It is October again and that means that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. About 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during their life, which means most of us have been affected in some way by this terrible disease. This month we would like to encourage you to take the time to learn how to self check, make an appointment for a mammogram, and to convince the other women in your life to do the same. And if you are in the Stockbridge area, now is a great time to take advantage of the 3D Mammogram at Eagles Landing OB/GYN.
Performing a Self Breast Exam
The self-breast exam is one of the easiest and most important things you can do for your breast health. This simple at-home exam can alert you to changes in your breast tissue so you can have them addressed and checked as early as possible. Thes are the five easy steps to performing a self-breast exam.
Step One
Keeping your shoulders straight, place your arms at your hip and take a look at your breasts in the mirror. Right now, you are looking for any visible signs of distortion, swelling, or a new unevenness in size or shape. If there is puckering, dimpling, bulging, or if your nipple is inverted, we recommend that you contact your doctor for an appointment.
Step Two
Now you need to raise your arms so that your hands are above your head and continue to visually examine your breasts for abnormalities. If there is redness, swelling, rashes, or soreness, call your doctor as soon as possible.
Step Three
The last visual step of the self-breast exam is looking for any discharge. If there is, make an appointment.
Step Four
Now lie down in a comfortable position that will allow you to feel your breasts with your hands. Using your right hand and keeping your fingers flat and close together, examine the tissue of your left breast in a circular motion, feeling for any lumps or abnormalities. Then repeat with your left hand and your right breast.
Step Five
The final step of the self-breast exam may be the easiest in the shower while the skin is wet. Using your hands, examine your entire breast region, from the collarbone to your abdomen for any lumps or irregularities. If you come across anything, you should contact your physician right away.
Benefits of a 3D Mammogram
Getting a regular mammogram has been proven to decrease your chance of dying from breast cancer between 15 and 29%, Even if you have never detected irregularities during your self-exam, after the age of 40 it is time to consult with your doctor and start scheduling your regular mammograms. At Eagles Landing, we are proud to offer a 3D mammogram so you can feel confident knowing that you are getting the most accurate results.
3D mammograms offer a full spectrum image which gives your doctor faster and more accurate results with fewer false positives. In short 3D imaging is saving lives which is why we made the decision to offer this innovative testing to our patients. Call Eagles Landing OB/GYN today for more information on 3D imaging and to schedule your next mammogram.
