Breast examination

An independent examination of the mammary glands is an important part of the timely diagnosis of oncological and other breast diseases. It is held in several stages. Every woman should know about the basic rules of the examination, as this will help her to stay healthy for many years.

[1], [2]

Examination and palpation of mammary glands

Prophylactic examination of the mammary glands should be performed monthly on the same day of the cycle, because in the breast, as in the entire reproductive system, cyclical structural changes occur every month.

It is best to conduct self-examination on the 5th-10th day of the cycle - it is during this period that the chest is most relaxed and well palpated. If the examination is performed in a woman of climacteric age, then it is recommended to do the same date of each month.

Self-examination is carried out in a room with sufficient lighting - most often it is done in the shower or bathroom. It is desirable to have a large mirror opposite. Inspection usually does not take a lot of time and eventually becomes a familiar standard procedure.

[3], [4]

Algorithm for examining the breast

Part I - inspecting the laundry.

• What can you see on your underwear, in particular, on a bra? This may be a trace of small secretions from the glands, for example, blood, pus, a liquid soup, and also dried crusts. All these signs are of great importance in the diagnosis of breast diseases.

Part II - evaluate the general condition of the mammary glands.

• Undress to the waist and stand directly in front of the mirror, your hands are down. We consider the left and right chest for their size, asymmetry, the clarity of the boundaries. After that, we appreciate the same, raising our hands up and holding them behind our heads. We look, whether the shape of the chest does not change when the body moves, if there is no liquid from the nipples.

Part III - pay attention to the skin condition on the chest.

• We check the skin for elasticity, the ability to collect it in creases, the color and the presence of rashes and red spots. Let's investigate the gland for the presence of diaper rashes, patches of the type of "lemon peel," ulcer or wrinkled surfaces, retracted skin. The chest is probed alternately, in an upright position, holding the fingers closed.

IV part - we feel the glands, standing in front of the mirror.

• This procedure is comfortable to do, standing in the shower and soaping hands and chest. The left gland is probed with the right hand, and vice versa. Feeling should be done with three or four closed fingers, first along the gland, then in a circle. If the breast is large, then it is recommended to hold it with a free hand from below. For the beginning, the chest surface is probed, gradually penetrating into the tissue with the pads of the fingers. It is desirable in this way to examine not only the glands themselves, but also the site from the clavicular region to the lower rib, and also from the middle of the thorax to the armpit area. In this place, lymph nodes are often enlarged.

V part - we feel the chest, lying on the back.

• Laying on a firm and level surface, you can on the floor. One hand is behind the head, and the other - probes the opposite breast. The study is recommended to perform spiral movements, from the axillary zone to the areola.

Part VI - examine the nipple of each gland.

• When examining the nipples you need to pay attention to their shape and shade, the presence of retractions, ulcers, erosions and cracks. It is advisable to feel not only the nipple itself, but also the zone around it. Additionally, at the end of the examination, gently grasp the nipple with two fingers and squeeze gently, checking if there is any discharge.

After the self-examination, if you suddenly find any suspicious elements or signs, be sure to contact a doctor - gynecologist or mammologist. Do not try to establish yourself a diagnosis yourself, and even more so begin to be treated. This should be handled exclusively by a qualified medical specialist.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]

Examination of mammary glands in pregnant women

When pregnancy is also important to conduct an independent examination of the mammary glands. However, at this stage it becomes more difficult, because the breast increases, its sensitivity increases. Nevertheless, doctors advise to conduct self-examination at least once a month.

Before the examination, the pregnant woman should take into account all the physiological changes in the breast, so as not to take them for pathology:

• glands increase in volume;
• sensitivity increases, pain may appear;
• the parotid zone darkens, which is associated with increased secretion of skin pigment;
• Darkened visible blood vessels in the chest area (caused by increased blood circulation in the glands);
• may appear yellowish viscous discharge from the nipples (colostrum);
• Nipples bulge, increase in size, areola also increase in diameter;
• around the nipples appear small tubercles - this increases the mouth of the glands.

During pregnancy it is especially important to pay attention to the choice of underwear. The bra should have good breast support, wide straps. It is undesirable to have pits and other parts that can pull and squeeze the chest.

[12], [13]

Breast examination with lactostasis

During lactation, a woman may sometimes experience milk congestion - lactostasis, or a blockage of the milk duct. How can a woman determine the development of lactostasis by self-examination?

In lactostasis, iron generally has a soft consistency, but at the same time, areas of tuberosity, density, soreness are found. Outwardly, these patches may appear reddened. Of all the shares, the milk output is without problems, but from one share it can come out with difficulties, or do not go out at all. In this situation, we can safely say there is a blockage. If the milk stops coming out of one of the glands at all, while it becomes dense, tense, full, then it is necessary to diagnose lactostasis. Expressing milk is extremely difficult, or to no avail.

You can try a light massage of the affected chest. The massage should be non-aggressive and not rough, but gentle, gentle, gentle: it is allowed to beat with fingertips, stroke. If the lactation has not recovered, you will have to see a doctor, otherwise a stagnant condition can go into a complicated inflammatory process - mastitis.

[14], [15]

Breast examination by a doctor

The doctor examines the mammary glands of the patients more carefully, paying attention to many points that the woman herself often ignores (not because of inattention, but because of ignorance or the inconvenience of doing certain tricks).

The most commonly used method of doctors is the change in the position of the upper extremities of the examined woman:

• Initially, the patient has hands on top of the hips (so you can relax the muscles of the chest);
• then the patient presses her hands to her hips (for tension of the muscles of the chest);
• the woman is offered to lift the crossed arms over her head (the definition of the symptom of the umbilicization, which indicates the development of a cancerous tumor in the gland);
• the woman is asked to lean forward, to relax the mammary glands (to assess the function of the hanging ligaments).

Each breast area is examined with caution, along the entire length of the chest. At the same time, the doctor examines the area of the armpits, the inframammary zone and the surface of the anterior thoracic region to the clavicular region. A routine examination involves palpation of certain zones, circles, spirals, and also radial directions from the nipple to the periphery. This approach allows you not to miss a single site. Separately, the skin is scuffed, subcutaneous fatty tissue, glandular tissue, lymph nodes (in the armpit, supraclavicular and subclavian zone).

Breast examination is a simple and accessible method of diagnosis, which should become a habit for every woman, especially after 35 years. Periodic examinations will help in time to identify the appearance of dangerous signs and begin treatment. Even oncological diseases are successfully cured if the course of therapy begins at an early stage in the development of pathology. At any suspicions do not postpone visiting of the doctor is a pledge of your healthy and high-grade life.