Clearly, breast cancer is on the rise. You keep hearing all about it, and now you’re starting to wonder if it could have anything to do with you. Here are some of the early warning signs of breast cancer you’ll want to keep in mind.
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Changes in the Breast
Before anything else, you may notice that your breasts start to look or feel different. Swelling, for instance, could very well point to breast cancer. In fact, this particular symptom is often an indication that a worse case of the disease has been triggered. Additionally, you may experience irritation or redness.
Any pain felt in the breasts is another sign of the disease. Furthermore, you may begin to notice your breasts thickening quite a bit. They might feel unusually warm and itchy, as well. Any one of these symptoms could be brought on by something else, however. A good way to be able to tell whether or not yours is an early sign of breast cancer is if it doesn’t go away after some time.
Changes in the Nipples
The nipples can also indicate that something isn’t right. For example, you may begin to feel pain in them. Also, you’ll notice a strange discharge appear seemingly out of nowhere. However, this shouldn’t be confused with the discharge that a woman experiences when she’s pregnant.
Like the breasts, your nipples might begin to thicken a great deal. If you pay close attention, you may find that your nipples have even retracted a bit. This means they’re pointing inward when they should be pointing outwards. One of the best ways to be able to pick up on these changes is by examining your nipples long before breast cancer is suspected.
Other Bodily Changes
Furthermore, you can expect some changes to take place that are unrelated to the breast or nipple areas. The collarbone or armpit, for example, may become swollen and uncomfortable. Additionally, you could end up with upper back pain that persists and doesn’t go away. If breast cancer proves to be the cause for it, stretching won’t help. Diet changes and chiropractic treatment won’t be effective, either.
It’s true that the early warning signs of breast cancer can come at any time, and they’re not always obvious. For this reason, it’s crucial that you pay close attention to the signs your body gives you. That way, you’ll be able to catch the cancer before it progresses and causes any more problems. The sooner you seek treatment, the better chance you’ll have of it being successful.
