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It\u2019s October, which means breast health is taking its turn in the spotlight. Every year, right around this time, breast health and the warnings of breast cancer are everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n And frankly, it can be downright scary to see all the information flooding your feed.<\/span><\/p>\n You might start to worry if you\u2019re checking the right way. If you\u2019re checking often enough. If your breasts are normal. You might panic about what you think is a lump. You might be experiencing pain in your breasts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With all these sensations and the constant stream of breast health, you might freak out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re here to help take this anxiety off of your shoulders and bring you the facts in today\u2019s article.<\/span><\/p>\n Today, we\u2019re going to talk about:<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s get started, shall we?<\/span><\/p>\n Super Important Note: We are not doctors. Please consult your doctor or medical professional with any concerns you may have. This is strictly an informational piece and should not be used to diagnose or treat medical conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Breast cancer affects <\/span>1 in every 8 women<\/span><\/a>. Before that statistic scares you, you must think about the <\/span>risk factors<\/span><\/a> involved. If you are\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n You are less likely to be at risk for breast cancer. If you would like to know more, we recommend <\/span>this article<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All that aside, the reason it\u2019s so important to regularly check your breasts is that early detection <\/span>increases your chances of beating cancer<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The first thing we think when we find a lump is the dreaded C word. Before you let your mind go in this direction, here\u2019s food for thought:<\/span><\/p>\n The majority of breast lumps found are benign, meaning NOT cancerous. In fact, \u201c<\/span>Ninety percent of lumps are benign and can be due to a whole host of causes, from menstruation to cysts to remnants of an old injury.\u201d<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This means lumps you find in your breast could be due to hormones and normal fluctuations of the breast tissue, cysts, <\/span>fibroadenomas<\/span><\/a>, or you could have fibrous or dense breast tissue. There\u2019s a whole slew of reasons for what you found, and the majority of them are <\/span>very common and not life-threatening<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you find a lump remember: Don\u2019t Panic! But do see a doctor or medical professional as soon as possible for any new lumps or abnormalities you find, just to be sure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Before we go too far, let\u2019s get one thing out: <\/span>pain does not mean cancer<\/span><\/a>. There are SO many reasons you might feel pain in your breasts, and the majority of them are not cancerous. In fact, we have an entire article dedicated to this topic! You can find that here: <\/span>My Period Is A Pain In The Boob<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The highlights of that article are:<\/span><\/p>\n The first thing to point out here is what\u2019s normal for one person is not always normal for the next. Breast tissue greatly varies from person to person. Breasts can be dense, fibrous, lumpy all over, and more. It\u2019s important to find the baseline for your breasts so you know what\u2019s normal for YOU. This can be done with a quick trip to the doctor to check up and make sure everything is OK, and then you know where your starting point is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Things that are <\/span>not always normal<\/span><\/a> and should be evaluated by a doctor include:<\/span><\/p>\n General rule of thumb here is to check your breasts monthly at home, <\/span>typically 3-5 days after the start of your period<\/span><\/a>, and annually at the gynecologist. Although recent updates to the guidelines now encourages those under 40 to visit the gynecologist for a breast exam <\/span>every one to three years<\/span><\/a>. Your doctor will be the best person to tell you how often you should plan to visit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The best way to learn how to check your breasts is through video! Check out this video to learn how to complete a self exam.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Why It\u2019s Important To Check Your Breasts<\/b><\/h1>\n
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If You Found A Lump, Don\u2019t Panic<\/b><\/h1>\n
If Your Breasts Hurt, Stay Calm<\/b><\/h1>\n
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What Is Normal Breast Tissue<\/b><\/h1>\n
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How Often Should You Check Your Breasts<\/b><\/h1>\n
How To Check Your Breasts<\/b><\/h1>\n