The Importance Of Good Breast Health
We all want to stay healthy throughout the course of our lives. And with that goal in mind, both men and women have particular areas that they should focus on regularly, to ensure there are no potential problems.
For women, this includes their breasts. Many women don’t take the time to check their breasts regularly. But doing so can help you stay healthy in lots of ways. Good breast health is all about knowledge. No two women have breasts that are exactly the same in any sense of the word, so regular checks are an excellent way of keeping in touch with what your own breasts are like.
Being aware of how healthy your breasts are is something you should do throughout your life. Some changes that occur may not be visible for quite some time. If you were to merely look for changes instead of feeling for them, you may miss something that you could get treatment for very early on.
Of course, the thing most women think of when it comes to breast health is breast cancer. There are two things to think about here if the issue worries you in any way. Firstly, by checking your breasts regularly you will be familiar with how they normally look and feel. This means that if you should come across something which looks or feels different from the way it normally does - even if this is something other than a lump - you will know about it straightaway. You can then book an appointment to see your doctor to discuss what you have found.
The second point to remember is that even if you were to find a lump or any changes in the skin, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Indeed, the majority of breast health problems are not cancerous in any way. For example, you may spot an area of skin which has changed its appearance in some way. But it could simply be dry skin or even eczema. The best thing to do in any case is to visit your doctor to find out for sure. Self diagnosis is never a good thing to do, since some women may mistake something more serious for something quite minor.
So how often should you be checking your breasts to see whether there are any changes from how they normally are?
Ideally you should do this once a month, preferably once your period has finished. As many women will testify, menstruation can result in experiencing perfectly normal changes to their breasts. These are due to the increased levels of hormones which are in your system during this time of the month. They can cause your breasts to be quite painful and swollen for no other reason than the normal menstrual cycle.
By going through this process every month you will soon become more familiar with your breasts. That might sound like a silly statement, but remember that not all changes are seen by looking in a mirror. If you know exactly how each part of each breast feels every month, you will know if anything happens to change that.
There is still some fear surrounding breast health and what to do if you find a lump or alteration of some kind. But even if you do find a breast lump at some point, it’s good to remember that the majority of them are benign - that is, not cancerous.
Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor if you do find anything you’re not sure about. It’s much better to visit them for nothing than not wanting to waste their time and getting problems later on as a result.
