Be Aware of the Symptoms of Breast Cancer

In today’s world, is it that occurrences of breast cancer are growing much more than it was years ago, or it is just that breast cancer is getting more visibility in the press and medical journals? It appears that the answer is a little bit of both. The population is increasing and therefore the actual number of cases is more, although the actual percentage of people diagnosed with breast cancer is not significantly different (although it is higher) than in years past.

One of the things that many people fail to understand is that anyone can get breast cancer. Although it is thought to be tied somewhat to being hereditary, that does not mean that you will not get breast cancer if there is no occurrence of it in your family history.

Another thing that is equally puzzling is why more people, particularly women where breast cancer is most likely to happen, do not get regular checkups from their doctor to check for it. I know of multiple people who were diagnosed with breast cancer, and when asked when the last time they had a mammogram done to check for the presence of breast cancer, they indicated it had been a number of years. This is truly unfortunate because like most things, if breast cancer is caught as early as possible, the chances of beating it become incredibly greater.

You should be aware of the symptoms of breast cancer, sometimes also known as inflammatory breast caner so that you can see your doctor as soon as possible if these symptoms exist. These symptoms include:

* A breast that appears bruised, or is pink or purple.

* If your breast is feeling tender or firm and enlarged.

* A consistent warm feeling in the breast.

* Pain or itching in the breast that is constant.

* A ridged or dimpled skin texture, kind of like an orange peel.

* Flattened, retracted, swollen or crusted skin around the nipple.

* Lumps or enlarged lymph nodes under the arm or around the collarbone.

This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms but if you are experiencing any of these symptoms or signs, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to get checked out. Most health insurance companies will pay for this examination, because they realize that it is going to cost them much more if the cancer is allowed to grow instead of being diagnosed, caught, and remedied early on in its development stages.

Tags: Aware, Breast, Cancer, Symptoms
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Be Informed, be Aware – Breast Cancer Awareness

 

Breast cancer is one of the common causes of death, talking about cancer in women. It is highly recommended that every woman should regularly check their breasts for some changes.

 

When checking out your breasts (only in the way that is comfortable to you, here’s what you should keep an eye for:

 

• A new lump or hard knot found in your breast or armpit

• Dimpling, puckering or indention in your breast or nipple

• Change in the size, shape or symmetry of your breast

• Swelling or thickening of the breast

• Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin

• Nipple discharge, especially any that is bloody, clear and sticky, dark or occurs without squeezing your nipple

• Changes in your nipple such as tenderness, pain, turning or drawing inward, or pointing in a new direction

• Any suspicious changes in your breasts

Breast examination – this is essential for early breast cancer detection. Here is the proper way of checking your breasts:

• First, look closely at your breasts. Stand in front of a mirror with your hands on the side.

• Facing forward, look for dimpling, puckering and any changes in size or shape.

• See if your nipples are inverted.

• Check your breasts with your arms in two other positions – hands raised overhead and hand on hips.

 

 

There are 3 types of breast-exam patterns – the clock pattern, sweeping pattern and the wedge pattern.

 

 

It is recommended to start breast examinations when women reach the age 20. It is also advisable to have their breast exam by a health professional every 3 years. Always remember that the best time to perform you breast exam is 1 week after the start of your monthly period.

 

But even if you regularly check your breasts doesn’t mean you are safe from breast cancer. In fact it doesn’t reduce the number of deaths caused by breast cancer. However, this can help every woman to detect the early stages of breast cancer and help them avoid it as soon as possible before it is too late. Self and clinical breast exams as well as mammography will help you increase your chances of detecting and finding breast cancer at an early and treatable stage.

Tags: Aware, Awareness, Breast, Cancer
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6 Breast Cancer Signs to be Aware of

Knowing the different breast cancer signs and symptoms can truly help save your life in the future. It is essential you understand everything that can be a signal for breast cancer so you can get treatment as soon as possible.  Here are six breast cancer symptoms to be aware of.

