Women may fear having breast cancer, but you should not be. There are ways on how a woman can detect this kind of cancer. Once you are screened, it makes you worry less, because you are either positive or negative. If you are negative of breast cancer, then that means you are safe and there is nothing to worry about. If the result comes positive, do not panic or feel threatened, too. But rather be strong and confident that you can battle it. Nevertheless, early screening is still a good option.
It won’t be a big issue if you take time to detect if you have breast cancer. One of the ways is self examination. This is to feel around your breasts if you have a lump, tenderness and firmness. It also gives you an idea there is a chance of having this cancer if your breasts change in color. The best time to do this, which only takes you a few minutes, is a week after your monthly menstruation. You know that your breasts feel tender and firm before and during your period. You may not want to confuse yourself with that. And once you are able to detect those warning signs, have it confirmed with a physician for further diagnosis.
The other method is medical or clinical breast examination. There are various ways on how a doctor conducts this kind of exam. It usually involves the asking of questions, and physical screening on the armpits and breasts. After that, the doctor will either recommend you an additional screening or not. If it does, a mammogram is recommended and conducted, which is basically an x-ray picture of tissues in the breasts.
Now, let’s talk about why screening and diagnosis of breast cancer is important. Here are reasons why you need to have a regular breast cancer screening, at least once a year.
1. To Know If You Have Breast Cancer
Don’t you want to know at all if you have cancer in one of your breasts? This is for your own safety and protection from the disease. It is a must for every woman to have breast screening and exam. If you are diagnosed and found a cancerous lump around your breast, there is still a chance to remove it before it grows and becomes deadlier. The earlier the diagnosis is the better chance of surviving from this kind of cancer. You do not want to regret it once you are already suffering from a third or fourth stage of breast cancer.
2. To Get Proper Treatment
Once a woman is diagnosed by a professional physician, standard procedures follow, of course. It is necessary for a patient to have the best and proper treatment. The only way you can confirm you have this kind of cancer is when you are screened. The doctor will recommend you the right treatment once he or she detects it. Proper procedure of treating this cancer is definitely a big help, which is actually the first step to survival.
3. To Feel Relieved
While knowing you have cancer is to feel worried is probably what you think, this is a myth. You will feel more relieved actually once you are screened. That is because you know you are negative of the cancer. This is one reason why it is recommended for women to have breast exam to have peace of mind for once. If in case your result it bad news, there is nothing to worry about. You must still feel relieved as you will have the right and proper treatment.
One thing that helps you prevent from having this kind of cancer is to have regular screening. There is a much better chance of surviving from this disease if you are detected earlier. You do not want to suffer more pain before you go to a hospital or clinic for medical diagnosis. Make it a habit to consult a physician for breast cancer screening. Though specialists recommend a regular screening after every 2 or 3 years, it is still advisable to go see your doctor once a year. Also, do not forget to conduct an examination on yourself just for assurance.