The chest belongs to the main organs of the reproductive female system. She undergoes various changes during puberty, gestation, performs one of the main roles - feeding the baby. On the other hand, this female organ is the most vulnerable and can cause serious problems in the body. The mammary gland depends on the state of the hormonal background, which may change over time. A woman needs to regularly visit a mammologist or conduct a self-examination of the mammary glands at home, preferably once a month.
Breast examination yourself
A monthly examination and palpation of the mammary glands is necessary to detect a change in their structure and the presence of seals in the chest. The main task of an independent examination is to identify a malignant tumor at the first stage of its development. This pathology today belongs to the most common malignant formations in the female reproductive system. Only timely detection and treatment will help the patient save her life.
As a result of the examination, one can find benign breast tumors and monitor their manifestation and development. This will help to remove them on time, until they are transformed into malignant. Regular self-examination of the mammary glands, visits to the mammologist and gynecologist will help to avoid a serious complication of mastopathy, which can lead to breast cancer.
The rules of self-examination of the mammary glands in women
Most doctors recommend starting a daily breast exam at age 20 and performing it until the end of life. The period of gestation, lactation and menopause should not be an exception. With age, the risk of developing malignant tumors in the breast increases . Identifying pathology during pregnancy and breastfeeding is especially difficult. Therefore, in such a period it is necessary to pay more attention to this issue. Inspection is desirable on the same day every month. In the reproductive period, you need to examine the breast a few days after the end of the menstrual cycle. At this time, she is less sensitive and swollen.
In the menopause, a breast examination can be done at the end or beginning of the month. When using oral contraceptives, breast examination should be performed on the first day after the start of taking the medicine from a new package.
There are several basic steps by which self-examination of the mammary glands is carried out:
- Stand exactly near the mirror, lower your hands along the body. See if the glands are the same in shape and size. Next, begin to inspect the chest separately. All kinds of changes in the skin, discharge from the nipples, their retraction and asymmetry of the breast, unevenness of the breast, changes in shape and size should alert you.
- Next, raise your hand above your head and repeat a similar inspection.
- Place your hands on your belt, try to tighten and relax your chest muscles several times in a row. Inspect during this process.
- Between the thumb and forefinger of the left and right hand, pinch the nipples in sequence. If a selection appears from them, then pay attention to their color and consistency.
- Now lie down on your back and relax. Use a few fingers to examine your chest. Try to feel the left breast with your right hand, and vice versa. Follow the procedure carefully and slowly so as not to miss a single place. According to the results of the examination, it is possible to identify areas of softening and compaction, pain during the examination, changes in the structure of the mammary glands.
- The final step will be a repeat examination of the chest while standing.
Regular palpation of the mammary glands will help to identify areas with seals, small formations and in the future to observe their increase and change.
Why the left and right breasts are different
Why is the left breast larger than the right, or vice versa? In general, nature cannot create two completely identical things. If you look closely, you can see that the ears, eyes, arms, legs have a slight difference between themselves. So the mammary glands, according to medical research, are different from one another. This phenomenon has its own classification and is divided into innate and acquired.
Asymmetry of the mammary glands of an innate nature does not have an exact cause. The mammary glands during puberty can develop and grow in different ways, and by the age of 20 you can notice a slight asymmetry, which will no longer be corrected with age. Unless during pregnancy, it can become even more pronounced.
The reasons for the asymmetry of the acquired type may be the following factors:
- Mechanical injury. For example, in childhood there was a trauma to the breast, which was forgotten over time and all defects were attributed to an inborn character.
- Tumor. As a result of this, proliferation of glandular tissue begins, and the breast increases in size.
- Bearing a fetus is one of the most common reasons that explains why the left breast is larger than the right and vice versa.
Pregnancy and breast: its changes
Changing breast sizes depends on lactation. The left and right breasts are not equally stimulated, and different amounts of milk come to them. Hence the difference in size.
Reasons why this happens:
- expressing milk;
- unequal supply of the right and left breast;
- breastfeeding, especially at night;
- the child unevenly sucks the right and left breasts;
- one breast does not contain enough milk;
- cracked nipples.
Breast in early pregnancy
The first signs of pregnancy:
- the mammary glands swell;
- hypersensitivity appears;
- discomfort in the mammary glands, especially in the area of the nipples;
- darkening of the stria.
Breasts in early pregnancy begin to grow under the influence of hormones throughout the gestation period. There is nothing to worry about. On the contrary, this suggests that the glands are preparing for lactation, and breast milk will be produced in them. The shape and size of the breasts are considered an individual feature of every woman and do not affect the process of breastfeeding. By the end of the first trimester, a yellowish liquid begins to stand out from the nipples - colostrum, and a few days later droplets of milk will appear.
Breast change in early pregnancy
Let's look at how the breast changes. The mammary gland in the early stages of pregnancy, and for the entire duration of its course, is completely transformed. Observed:
- sensations of an unusual state;
- the chest begins to ache and hurt a little periodically or constantly;
- discomfort in the mammary gland while lying down;
- hypersensitivity;
- sometimes it is impossible to touch the chest;
- it is painful to wear a bra;
- breast augmentation;
- a feeling of heaviness and fullness in the area of the mammary glands;
- a noticeable venous network appears.
All these symptoms are characterized by a change in hormonal levels at the beginning of pregnancy. During this period, progesterone and chorionic gonadotropin are activated. Many women in the early stages do not notice much discomfort in the chest, which can be associated with critical days. Remember that hardening in the mammary gland is not a sign of pregnancy, but, most likely, serves as the beginning of the development of the oncological process.
When to see a doctor
There are several factors in identifying which you need to immediately go to the doctor:
- change in the shape and contour of the mammary gland;
- breast enlargement or protrusion of some areas on it;
- significant asymmetry of both breasts, especially with their hyperemia and edema;
- discoloration of the skin;
- wounds in the area of halos and nipples;
- seals in different places;
- soreness;
- all kinds of discharge that leave a mark on linen;
- an increase in axillary lymph nodes.
Breast Cancer Suspected
- A lump in the chest that appears unexpectedly and is denser than the rest.
- The nipples are pulled into the middle of the chest.
- The nipple deviation to the side is very significant.
- The presence of enlarged lymph nodes in the clavicle and in the armpits.
Detection of a tumor in the early stages can not only save life, but also improve the treatment process, without even resorting to surgery and removal of the affected organ. Radiation therapy will help to avoid the spread of metastases. Self-examination of the mammary glands once a month will reduce the risk of death by almost one hundred percent. Even if a woman is not bothered by anything, it is necessary to visit a mammologist once a year and undergo an ultrasound of the mammary glands.
Instead of an afterword
Remember, your health largely depends on your responsibility and attention to yourself. It is very important to know about the various methods of breast examination, in particular, the independent process that a woman can perform at home. Women under 40 without special indications are not recommended to undergo a mammogram. But after this age limit, you need to perform a survey every two years. After 50 years, the procedure is performed annually, since at this age the risk of breast cancer is most increased.
Preventive measures for breast diseases include regular sexual activity, a healthy and balanced diet, sports, and lack of stress. And most importantly - this is a monthly independent examination of the mammary glands according to a special algorithm.