What To Do If You Notice a Change in Your Chest
If you’ve noticed a change in your breasts, chest or pecs, there is no need to panic. Our bodies naturally change, throughout our lives and even on a monthly basis. If you’ve noticed a difference in your chest, it’s a good sign that you’ve been doing a great job in getting to know your normal in the first place!
There are lots of reasons why you might experience changes and most of these are natural and harmless. It is also good to keep in mind that 9 out of 10 people who are referred to the breast clinic after noticing a change are not given a cancer diagnosis. CoppaFeel!’s main thing to remember is if in doubt, get it checked out.
So don’t panic, but do always make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible in order to be properly checked.
What to Expect at a Doctors Appointment
During your appointment your doctor will probably want to examine your breast tissue, which is found across the chest area, and includes the area under your armpits and up to your collarbone too. You might find it helpful to wear loose clothing or a separate top and bottoms. Try not to feel embarrassed talking to your doctor about your chest, they have seen it all before - plus what is embarrassing about advocating for your own body and health!
Tips for Your Appointment
Here are our top tips for your doctor appointment:
- If you would prefer a female doctor, you can request this when you book the appointment. Equally, you can ask to see a male doctor if you prefer.
- Ask a family member or a friend to be with you for support.
- Write down any questions for your doctor beforehand.
- Write down when you first spotted the symptoms, to tell the doctor.
- If you have periods, make a note of when your last one was, as the doctor might ask.
- Try to find out if you have any family history of breast cancer, as the doctor might ask you about that too.
A reminder of the signs and symptoms to be aware of
Need some more help?
If you’d like some more help with understanding how to check your chest and how to get started, the CoppaFeel! Self-Checkout is the tool for you!
The Self-Checkout is CoppaFeel!’s fab health promotion tool to guide people through the steps of getting started with checking, and it provides practical tools to build the confidence to do this on a regular basis. The tool includes a ‘check-in’ count, a step-by-step guide and share function as well as important SMS, email, calendar and shower sticker reminders, downloadable checklists, and video content.
Hopefully we have dispelled some myths and removed some of the fear around finding a breast change and acting on something that feels unusual to you. Head to CoppaFeel!’s website to sign up for handy free text messages that will remind you to get checking or view the information and advice page on CoppaFeel!’s website for more information about breast cancer.