Whether you are at high risk of getting breast cancer, it is important to regularly check your breasts for lumps. If you find yourself with a benign cyst or lump on your breast or even on the surrounding areas, including the armpits, you need to get yourself evaluated by a doctor. There are times when you thought there is a strange lump in one breast only to find the other breast with a similar lump in approximately the same area. Though this may mean that nothing is wrong with you, it is safer to get yourself checked right away. So what exactly do you do when you find a cyst or a lump on or near your breast?
Make sure the cysts or lumps are indeed benign
Once you feel the lump or cyst, you should immediately get yourself checked by your physician. He or she will advise you to go through an ultrasound or a mammogram, depending on what he or she believes is best in your particular case. An ultrasound will show what the interior of your breast looks like. The mammogram, on the other hand, is similar except that it shows an x ray version. Aspiration or biopsy may also be advised if the ultrasound or mammogram does not provide clear results. Needle aspiration is the use of a needle to withdraw cell samples from the lump or cyst. Biopsy, on the other hand, is the collection of tissue sample.
Diagnose the type of benign lump or cyst
Benign refers to breast cysts and lumps that are not cancer-ridden. There are different types of benign breast lumps or cysts, however. It is important to zero in on the particular type in order to know what treatment you should go through. Some types of benign cysts and lumps do not even require any treatment.
Fibrocystic lumps are firm, rubbery lumps that sometimes even emit nipple discharge. They are, however, often temporary, caused by hormonal fluctuations that happen during various points in your menstrual cycle.
While fibrocystic lumps do not occur in postmenopausal women, cysts often occur right before the onset of menopause. These cysts can just make themselves known suddenly and may come in numbers compared to fibrocystic lumps’ often coming as singles.
Intraductal papillomas are small and wart-like. They grow in the mammary duct’s lining, which is located near the nipple. Bleeding, which is quite an alarming symptom, can even occur. Intraductal papillomas, however, are considered benign. They are common in middle-aged women.
Fibroadenomas are quite common benign breast lumps. They are actually benign tumors. It is just scary to hear that you have tumors in your breasts but these common lumps are benign. They appear as solid, rubbery lumps on your breasts. They can appear on both breasts and can move around when pushed or squeezed. They are quite painless tumors.
There are other types of benign lumps and tumors that you may find in or on your breasts and the surrounding areas. Some of them are caused by physical trauma while some are caused by infections. Infection may be caused by an abscess or by periductal mastitis, an inflammation more common in smokers.
Follow your doctor’s advice
After the type of benign breast cyst, lump or tumor has been recognized, your doctor will probably recommend some treatments – or not. Again, there are types of breast lumps that will not get worse even if they are not provided treatment. Small lumps in cases of fibroadenoma and fatty lumps need no treatment. The typical cyst, however, needs to be drained with the use of a sterilized needle. It is best that you leave the draining to your experienced physician. You may get the area infected if you perform a DIY. Infections are treated with antibiotics. If there is a lot of collected pus in an infection such as an abscess, draining is also required.
Change your lifestyle
Because you have had lumps before, the possibility of getting those lumps back is always there. There is even the scary possibility of getting the lumps back but not as harmless little bumps. So when your treatment is over and the lumps are gone, you should make sure that you do not get them back, or that you don’t develop any disease that involves breast lumps. This means that as much as possible, live a healthy life. Eat healthy foods, stop smoking and drink only a glass of alcohol only if you really have to, in a social gathering probably. Try to have time to relax and sleep well. Work may prevent you from following this perfectly but slowing down a notch may actually help. Stress can wreak havoc on your hormones. Hormonal fluctuations can cause cyst, lumps and tumors – you should know that by now. Make sure also that your breasts and the surrounding areas are always kept clean and hygienic to avoid infections.