Breast Cancer - The Early Warning Signs Every Woman | For Elders

1. Breast Cancer – The Early Warning Signs Every Woman Should Know (Especially Seniors) Breast cancer awareness month October is the month dedicated to increase breast cancer awareness. It is essential to have some medical knowledge about any disease or condition as this knowledge helps people to tackle the condition better. But the awareness of breast cancer, particularly knowing the early warning signs, itself plays a remarkable role in treatment. This blog is an attempt to contribute to this cause. Read ahead to know everything you should know about breast cancer. Breast Cancer in Elders – An Overview Cancer, in simple words, is the uncontrollable growth of malignant cells in any organ. This can occur in breasts. Even though breast cancer can occur in any gender, it is more common in women than men. Like the causes of other cancers, breast cancer occurs for unknown reasons. Age, lifestyle, geographical disadvantages, and genetics will put some women in higher risk than the others. However, the advanced you get in terms of age, the more breast cancer risk you will have. If you are in between 40-60 years of age, you should be aware of the warning signs. Diagnosing breast cancer in the early stages can bring the best outcome of the treatment – the very reason why breast cancer awareness is instrumental in treatment. What You Should Be Aware of Exactly? It is always the basics that matter the most, isn’t it? That’s what exactly you should be aware of in breast cancer. The causes are unknown and the treatment is too complicated. But the early warning signs, it takes just a few minutes to know and test yourself in front of a mirror. The Early Warnings Signs of Breast Cancer

2. Changes in the Way You Feel – The earliest signs of breast cancer are felt not seen. There would be a slight change the way your breast feels and sometimes you feel heaviness or pain too. Thickness or Small Lumps – Suddenly you feel noticing a lump or thickening a part of the breast. If you know how to self-check, it will be easier for you to notice these changes. We will get into the details of self-check at the end of this blog. Nipple Discharge – If you observe any clear or bloody discharge from the nipples, you should not ignore it. If you are breastfeeding, check for any sort of discharge other than milk. Inverted Nipples – Breasts and nipples undergo a lot of changes as one ages. But these changes are gradual. If you observe any sudden changes in nipples or the shape of breasts, it needs medical attention. Peeling or Flaking Skin – Inflammation, redness, peeling, scaling, rash, or flaking – These are the symptoms of a skin condition. But they can also be associated with Breast cancer. These signs can be because of some other health conditions. But if you are seeing more than 2 warning signs at a time, book an appointment with your doctor How to Perform Monthly Self-Check Not just breast cancer but this self-check can help you screen benign tumors, cysts, and various other breast abnormalities. Let your loved ones know about this self-check practice to beat this common enemy of women. It will not take more than 5 minutes! Preparation: Stand in front of a full-sized mirror with your hands at your sides and equal weight on both legs. Perform a visual check on any changes in size, shape, nipple changes, discharge, puckering, dimpling, and any asymmetrical ridges. Check the changes with your arms at your sides. Once that is done, place your hands at the back of your head and perform the visual check once again. Notice any changes in shape or size in both scenarios and move ahead with the self-screening. Self-Screening Liff one breast with one hand and start massaging slowly in a spiral pattern starting from the nipple. This helps you find any cysts or tumors. Do the same to the other breast.

3. Liff one breast and move it towards the collar bone. Try to feel if there is any discomfort, pain and look for change of color. Do the same to the other breast. Lift your left arm, place behind your head. Now check the side of the left breast with your right hand and repeat it for the right breast. Oberse and try to see if there are any changes when you are performing this self-check. It is simple and should not take more than 5 minutes. Start doing it from today, at least twice every month. Key Takeaways If you observe any visual or structural changes, do not panic. Remember that most tumors in the body are non-cancerous. However, a selfcheck followed by an expert doctor opinion is a safe combination. You could avail this service even from a Home Healthcare for seniors service provider As we celebrate the spirit of breast cancer awareness month, it is important to let your loved ones know about these warning signs and self-check practices. Spread the word by liking and sharing this blog with them.