Jo23672
18th February 2009, 11:33 AM
It's so important for us to look after our bodies and to check for changes regularly. I thought it would be good to post some instructions on how to perform self-examinations for both women and men.
Breast Self-Examination
It’s a two-stage process, a visual and a manual check, and here’s what you’re looking out for:
Swelling in the upper arm
Enlarged lymph glands (in the armpit)
One breast lower than the other – unusually for you
Unusual increase in the size of one breast
Changed skin texture anywhere on the breast or a rash around the nipple
Puckering or pulling in the skin on the breast
Unusual changes in the shape of the nipples
Discharge from the nipple
Thickening or lumps
Visual Check
* Remove your top and bra, and have a careful look at your breasts in a mirror.
* With your hands clasped together behind your head, straighten and lower the arms a few times to see if the nipples on both breasts move in the same way.
* Look at your breasts in profile.
* Bend forward and look at your breasts in profile and straight on.
Manual Check
* Always use the flat of your hand for this part, with your fingers straight and together. Make circular movements with your hands to check the tissue in and around your breasts for irregularities.
* If you start with the right breast, raise the right arm above your head, and use the left hand to feel the top and outer part of your breast, then the underarm.
* To make sure you check the whole breast thoroughly, use the following routine:
Move the left hand in a complete circle round the outside of the breast, then move a couple of centimetres in towards the nipple and repeat. Continue until you reach the nipple.
* Squeeze the nipple gently to check for any discharge.
* Repeat the same moves on the left breast using the right hand.
If you find anything unusual (see above), make an appointment to see your doctor. The vast majority of investigations turn out to be quite normal, so don’t worry about feeling silly if there’s nothing wrong. And if further treatment is needed, you can be reassured by the fact that you detected the change as early as possible.
Testicular Self-Examination
Cancers which are found early are the most easily treated. So it makes sense to check yourself regularly so that you get to know how your body feels normally. Then it will be easier for you to notice any changes.
The best way to check for testicular cancer is to examine yourself once a month. A good time to do this is after a warm bath or shower, when the scrotal skin is relaxed.
Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands, so that you can use the fingers and thumb on both hands to examine your testicles. Note the size and weight of the testicles. It is common to have one testicle slightly larger, or which hangs lower than the other, but any noticeable increase in size or weight many mean something is wrong.
Gently feel each testicle individually. You should feel a soft tube at the top and back of the testicle. This is the epididymis which carries and stores sperm. It may feel slightly tender. Don't confuse it with an abnormal lump. You should be able to feel the firm, smooth tube of the spermatic cord which runs up from the epididymis.
Feel the testicle itself. It should be smooth with no lumps or swellings. It is unusual to develop cancer in both testicles at the same time, so if you are wondering whether a testicle is feeling normal or not you can compare it with the other.
Remember - if you do find a swelling in your testicle, make an appointment and have it checked by your doctor as soon as possible.
Breast Self-Examination
It’s a two-stage process, a visual and a manual check, and here’s what you’re looking out for:
Swelling in the upper arm
Enlarged lymph glands (in the armpit)
One breast lower than the other – unusually for you
Unusual increase in the size of one breast
Changed skin texture anywhere on the breast or a rash around the nipple
Puckering or pulling in the skin on the breast
Unusual changes in the shape of the nipples
Discharge from the nipple
Thickening or lumps
Visual Check
* Remove your top and bra, and have a careful look at your breasts in a mirror.
* With your hands clasped together behind your head, straighten and lower the arms a few times to see if the nipples on both breasts move in the same way.
* Look at your breasts in profile.
* Bend forward and look at your breasts in profile and straight on.
Manual Check
* Always use the flat of your hand for this part, with your fingers straight and together. Make circular movements with your hands to check the tissue in and around your breasts for irregularities.
* If you start with the right breast, raise the right arm above your head, and use the left hand to feel the top and outer part of your breast, then the underarm.
* To make sure you check the whole breast thoroughly, use the following routine:
Move the left hand in a complete circle round the outside of the breast, then move a couple of centimetres in towards the nipple and repeat. Continue until you reach the nipple.
* Squeeze the nipple gently to check for any discharge.
* Repeat the same moves on the left breast using the right hand.
If you find anything unusual (see above), make an appointment to see your doctor. The vast majority of investigations turn out to be quite normal, so don’t worry about feeling silly if there’s nothing wrong. And if further treatment is needed, you can be reassured by the fact that you detected the change as early as possible.
Testicular Self-Examination
Cancers which are found early are the most easily treated. So it makes sense to check yourself regularly so that you get to know how your body feels normally. Then it will be easier for you to notice any changes.
The best way to check for testicular cancer is to examine yourself once a month. A good time to do this is after a warm bath or shower, when the scrotal skin is relaxed.
Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands, so that you can use the fingers and thumb on both hands to examine your testicles. Note the size and weight of the testicles. It is common to have one testicle slightly larger, or which hangs lower than the other, but any noticeable increase in size or weight many mean something is wrong.
Gently feel each testicle individually. You should feel a soft tube at the top and back of the testicle. This is the epididymis which carries and stores sperm. It may feel slightly tender. Don't confuse it with an abnormal lump. You should be able to feel the firm, smooth tube of the spermatic cord which runs up from the epididymis.
Feel the testicle itself. It should be smooth with no lumps or swellings. It is unusual to develop cancer in both testicles at the same time, so if you are wondering whether a testicle is feeling normal or not you can compare it with the other.
Remember - if you do find a swelling in your testicle, make an appointment and have it checked by your doctor as soon as possible.