Breast Cancer Awareness

Although the best way to detect breast cancer is mammograms, self-exam is also beneficial for early detection. Self-exams have to be performed once a month in a certain day of the menstruation cycle. According to the Johns Hopkins Medical Center:

“Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.”

The following poster explains in details how to do breast exam yourself.

The symptoms of breast cancer are as following. If you found any of these symptoms consult with your doctor ASAP:

Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
Change in the size or shape of the breast
Dimpling or puckering of the skin
Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away