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Breast Problems in Women

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Breast lumps, pain, discharge or skin problems can be a sign of a minor problem or
somet hing more serious, so it 's import ant t o pay at t ent ion t o any changes. Follow t his chart
f or more inf ormat ion about breast problems.
SYMPT OMS

DIAGNOSIS

SELF-CARE

Begin Here

1. Do you have swelling

and t enderness in one
or bot h breast s?

Go to Question 6.*
No

Yes

2. Have you given birt h

recent ly?

Soon af t er giving birt h,

your breast s could
become engorged wit h
milk, causing swelling
and t enderness.
Yes

Breast pain along wit h

redness, nipple
discharge, it ching or a
f ever, could be a sign
of MAST IT IS, an
inf ect ion of a milk duct .

If your breast s are

engorged, applying
warm compresses t o
t he breast and gent ly
expressing some milk
may help.
If you have an inf ect ion,
t alk t o your doct or. He
or she may give you an
ant ibiot ic.

No

3. Did t he t enderness
st art recent ly, and do

You may be
PREGNANT . Changes

Take an at -home
pregnancy t est . If it 's

Generated from

your breast s f eel f uller

and heavier?
Yes

in t he way your breast s

f eel, f at igue, nausea
and f requent urinat ion
are some of t he early
signs of pregnancy.

posit ive, see your

doct or.

No

4. Do t he swelling and
t enderness seem t o
occur at about t he
same t ime during every
menst rual cycle?

Go to Question 6.*

No

Yes

5. Do you f eel
t hickened, bumpy areas
t hroughout your
breast ?

No

Yes

*6. Do you f eel a t ender

lump, smaller t han a
penny, t hat wasn't
t here last mont h?

Your sympt oms may be

a result of HORMONAL
CHANGES during your
menst rual cycle. If you
also have irrit abilit y,
t rouble sleeping and
mood changes, you
may have
PREMENST RUAL
SYNDROME (PMS).

Over-t he-count er
medicines may help
relieve bloat ing and
t enderness. Ibuprof en
or naproxen may be
helpf ul f or painf ul
periods. Avoid caf f eine,
alcohol, sugary f oods
and excess salt . If your
sympt oms are severe,
your doct or may
prescribe a medicine t o
relieve t hem.

Your sympt oms may be

caused by
FIBROCYST IC
DISEASE.

See your doct or. He or

she may recommend
t hat you avoid f at t y
f oods and caf f eine.

T his lump may be a

noncancerous
GROWT H or CYST.

Caref ully check t his

lump f or a mont h. If it
doesn't go away or it
changes, see your
doct or.

A painless, f irm lump

may be a sign of a
more serious problem,
such as BREAST
CANCER.

See your doct or as

soon as possible.

Yes

No

7. Do you f eel a
painless lump t hat is
deep in your breast ,
possibly at t ached t o
your ribs?

Yes

No

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8. Are you
breast f eeding and
having pain and
cracking of t he nipple?
Yes

Persist ent pain and

cracking in t he nipple
wit h breast f eeding
could mean INFECT ION,
or it could mean t hat
your baby is not
lat ching properly.

Try a lanolin oint ment

on your nipple. If it
doesn't help, see your
doct or or a lact at ion
consult ant .

T hese changes may be

a sign of a serious
problem, such as
BREAST CANCER.

See your doct or as

soon as possible.

A nonhealing sore on
t he breast could be a
sign of a serious
problem.

See your doct or.

No

9. Have you not iced any

breast changes such as
skin dimpling or
puckering, redness or
scaling of t he nipple or
breast skin, or have you
had any nipple
discharge?

Yes

No

10. Do you have a sore

on your breast t hat
won't heal?

Yes

No

For more inf ormat ion,

please t alk t o your
doct or. If you t hink your
problem is serious, call
right away.
This tool has been reviewed by doctors and is for general educational purposes only. It is not a
substitute for medical advice. The information in this tool should not be relied upon to make
decisions about your health. Always consult your family doctor with questions about your
individual condition(s) and/or circumstances. Source: American Academy of Family Physicians.
Family Health & Medical Guide. Dallas: Word Publishing; 1996.
See complet e list of chart s.
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