How much do you know about breast health?

Regarding breast health, the first core principle that everyone should remember is actually very simple - don't be overly anxious, and don't take it completely seriously. More than 90% of breast discomfort and nodules have nothing to do with malignant lesions. Regular screening is 100 times more effective than random inspections.

A while ago, I accompanied a friend to the breast department to get a report. While waiting for the diagnosis, I met a 26-year-old girl. She had just received a physical examination report that showed a type 3 breast nodule. She sat on a chair in the corridor and cried. She said that she had searched the Internet and thought it was about to become cancerous. She even quit work to prepare for hospital surgery. After seeing the film, the doctor directly said that the nodule was only 0.4cm, with clear borders and good mobility. She only needed to check it once every six months, and she didn't even need to prescribe medicine.

In fact, this kind of "scare yourself" situation is too common in the breast department. The reason why many people come to see a doctor is either because their aunt has had swelling and pain in her vagina for a few days, or they have found a "hard lump" on their own. In fact, it is most likely a normal physiological reaction. You can think of the breast glands as a bunch of grapes hanging on the chest. Every time before the aunt comes, the hormone level rises, and these "grapes" will absorb water and swell, feeling lumpy and a little painful. After the aunt is gone, the hormones will drop, and they will naturally shrink back. This is not a sign of "hyperplasia becoming cancerous" at all.

Having said this, someone must ask, are the various dietary taboos posted on the Internet true? For example, it has been rumored for many years that "drinking soy milk will cause breast cancer." Even now, some aunts come to outpatient consultations because their families do not allow drinking soy milk. In fact, this is a typical misunderstanding. The phytoestrogens in soybeans are estrogen-like and are not the same thing as human estrogen. Drinking a cup of more than 200 ml of soy milk every day will not reach the dose that affects breast health. On the contrary, many people buy so-called "breast enlargement creams" and "unblocking essential oils" secretly. Many of them illegally add artificial estrogen. It is true that you may feel bloated for a short time after applying it, but long-term use will disrupt hormone levels and increase the risk of disease.

There is also the much-discussed breast massage. Some people say it can clear nodules, while others say it will cause trouble. In fact, objectively speaking, rehabilitation massage in regular hospitals can indeed alleviate problems such as milk blockage during lactation. However, the "pressing nodules" program in external beauty salons is purely for profit. IQ tax, if the nodules are originally malignant, pressing too much will promote the spread of cancer cells. My best friend who is a nurse in the breast department met someone who pressed the nodules for half a month. The small nodules did not dissipate, but mastitis developed. In the end, they had to be incised and drained, which was a big mistake.

As for how to prevent cancer that everyone is most concerned about, in fact, there is really no need to do all the bells and whistles. Girls under 40 years old only need to have a breast ultrasound once a year. Girls over 40 years old can add a mammography examination, which is much more accurate than doing a half-day test on your own every day. Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to pay attention at all. If you really find a hard lump that is painless, has unclear boundaries, and cannot be pushed, or your nipples are suddenly sunken and have brown bloody discharge, don’t delay and go to the hospital for examination.

Another controversial point that can be mentioned is that many people ask whether short-acting contraceptive pills will affect the breasts. At present, there is no completely unanimous conclusion in the academic circle. Some studies believe that taking them continuously for more than 5 years may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer. However, some studies believe that there is no clear connection between the two. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you can seek evaluation from a doctor before choosing a contraceptive method. You don’t have to kill them with a stick directly, and don’t take it seriously.

After all, the breast is really a very "sensitive" organ. If you stay up late, quarrel with others, and feel anxious for half a month, it may give you a tantrum and pain for two days at first. Don't scare yourself by reading the "cancer warnings" on the Internet. Regular work and rest, and regular physical examinations are the best care for it.