Cortez family physician Kameo Smith, DO, says that recommendations on when women should begin having screening mammograms and how often they should get them vary according to which research studies you read. It also depends on a woman\u2019s family history for breast cancer and other risk factors. \u201cIn general, women should get their first screening mammogram at around age 40 and have one every two years. From age 50 to 65, an annual mammogram is recommended,\u201d said Smith. \u201cAfter 65, it depends on a women\u2019s overall health, and she should discuss the pros and cons with her doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to remember that, while relatively rare, men can also develop breast cancer. About 2,240 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and more than 400 die from the disease annually. Another little known fact is that boys around the age of puberty often develop lumps in their breasts. Fortunately, these lumps are almost always harmless and go away on their own. \u201cIt\u2019s caused by fluctuating hormones,\u201d said Smith, who sees this in her practice fairly regularly.<\/p>\n
While breast cancer gets most of the press, it should be noted that breast health extends beyond the realm of malignancy. There are a number of issues related to breasts that women deal with. One that is quite common is fibrocystic breast disease. \u201cThese are non-cancerous lumps that can cause pain and tenderness,\u201d said Smith. The lumps are usually fluid-filled cysts and feel squishy like soft grapes. Breast tenderness, whether caused by these benign cysts or if it\u2019s cyclical and related to menstrual cycles, can often be alleviated by wearing a supportive bra and reducing or eliminating caffeine intake.<\/p>\n
\u201cLumps that are cancer, in general, feel hard like a rock,\u201d said Smith. This is where breast self-exams become important, especially for women prone to developing cysts. \u201cIf you always feel lumpy you\u2019re used to it, you don\u2019t get too concerned. If you find new lumps, however, it\u2019s important to see your doctor,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n
Nipple discharge is another issue that raises concern for some women. \u201cThis is most often the result of an infection. It could be a sign of cancer, but that\u2019s rare,\u201d said Smith. \u201cIf a discharge is ever bloody, foul-smelling, or one-sided, bring it to the attention of your doctor.\u201d Discharge from both breasts in women who have had children may simply be breast milk. \u201cIf you\u2019ve ever had a baby you can continue to leak milk off and on throughout your adult life,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n
Smith says the most common breast-related problem she sees in her practice is mastitis (inflammation) in breast-feeding women.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s sometimes an infection, but most often it\u2019s a blocked milk duct that\u2019s causing pain and heat,\u201d said Smith. Warm compresses to encourage milk flow and an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication will often solve the problem. \u201cIt\u2019s important to continue to breast-feed or pump as this unblocks the milk ducts,\u201d said Smith. \u201cIf home remedies don\u2019t work, then the women should talk to her doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
While many women long for a more ample bosom, those who are exceedingly well-endowed sometimes suffer from neck, shoulder and back pain, indentations from bra straps and skin irritation under the breasts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is more common than people realize,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n
Breast-reduction surgery may be an option for women who have significant physical discomfort because of their size. Called reduction mammoplasty, this procedure should be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. If certain criteria are met, the operation may be covered by insurance.<\/p>\n
Smith said that some concerns women have about their breasts are not of a medical nature at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not equal on the right and left side. One nipple may be higher than the other. This is normal,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n
Southwest Health Notes is a public service feature provided by Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez. The information provided herein is not intended as patient-specific medical advice or as a substitute for consultation with your personal health-care provider.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
family physician Kameo Smith, DO, says that recommendations on when women should begin having screening mammograms and how often they should get them vary according to which research studies you read. It also depends on a woman\u2019s family history for breast cancer and other risk factors. \u201cIn general, women should get their first screening […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[13],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-56380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-frontpage-lead"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56380\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56380"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=56380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}