Breast Self-Examination: Empowering Women’s Breast Health

Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is the most cost-effective technique for screening breast cancer. It can be easily performed by women to examine any abnormalities or unusual changes in their breast. Breast self-Examination is helpful in monitoring breast health, but it cannot be taken as a substitute for mammography as mammography is considered as a gold standard screening for breast cancer. Breast self-examination should be performed as a complementary practice alongside mammography, which means that it can be done in addition to mammography. The optimal timing for performing BSE for women who menstruate at regular interval is 3- 7 days after the menstrual period. Women who have irregular menstruation and women who have menopaused should choose any one day in a month to perform breast self-examination. Breast self- examination is a step wise procedure which should be performed regularly every month. It includes visual inspection as well as physical examination of breasts. Women should maintain a diary by noting the findings of their BSE. Any abnormal or unusual changes in the shape and size of the breast, lump or thickening of breast tissues, dimpling or puckering of breast skin, inverted nipple, unusual nipple discharges should be consulted with health care professionals. There are many studies that shows that most of the women do not practice BSE because they are not aware of the techniques of BSE. Key words: Breast self- examination, BSE, Practice, Breast health.