How to do breast self-examination
To do the breast self-examination is necessary to follow three main steps that include doing observation in front of the mirror, palpating the breast of the foot and repeat the palpation lying down.
Breast self-examination should be done once a month, every month, 3 to 5 days after the onset of menstruation or on a fixed date in women who no longer have menses.
All women after the age of 20, with a case of cancer in the family, or over the age of 40, without a case of cancer in the family, should undergo breast self-examination to prevent and diagnose breast cancer early.
Step-by-step to do breast self-examination
To properly do breast self-examination it is important to do the assessment in front of the mirror, standing up and lying down by following the steps below:
1. How to make the observation in front of the mirror
To make the observation in front of the mirror, you must remove all clothing and observe following the following diagram:
First, watch with drooping arms.
Then raise your arms and look at your breasts.
Finally, it is advisable to place your hands on the basin, pressing to see if there is any change in the surface of the breast.
During observation it is important to evaluate the size, shape and color of the breasts, as well as bumps, lowering, protrusions or roughness. If there are changes that were not present in the previous examination or there are differences between the breasts it is recommended to consult the gynecologist.
2. How to do foot palpation
Foot palpation should be done during bathing with wet body and soapy hands. For this it is due to:
Raise left arm by placing hand behind head.
Carefully palpate the left breast with the right hand using the movements of the image 5.
Repeat these steps for the breast on the right side.
The palpation should be done with the fingers of the hand together and stretched in circular motions throughout the breast and from top to bottom. After palpation of the breast, one should also press the nipples gently to see if there is any liquid outlet.
3. How to palpate lying down
To palpate lying down, you should:
Lay down and place the left arm on the back of the neck.
Put a cushion or towel under the left shoulder to be more comfortable.
Palpate the left breast with your right hand.
These steps should be repeated in the right breast to complete the evaluation of the two breasts. If it is possible to feel changes that were not present in the previous examination it is recommended to consult the gynecologist to make diagnostic tests and identify the problem.
