Track your health and
nutrition the easy way.

It's extremely important for all women over the age of 20 to give themselves regular monthly breast examinations. This is the earliest way to discover cancer and can even show the first signs at a time when a mammography can produce a normal result.

The best time to do the exam is usually 7-10 days after your menstual period. At this time, your breasts will be the ost tender and you'll easily be able to detect any lumps or changes. If you detect ANY change in your breasts, especially lumps, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible, but remember that only 1 out of 10 women will develop breast cancer. The majority of breast changes are not cancerous.

The following imformation is taken from the American Cancer Society and describes the best way to properly perform a breast self-examination:

Breast Self-Examination Techniques:

Remember the five P's for a complete Breast Self-Examination
Positions
Perimeter
Palpation
Pressure
Pattern

Positions
While standing in front of a mirror, visually inspect your breasts looking for changes in contour and shape, color and texture of the skin and nipple and evidence of discharge from the nipples.

This inspection should be done in 4 positions:

Arms relaxed at sides
Hands on hips
Arms raised above the head and
Bending forward

Palpation
Two palpation positions are employed, the side-lying and flat. Use your left hand to palpate your right breast, while holding your right arm at a right angle to the rib cage, with the elbow bent. Repeat the procedure on the other side.

The side lying position: lie on the opposite side of the breast to be examined.Rotate the shoulder on the same side of the breast to be examined back to the flat surface. The side lying position enables large breasted women to most effectively examine the outer portion of the breast.

For the flat position, lie flat on your back with a pillow or folded towel under the shoulder of the breast to be examined.

Perimeter
The examination area is bounded by a line which extends down from the middleof the armpit to just beneath the breast, continues across along the underside of the breast to the middle of the breast bone then up to and along the collar bone and back to the middle of the armpit. Most breast cancers occur in the upper outer area of the breast (shaded area in the image to the right).

Palpation with the Pads of the Fingers
Use the pads of 3 or 4 fingers to examine every inch of your breast tissue. Move your fingers in circles about the size of a dime.

Pressure
Use varying levels of pressure for each palpation, from light to deep to examine the full thickness of your breast tissue. Using pressure will not injure the breast.

Pattern of Search
Use one of the following search patterns to examine all of the breast and armpit. Palpate carefully beneath the nipple. Any incision should also be carefully examined from end to end. Women who have had any breast surgery should still examine the entire area and the incision.

Vertical Strip:
Start in the armpit, proceed downward to the lower boundary. Move a finger's width toward the middle and continue toward the middle and continue palpating upward until you reach the collarbone. Repeat this until you have covered all the breast tissue. Make at least 6 strips before the nipple and four strips after the nipple. You may need between 10 and 16 strips.

Wedge:
Imagine your breast divided like the spokes of a wheel with the nipple in the center. Examine each segment, moving from the outside boundary toward the nipple. Slide fingers back to the boundary, move over a finger's width and repeat this procedure until you have covered all breast tissue. You may need between 10 and 16 segments.

Circle:
Imagine your breast as the face of a clock. Start at 12 o'clock and palpate along the boundary of each circle until you return to your starting point. The move down a finger's width and continue palpating in ever smaller circle until you reach the nipple. Depending on the size of your breast, you may need 8 to 10 circles.

Check for Nipple Discharge
Squeeze your nipples to check for discharge. Many women have a normal discharge, but if you normally do not have discharge, this may be a sign that medical attention is needed.