This article is shared with permission from our friends at Living Traditionally.
Breast cancer is the number one cancer that kills women. While age, diet, physical activity, and lifestyle play an important role in the development of breast cancer, an estimated 15 percent of women who have breast cancer already have a genetic susceptibility.
Learning to recognize the physical signs of breast cancer may save your life – early diagnosis is key to treatment and recovery. The warning signs of breast cancer are usually visual which can include lumps found within the breast and nearby lymph nodes. Non visual signs include pain and skin irritation around the breast area.
6 Warning Signs of Breast Cancer You Shouldn’t Ignore
1. Lumps or nodes felt on or inside of the breast.
You should always perform a monthly self-examination of your breasts. Be sure to feel all areas of the breasts and underarms for any abnormalities. A painless lump or thickening in the breast or the armpit is one of the most common breast cancer symptoms. If you discover a lump, call your physician immediately.
2. A change in the size or shape of the breast.
It’s common for a breast tumor to alter the shape or size of an affected breast.
3. Nipple discharge or tenderness.
Discharge from one nipple may be a sign of breast cancer, especially if it appears without squeezing the nipple and is blood-stained.
4. An inverted nipple.
5. A sore or ulcer on the breast that does not heal.
6 A change in the way the skin of the breast, nipple, or areola.
The darker area of skin around the nipple — looks or feels. For example, the breast may feel warm, tender, or swollen, or look red and scaly
Late signs and symptoms
As the cancer grows larger, these are the symptoms that can occur:
- bone pain
- nausea
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- buildup of fluid around the lungs
- headache
- double vision
- muscle weakness
Symptoms of breast cancer in men include a lump in the breast, nipple pain and tenderness, fluid from the nipple, inversion or retraction of the nipple, and sores around the nipple.
Article originally posted on Living Traditionally republished with permission.
