Patient's question:
That is the method of self-examining the breasts to check for conditions such as breast hyperplasia.Doctor's answer:
Hello:1. Visual Inspection: Remove your top, stand in bright light, and face a mirror to perform a bilateral breast examination:
- With arms hanging down, observe any changes in the contour of both breasts, check if they are at the same height, and look for any scaling or erosion of the skin on the breasts, nipples, or areolas. Also, check if the nipples are elevated or retracted.
- Then, cross your arms over your hips and rotate your body slightly to the left and right to continue observing these changes.
2. Palpation: Stand or lie down, place your left hand behind your head, and use your right hand to examine your left breast. Keep your fingers together and move in a clockwise direction from the top of the breast, systematically checking the outer upper quadrant, outer lower quadrant, inner lower quadrant, inner upper quadrant, and axillary area for any lumps.
- Pay attention not to miss any area and avoid pressing or squeezing with your fingertips.
- After examining the breast, gently squeeze the nipple with your index and middle fingers to check for any bloody discharge.
- If any lumps or abnormalities are found during the examination, seek further medical evaluation at the hospital.
For women with regular menstrual cycles, the best time for breast examination is 9–11 days after the onset of menstruation.
Beijing Armed Police Corps Hospital General Hospital Breast Department