It has become a habit among women to check their breasts to spot lumps early on regularly. Essentially, every woman should know how to do self-check-ups just to ensure the regular monitoring of any lumps that may appear in the area.
However, there are many other things women must watch out for apart from lumps. It is always most beneficial to be safe and act swiftly when it comes to your health, so if you notice any of the following signs below, make sure that you see a specialist for further examination:
- Nipple Discharge
There are many reasons why your breasts may be excreting discharge. Common causes may include hormonal changes that may occur during puberty or menopause and even pregnancy since you are breastfeeding.
More serious reasons may include a harmless growth known as duct ectasia, which may occur to your breasts due to age, or some more severe cases where blood comes from your nipples, which may be a sign of cancer.
Whether or not you are experiencing alerting breast discharge, it is still worth the trip to the doctor to ensure that you are safe and healthy.
- Inverted Nipples
Inverted nipples may be a result of pregnancy, an age-related breast droop, or breastfeeding damage, reasons you need not worry too much about. Although this could be a typical change in breasts among women, it could also be a sign of an infection or even breast cancer.
It is best to seek a specialist once you notice that this does not change after some time to ensure that it is nothing serious.
- Unusual Rashes Or Redness
Although this could be a result of a new bra or a new skin product you are using, if you notice that the rash persists for a more extended period, it may be a sign of something severe. Watch out for it especially if it surrounds your nipple.
- Constant Pain
It is common for women to experience aches in the breast area. It could occur during the menstrual cycle, during a change in hormones or even as simple as wearing the wrong sized bra.
You may find it difficult to determine the cause of the pain, and usually, it just goes away within a short time frame. However, if the pain is consistent and does not go away after some time, do take a trip to the doctor to see if there is anything more serious is going on.
- Armpit Or Collarbone Swelling
Lumps don’t always appear visible or identifiable in the breast area. There are tissues present in the armpit up to the collarbone area that is also a part of the breasts. For this reason, it is good to know how to thoroughly check yourself around this area, or better yet, seek a professional for a proper investigation.
Changes in your body, especially in your breasts, are entirely natural. But if you feel confident that you know your body from top to bottom, never ignore anything that seems unusual to you. It is good to be knowledgeable on how you can properly examine yourself but do regularly seek a physician to watch your health further.