Page 33 - Florida Sentinel 10-23-20

Health
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African-American women. It is also the second leading cause of cancer deaths among African-American women.
Unfortunately, in recent years you have heard about friends and family who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. The breast cancer incidence in Black women is lower than in white women. However, for women younger than 45, the incidence rate is higher among Black women than white women. It is very important that we practice good breast health.
Self Breast Exam
It is recommended
that one-week after
your period you do a
self-breast exam. This
is necessary so that
you can familiarize
yourself with your
breasts and know
which lumps and bumps are normal for your breasts.
It is recommended one week after your cycle because that is usually the same time every month and your breasts sometimes have different changes during your cycle. This ensures that your breasts are normal and the same around this time every month. The best places to check your breasts are in the shower or lying down on your bed or the floor.
Clinical Breast Exam
A physical exami-
nation of your breasts
by a doctor, nurse
practitioner, nurse, or
other health profes-
sional is known as a
Clinical Breast Exam-
ination. This is a thor-
ough examination of
the entire breast and chest areas, including the areas above and below the collarbone and under each arm. The health care professional can teach you the correct techniques for performing your own self-breast exami- nation. This is another reason why it is so absolutely necessary for you to have your annual exam ANNU- ALLY.
Screening Mammography
It is recommended
that you have a base-
line mammogram
around 35 years old.
Not all physicians
agree with that but
some physicians err
on the side of caution.
Most insurance com-
panies will completely
cover a baseline mammogram.
If you have a family history of breast cancer you may need to have your first mammogram between 30 and 35 years old. Otherwise, you need to have your mammo- gram annually starting at 40 years old. A mammogram is one moment of discomfort that could save your life.
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