Feel for lumps

Can you examine your breasts properly?

Palpation and mammography as important pillars of prevention.

(Bild: detailblick-foto/stock.adobe.com)

"MammaCare" is the name of a program for targeted self-examination. Women learn how to detect lumps - in addition to early detection. Because you can learn how to examine your breasts properly and professionally, independently of a visit to the doctor! This gives women confidence.

Four friends eagerly follow the instructions of the two trainers Katharina König and Tatjana Lagus. Today they have a special course - they are learning in small groups how to scan their breasts carefully in order to detect any abnormalities quickly. They started with models (see picture above) to train their sense of touch and learn what different changes might feel like. This reduces fears and insecurities. Now they are trying it out on their own breasts - under the precise guidance of the trainers and using a systemic method.

Clinically recognized method
"We usually give individual courses or the women are in pairs, but there can be up to four women who we teach the MammaCare® method, the only recognized clinical method for self-examination of the breast," explains nurse and Breast Care Nurse (BCN) Katharina König.

She and her colleague Tatjana Lagus, also a nurse, add: "This program is intended to complement the breast cancer screening program. Women can use it to help themselves stay healthy. Every breast examination makes sense in principle, but at the doctor's you often have the feeling that it can be done in a minute. In our courses, you learn - in up to three hours, depending on the size of the group - to palpate the tissue thoroughly in three pressure levels."

The earlier a lump is detected, the better
The MammaCare® method was developed at the University of Florida (USA) in the 1970s. It teaches how to reliably feel the smallest changes in breast tissue. And indeed, with time and a little practice, women are able to detect anything unusual in the millimeter range. Advantage: "The earlier a lump is discovered, the better. Of course, it doesn't always have to be cancer, but if it is, the earliest possible diagnosis and subsequent treatment is crucial," explains Katharina König.

Information and courses

• www.katharinakoenig.at
• www.tatjana-lagus.at
• www.beckenboden-gesellschaft.at

Many women palpate incorrectly
Although many women always feel half-heartedly to see if they can detect lumps, mistakes are often made. "It starts with the wrong time for the examination," says Tatjana Lagus: "It's best to examine your breasts at the end of your period, when the tissue is under the least hormonal influence and is therefore softer. You should also palpate yourself while lying down so that the breast 'unfolds' best. It is also not advisable to palpate with shower gel or ointments, otherwise you will slide over any bumps."

The self-examination begins in the armpit. Then you palpate systematically with the tips of three fingers (left hand for the right breast and vice versa) in a strip-like movement. The procedure is carried out in three pressure variations.

Monthly routine
"Of course, it's best if this type of examination becomes a monthly routine. After all, a lump can also form in the two years between two mammograms," say the experts. "Nobody talks about breast examinations like this, not even among friends! We want to break the taboo and encourage all women to do their own breast examinations properly. This provides reassurance and can ultimately save lives."