Though the month for Breast Cancer Awareness is drawing to a close, we should NEVER draw the curtains on regular self and professional examination to fight this killer. The power to make a difference is in our hands!! What have you done this month to support a breast? Like many other diseases the best prevention for breast cancer is early detection, so do your bit to combat breast cancer.

TIPS FOR MONTHLY SELF-BREAST EXAMINATION
1. The best time to perform a self-breast exam is the week following your period when breasts are less tender and less swollen. If you no longer menstruate pick a time of the month and stick to it.

2. Perform your self-exam in the shower or lying down on your back

3. Begin in the centre of the breast and move toward the edges

4. Use gentle, medium and firm pressure in a circular motion

5. REMEMBER the areas of the skin under the collarbone and in the armpit

6. Check for consistency or what the breast feels like

7. Look beyond feeling for lumps; what you see is equally important. So look for the following before you touch;

a. The size and shape of the breast
b. Any areas that appear swollen
c. Is the nipple pointed or retracted? Is there a nipple discharge?
d. What does the skin look like? Are there colour changes or skin changes such as areas looking like an orange peel or skin ulcers/sores?

In all this it’s important to know WHAT your breasts feel like NORMALLY so that you can tell when there is a change. START NOW!!

TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY

1. From age 18, have your breasts examined yearly by a professional (clinician please) and remember to add your annual medical examinations to determine if you have other medical challenges.

2. From your 18th birthday perform self-breast examination each month

a. There have been arguments about the need for a monthly self-breast exam but in my opinion and that of many others, examining your breasts every month can’t possibly hurt you so go ahead and examine.

3. When you hit the magical age of 40 years, ensure you have a mammogram and depending on the type of mammogram you may be advised to combine it with an ultrasound scan or other tests.

4. If you have family members with breast cancer or you have breast cancer in one breast or in the event that you find an abnormality in your breast talk to your doctor. In such a scenario you may need a Mammogram earlier than your 40th birthday. (That age when life is supposed to begin. I wonder what one “does” all those years before 40).

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials/Mobissel
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)

Dr Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition & corrective exercise.
1. Thought for the week – “Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women worldwide, with approximately 1.4 million patients diagnosed annually.” (WHO)

Reference:
1. www.geisinger.org – Recommendations For Breast Health