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Breast Changes and Conditions. As you await follow-up test results, remember that most breast changes are not cancer.
Credit: iStock. Breast Changes of Concern Some breast changes can be felt by a woman or her health care provider, but most can be detected only during an imaging procedure such as a mammogram, MRI, or ultrasound. Check with your health care provider if your breast looks or feels different, or if you notice one of these symptoms: Lump or firm feeling in your breast or under your arm.
Lumps come in different shapes and sizes. Normal breast tissue can sometimes feel lumpy. Doing breast self-exams can help you learn how your breasts normally feel and make it easier to notice and find any changes, but breast self-exams are not a substitute for mammograms. Nipple changes or discharge. Nipple discharge may be different colors or textures. It can be caused by birth control pills, some medicines, and infections.
But because it can also be a sign of cancer, it should always be checked. Skin that is itchy, red, scaled, dimpled or puckered Breast Changes During Your Lifetime That Are Not Cancer Most women have changes in the breasts at different times during their lifetime. Before or during your menstrual periods, your breasts may feel swollen, tender, or painful. You may also feel one or more lumps during this time because of extra fluid in your breasts. Your health care provider may have you come back for a return visit at a different time in your menstrual cycle to see if the lump has changed.
During pregnancy, your breasts may feel lumpy. This is usually because the glands that produce milk are increasing in number and getting larger. While breastfeeding, you may get a condition called mastitis. This happens when a milk duct becomes blocked.
Mastitis causes the breast to look red and feel lumpy, warm, and tender. It may be caused by an infection and it is often treated with antibiotics. Sometimes the duct may need to be drained. As you approach menopause, your hormone levels change. This can make your breasts feel tender, even when you are not having your menstrual period. A benign lump, sometimes called a fibrocystic change, is non-cancerous. You may notice lumps that appear through different seasons of your life.
Sometimes, women who are menstruating feel swollen, tender breasts before or during their periods or feel lumps are caused by excess fluid. You may notice lumps or changes when taking hormonal medication, such as birth control pills, and later in life when approaching menopause. Cysts are another common cause of benign breast lumps. These are fluid-filled sacs that form when fluid builds up in the breast glands. They are common in premenopausal women and those taking menopausal hormone therapy.
They often feel like round lumps that are movable, although they may also be tender to the touch. Due to hormonal changes, you may find that a cyst gets larger and more painful right before your menstrual period begins. If you have a breast cyst , it may either be a microcyst or a macrocyst. Microcysts are smaller—they are generally too small to feel, so they're often found as a result of imaging tests. In contrast, macrocysts are larger, and you may be able to feel them.
They can grow to around 1 to 2 inches in diameter. In that case, the cyst may be drained during a procedure using a long, hollow needle.
Fibroadenomas are common in women in their 20s and 30s, although they can happen at any age. After menopause, they tend to shrink. These lumps tend to feel firm and rubbery and are made of glandular and connective tissue. A fibroadenoma can be either simple or complex. If the fibroadenoma is complex, this means it has different features than the simple type.
The complex types may slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer in the future. Your doctor will recommend an appropriate course of treatment, if any is needed, for a benign lump.
Depending on the type of lump, your doctor may recommend having the lump removed or having a cyst drained, since these procedures may reduce discomfort.
Or, your doctor may monitor the lump over time, watching to see if it changes or grows. One type of precancerous lump, ductal carcinoma in situ DCIS , is a noninvasive tumor located in a milk duct.
It may develop into invasive cancer. Another, lobular carcinoma in situ LCIS , develops when the abnormal cells form in a breast lobule. LCIS may raise the risk for cancer in either breast in the future. However, you may sometimes notice lumps in your breast or a bloody nipple discharge. Sometimes, lumps in the breast may be caused by cancer cells. Exceptional Nurses Winchester Hospital was the first community hospital in the state to achieve Magnet designation, recognition for nursing excellence.
Supporting Our Community Our tremendous staff gives back to our community by coordinating free health screenings, educational programs, and food drives. What Our Patients are Saying A leading indicator of our success is the feedback we get from our patients. Home Health Library. What Are Fibrocystic Changes? Why Does This Happen? Breast Cysts Some women with fibrocystic changes develop cysts in their breasts. Treatment Avoiding Coffee and CigarettesMedication While there is no definitive, medically proven treatment for breast pain caused by fibrocystic changes, there are various remedies that may be helpful.
If you choose to do the exam, follow these guidelines from the American Cancer Society: It is best to do your BSE when your breasts are not tender or swollen. Remove your shirt and bra. Lie down on your back, with your left arm behind your head. This position causes the breast to settle on your chest and spread out more evenly than it would if you were standing up.
Use the finger pads on your right hand to feel for lumps in your left breast. Move the finger pads in little circles to feel for any lumps. Apply different amounts of pressure: Light pressure can detect lumps just under the skin. Medium pressure can detect lumps in the middle of the breast tissue. Firm pressure can detect lumps down near the ribs.
A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. Move around the breast using a vertical-line pattern. Check the whole breast area—from the ribs to the collar bone, as well as from the chest bone to the underarm.
Repeat the procedure on the other breast. Place your right arm behind your head and use your left hand to do the exam. While standing in front of a mirror, press down on your hips. Look both in the mirror and down on your breasts. Look for any changes in the size, shape, or contour of the breasts. See if the skin including the nipple has any puckering, dimpling, scaliness, or redness.
Lastly, check each underarm while you are sitting or standing. Raise your arm a little so that you can feel the underarm area. Note: If you raise your arm too high, it will be harder to feel this area.
Ferrara A. Benign breast disease. Radiol Technol. Michael Woods, MD Cancer Care. Emergency Services. Cesarean Birth. Imaging Services. High Blood Pressure. Laboratory Services. Maternity Services. Hip Replacement. Primary Care. Type 2 Diabetes. Surgical Services.
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