October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Photo by Ave Calvar Martinez on Pexels.com

Perhaps the most recognized symptom of breast cancer is a lump or mass in the breast tissue. While many women and men go to the doctor after finding a lump, every one should also be aware of other changes to the breast or nipple that appear abnormal. 

Men can also get breast cancer and should be aware of symptoms and should check their breast as well.  It is recommended that you check your breast frequently to ensure you can recognize your normal breast tissue from any lumps or masses that may occur.  Many find the lump or mass prior to going to the physician.

Keep in mind you must be your own advocate to ensure you get the care you need.  Sometime you need someone to advocate for you when you are not informed.  When in doubt get a second opinion.  It may not be what you want to hear but it could clear up your confusion and give you clarity.

Early warning signs of breast cancer

Symptoms of breast tumors vary from person to person. Some common, early warning signs of breast cancer include:

  • Skin changes, such as swelling, redness, or other visible differences in one or both breasts
  • An increase in size or change in shape of the breast(s)
  • Changes in the appearance of one or both nipples
  • Nipple discharge other than breast milk
  • General pain in/on any part of the breast
  • Lumps or nodes felt on or inside of the breast

Be diligent and take care of yourself.  Just keeping you informed.

Reference

https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/breast-cancer/symptoms#

Other Resources:

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer.html

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/about-breast-cancer/early-detection/breast-cancer-resources

Published by Dr. Marilyn Crosby, PhD, MBA, MSN RN

I am an registered nurse with a variety of nursing experience in many areas of healthcare, including critical care, research, program management, quality, and complementary care. I have a passion for "all things related to health & wellness" and want to share pertinent information. Stay Well!

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s

%d bloggers like this: