Re: Tender spot on right breast
How to do a breast self-exam: The five steps
Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.
Here's what you should look for:
- Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
- Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling
If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:
- Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
- A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
- Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling
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Breast Self-Exam — Step 1
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Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.
Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood). |
https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923448
Breast Self-Exam — Steps 2 and 3
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Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.
Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.
Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage. |
https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923462
Breast Self-Exam — Step 4
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Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in step 4. |
https://www.breastcancer.org/system/...jpg?1347923475
Breast Self-Exam — Step 5
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Re: Tender spot on right breast
Katniss, out of all those women who find a lump,and are referred to a breast clinic, in almost 85 percent of cases they are for benign reasons - hormonal changes, injury, fibroids, cysts. The idea behind doing a monthly full self-examination is so that you are aware of what 'normal' is for you. Then the next month you compare to the prior month to see if anything feels different.
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Thanks Carys. I did it on the painful area and honestly was shaking because of how scared I was. There isn’t anything out of the ordinary there. It does feel like a bruise of some sort. Maybe one of the kids did it without me knowing. Just while typing this my 3 year old nudged my left breast 4 times!
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Have you bumped yourself at all recently. Doesn't have to be a bad knock either. I've tripped up and been in pain for weeks. Turning over in bed was a feat in itself. Underwired bras are a menace as well, they dig in and cause bruises. if you do end up with a doctors visit remember before then you must stop googling. People go searching for headaches and come away with a brain tumour. That's how it works.
the minute you feel the urge, get up and distract yourself. I'm sure you will be fine xx
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Hey everyone,
So I wanted to update and also vent :( I booked an appointment for tomorrow afternoon with my doc. The pain is still there. It is absolutely searing and hot when pressed in a specific area. The area I speak of is the lower quadrant of the right breast. I also feel like my right upper back and armpit are sore. I’m really really scared. I know statistics and odds are with me but that minute chance of it being something serious are really freaking me out.
I feel nauseous and hot because I’m so scared. Going to the docs and getting tests and waiting for results is one of my worst fears and I can’t function when going through these things. I need to get a grip but right now all I can think of is my babies. My two sweet little children. I just want “their” mom to be okay: healthwise and mentally.
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Could it be costochondritis? IE inflammation of the cartilage (?) between the ribs. I had a similar pain earlier in the year which has just returned. Had a mammogram at the time and it was fine. To be honest - I only got the mammogram because they brought my yearly one forward to save me going back. They were very unconcerned and the very experienced breast cancer nurse said to me breast pain is nearly always due to costochondritis, with the pain radiating into the breast. Another time I had it I think the dog had jumped up at me. I know it's scary - especially as google tells you the worst case scenario - but I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine. Not long to wait until your appointment anyway....
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Plus - it's amazing what you notice when you hyperfocus on something. I noticed a brown mark on the breast that hurt, almost like a birth mark. Was sure it hadn't been there before - but probably had! Once you go looking for something, it's amazing what you can find!
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Thank you for the reassurance! I hope it’s benign. Appointment is in an hour. I’m so worried :( Will update
Re: Tender spot on right breast
Update:
I ended up having a doctors appointment. The doc couldn’t find too much different between my two breasts. She said the right one where I feel the pain has two small nodules but she wasn’t sure if they were cysts or normal anatomy. She gave me an u/s requisition.
I was able to find a place that could get me in right away. The technician told me in her exact words “there’s nothing there. I don’t see any lumps.” I am relieved but since I have OCD I’m worried she may have missed it or misinterpreted. Still waiting the radiologists report
Re: Tender spot on right breast
That's brilliant news and what a relief for you. The HA/OCD will no doubt try and make you doubt what you've been told. I was the same after my mammogram that came back ok.....thought the radiologist was very young so maybe not experienced etc etc....It's just the HA.