? Tell me in the comment section below.

Source

Good News: Cancer Deaths on the Decline

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:30:00 PDT

October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I have been reading a lot about breast cancer and how it affects lives. I don't think I have cried this much while surfing the web. When I saw the headline "Report Shows Cancer Deaths Declining," I felt like jumping for joy! A new report indicates that cancer deaths in the US are down. Looks like the prevention strategies of early detection and better treatments are working and the statistics show it.

Two things are still problematic, though. One being that Native Americans are not benefiting from the prevention strategies at the same rate as other Americans. The second problem is smoking. Oh how I hate smoking. It seems the number of women smoking is not decreasing, and more people are taking up the icky habit earlier. Here are a few reasons and tips on quitting smoking, just in case you need them.

To end on a good note and with a little healthful reminder: Breast cancer deaths are down (that is the "good note"), but not enough women are getting breast exams (that would be the reminder – and here is a way to get an email reminder every month from iVillage). Also be sure to get an annual clinical breast exam.

Self Breast Exam Reminder

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:30:00 PDT

Many of us do so many things for others that we often forget, neglect or don't make time to do important things for ourselves. One preventative measure that slips through the cracks is monthly self breast exams. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to tell you about an e-mail reminder for your self breast exam offered by iVillage. All you have to do to sign up is give them your e-mail address. On the 15th of every month you will receive a reminder along with health tips and a complete guide to doing self exams! I urge you to sign up today, since we can all use healthy reminders.

Source

Do You Do a Breast Exam Every Month?

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:45:43 PDT

You might have seen the somewhat provocative ad (a woman with her fingers over her nipple) for the Susan Komen Foundation for a Cure. It is a great organization and the world's largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. They also fund research for curing breast cancer. Looking at the ad every day has gotten me wondering if you all do self breast examinations monthly since early detection is key.

Women Only? Not Even Close

The Good Men Project — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:36:54 PST

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project.

There's been some talk over, what, the last couple months, regarding ladies and their access to birth control. Or basic health care. Or abortions. Or breast exams. Really, pick any of them. Now, while I could (quite easily) get going regarding Komen's debacle with Planned Parenthood or the #issacircus of a hearing that ruined my day, that's not what I'd really like to discuss with Good Men today.

Objectifying Ryan Gosling

Of course, some of you might tell me that you don't want to hear my rants because, hey, those be lady problems and why would you rant to men about them (*please note* I did not say all of you – just… some).

And that, now that you mention it, is exactly my point.

All of these controversies, from Komen to birth control, have been overwhelmingly framed in this way: religious/moral freedom vs. women's rights. Or something along those lines. Here, the details aren't what's important –the point is the vs. women part.

X, Y, Z vs. women. Period. Just us ladies, out there all on our own. Wantin' things like breast exams and the pills. It's a woman's-issues thing, right?

Ahem. Wrong.

I am so done with these arguments being framed this way. These are not women's-only issues and rights. These are far far more than that.

Why? Well, since you asked, let me try to explain.

First, let's just pretend we're talking about birth control – namely, birth control pills, or maybe even morning after pills. For sake of simplicity, let's also narrow that into birth control only used for avoiding pregnancy – the idea that ladies be only wanting the birth control so they can be having the sex without the procreating. Forget all other arguments. For now.

I find it rather interesting that no one seems to bring up with whom all those ladies be having all the sex without the babies with. Well. Lesbians don't really worry about getting preggers all that much. So that leave . . . menfolk, or ladies born as men. And, ya know, I would hazard a guess that a great majority of that sex involving penises would be within committed, monogamous relationships. I would also hazard a guess that, in those committed, monogamous relationships, part of the reason the lady be on the pill is because she is not using condoms with her partner. Why? Because she probably trusts him and they no longer have need to worry about STIs, being in a committed, monogamous relationship. And a lot of people don't really like the whole condom thing, and will avoid when it becomes safe to do so.

Some of those relationships are probably marriages, where both would like to avoid having a kid/having more kids. Both husband and wife are being responsible to what they want and the children they can provide for.

Sure, some of the ladies who be on the pill are probably not in committed, monogamous relationships. Maybe a few of them throw caution to the wind every night. Or something. But, you know, if pregnancy is on the line, they're still engaging le sexy times with a dude. A dude who probably as into getting someone pregnant as his ladyfriend is.

Am I getting my point across? All these "X, Y, Z vs. ladies rights" conversations keep kind of saying that it's only the ladies having sex without the babiez. All by themselves. When, um, hello. Hi there. Birds and bees calling.

Yes, the women are the ones who have to take a pill as a very consistent method of engaging le sexy times without le bébéz. Men don't have that option (yet). But that doesn't mean these aren't men's issues. If you want to be having sex without procreation, this is how you do that – men and women. Both of us. Together. Doing this deed. Together. Does it matter who is swallowing (ahem) the pill?

Keep reading below.

10 Things That Take More Time Than a Breast Exam

FitSugar — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 03:06:07 PDT

It's easy to remember to do self breast exams in October, but the other 11 months of the year so many of us often forget. While there's no definitive rule on whether women should perform SBEs, my doc says to keep it up. The thought being: the better you know your gals, the more likely you are to detect a problem early without being alarmed by the normal monthly changes in your breast tissue. Yet, somehow the task seems daunting, even though it really takes no time at all. To put some perspective on the time commitment, we've listed 10 things that many of us do routinely without batting an eyelash. All of them generally take more time than a SBE, which could potentially save your life.

Blow drying your hair
Boiling an egg
Shaving your legs
Lacing up a new pair of sneakers
Folding the laundry

Come see the other activities that take longer than a SBE.

DrSugar Discusses Breast Asymmetry

DrSugar — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:30:24 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she tackles the topic of different sized breasts.

This week on DrSugar, we round out our series on women's health issues with a discussion on breast size asymmetry - this is a surprisingly common concern among female adolescents and even adult women! Breast size asymmetry is when a woman's breasts are different in size and is defined as a difference of form, position, or volume of the breast, and it affects more than half of all women. Typically, the asymmetry is more noticeable during puberty and eventually breast size evens out during development. However, according to the Massachusetts General Hospital website, up to 25 percent of women have a persistent visible breast asymmetry. To learn more, keep on reading.