Breast cancer awareness is one of the most commonly discussed topics all around the world but, we somehow still lack a lot in understanding ourselves. The doctors keep telling us how to examine ourselves but be honest, do we ever do that?. Women take their healths for granted all the time ignoring the fact that if don’t have our healths maintained nothing else will be possible. Sometimes, despite having clear symptoms, we tend to ignore many issued which can later prove to be life-threatening.
Examining ourselves for breast lumps once in a while is as important as anything else, it takes only 5-10 minutes but we can save ourselves from higher risks in the future. While examining, if you feel a lump in your breast, the first thought in your mind would be what if I have breast cancer?. But, you need to know that majority of the breast lumps are benign, which means they are not cancerous.
How Common Is This Benign Breast Disease?
Benign breast disease is not only common in women but in men as well and they can develop breast lumps too. While these breast changes aren’t cancerous or life-threatening, they may increase your risk of developing breast cancer later on.
This disease makes you more prone to getting breast lumps and finding one can be very scary. It is suggested that if you find any lump in your breast, talk to your gynaecologist immediately as they’ll be able to identify whether it is cancerous or not. If your lumps are noncancerous, they will go away on their own without any treatment. Benign breast lumps are more common in women and it might happen in result of fluctuating hormone levels.
Your risk for benign breast disease increases if you:
- If you have a family history of breast cancer.
- Have had hormone replacement therapy.
- Suffer from hormonal imbalance.
The Types Of Benign Breast Disease
The benign disease has various types and most of them do not carry the risk of cancer and do not require treatment:
- Breast Cysts
Almost a quarter of breast lumps are filled with. they feel tender and lumpy and are not cancerous. - Fibrocystic Breast Changes
The fluctuating hormones is also a culprit that can make breasts feel lumpy and tender, especially right before menstruation. They go away without treatment. - Hyperplasia
Hyperplasia is a condition that occurs from the overgrowth of the cells that line mammary ducts or glands. It does not increase cancer risk and doesn’t require treatment. - Intraductal Papilloma
These lumps feel like small warts that grow inside the mammary duct near our nipple. The condition most commonly affects women ages 30 to 50.
How Can I Get To Know If I Have Benign Breast Disease?
This condition can be identified by only examining yourself for changes or a lump while doing a breast self-exam, showering or getting dressed. Moreover, sometimes if this is not identified by self-exam, a mammogram detects these changes.
Besides a breast lump, other signs of benign breast disease include:
- Excessive Breast pain
- Nipple Discharge.
- Breast size changes or the shape changes too
- Scaly or dented breast
Should I See A Doctor?
There are some issues that need immediate attention and your breast pain should be one of them. If you experience even slight pain that does not go away in 3-4 days, get yourself checked to a gynaecologist as soon as you can.
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