1. Lump
Although most lumps found in breasts are not cancerous, this is the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women. A lump or thickening in the breast is a clear indication that you should get a physical exam to make sure everything is ok.  Often times the lump is painless, but it may be tender or sore from time to time.

2. Discharge from the nipple
You may experience a spontaneous clear or bloody discharge from your nipple. This is often times associated with a breast lump. While this does not mean you definitely have breast cancer, it is certainly a symptom you do not want to take lightly. 

3. Change in size of your breast
This is where it becomes essential you are familiar and aware of your body. It can be difficult to notice a slight change in the size or contour of your breast, but this is a clear breast cancer sign to pay attention to. In some cases, the change in size may be much more obvious.

4. Indentation of your nipple
If you notice a retraction or indentation of your nipple, this is not something that typically occurs. You want to keep an eye on it and if it worsens, get into a doctor for a physical exam.

5. Indentation of skin over the breast
In addition to indentation of your nipple, you also want to keep an eye on the skin that is around the breast. A symptom of breast cancer is if you notice an indentation or flattening of the skin over your breast. 

6. Redness of skin over the breast
The last sign you want to pay close attention to is any redness or pitting of the skin over the breast. Many times it looks almost like the skin of an orange in shape and texture. 

There are a number of breast cancer signs you want to be aware of. If you feel you are experiencing one or several of the symptoms listed in this article, it is vital you get in to see a doctor immediately. The sooner you catch the cancer, the better chance you have of stopping it.

Tags: Aware, Breast, Cancer, Signs
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Be Aware of Breast Cancer – Don’t Be Too Busy,Too Young…Don’t Let It Be Too Late!

Copyright (c) 2010 FNS Weddings

The petit blonde girl in front of me was struggling to keep her emotions in check “I’m going to cry and I don’t want to cry because it’s going to ruin my make up” she said. Little did she realise that I too, behind the camera, was also struggling to keep my composure. It had been an emotional day one way and another but now as we neared the end of the shoot and the realisation of what we had achieved was beginning to hit home we were both in danger of “losing it”. Allow me to explain…

I first met Sheryl a little over two years ago when she booked us to undertake her wedding photography. Originally she wasn’t going to have a photographer, not because of the cost involved but because it didn’t rate very highly up her list of things she needed in order to enjoy the wedding she wanted. Her wedding date was set for the end of July and she had it all planned to perfection, 12 bridesmaids a quiet civil ceremony in York register office, followed by a wedding breakfast at the Dean Court hotel, near the Minster and then her evening reception on a boat along the River Ouse. What could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately she had no idea of the double whammy that fate was going to deal her which would change her life forever.

Sadly Sheryl’s much loved dad was terminally ill with cancer. The prognosis was not optimistic that he would make her wedding day. Struggling to cope with this as it was and spending her days between her home, hospital and her parents house Sheryl didn’t give much thought to the lump she thought she may have felt in her breast – after all just in her early 30’s she was much too young for it to be anything serious and anyway her breasts felt “like a bag of marbles” at the best of times – it was probably nothing. With her wedding day rapidly approaching Sheryl was so busy and pre-occupied she didn’t rush to the Doctors. When she did however the news was devastating. The Doctor was worried and referred her for a lumpectomy. The lumpectomy confirmed she had breast cancer and only 3 short weeks before her wedding Sheryl had a mastectomy.

Suddenly everything in life changed for Sheryl. Faced with her own mortality her entire outlook changed and recording the joy on her wedding day became a number one priority for her – we were engaged to undertake the responsibility of recording these precious memories. What an honour and pleasure it was to spend such a day with Sheryl and her family. We witnessed the same drive and bravery in her dad not to give up as we know to be present in Sheryl and everyone spent a happy day together. Those photographs rate amongst some of the most precious we have ever taken.

Tags: Aware, Breast, Cancer
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