Breast Health and Mammograms in Houma & South Louisiana

Breast diseases include various conditions and changes in your breast. Most women experience breast changes at some time. Your age, hormone levels, and medicines you take may cause lumps, bumps, and discharges of fluids that are not breast milk.

Although many women fear cancer, most breast changes are benign, meaning they are not cancer. These breast changes are known as benign breast disease. See your health care provider if you have a breast lump, pain, discharge, or skin irritation. Minor and serious breast problems often have similar symptoms and may need treatment.

Common breast changes and conditions can include:

• Fibrocystic breast changes can include lumpiness, thickening, and swelling, often just before your period. Your breasts may feel painful, swollen, or tender.
• Cysts are fluid-filled lumps that may be tender.
• Fibroadenomas are solid, round, rubbery lumps that easily move when pushed, occurring most in younger women.
• Intraductal papillomas are wart-like benign tumors that grow in the milk duct of the breast.
• Blocked milk ducts.
• Milk production when you're not breastfeeding.

Symptoms depend on the type of breast disease. Benign breast diseases may not have any symptoms, or they could include:

• A lump or firm feeling in your breast or under your arm
• A change in the size or shape of your breast
• Nipple discharge
• Skin changes such as itching, redness or darkening, dimples, scaling, or puckering on your breast or nipple
• Painful, swollen, or tender breasts

See your provider if you're noticing any of these symptoms or other unusual changes. Some symptoms may be warning signs or symptoms of breast cancer.

Some breast changes may be felt or seen. You may notice a change in your breast, or your provider may notice it during a clinical breast exam. Other breast changes may only be found during a screening mammogram or other imaging tests such as an MRI or ultrasound. Your provider may also recommend a breast biopsy to check a suspicious change in your breast.

Some benign breast changes may increase your risk of breast cancer in the future and may need treatment now. Treatment depends on the type of breast disease that you have. Some breast changes may go away without treatment, while others may require monitoring, biopsy, or surgery.

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast. Health care providers use mammograms to look for early signs of breast cancer that can't be felt during a breast exam. There are two types of mammograms: screening mammograms and diagnostic mammograms.

A screening mammogram is a mammogram usually done for women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. Regular screening mammograms can help reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer among women ages 40 to 74. This is because they can find breast cancer early and treatment can start earlier, maybe before it has spread.

But screening mammograms can also have risks. They can sometimes find something that looks abnormal but isn't cancer. This leads to further testing and can cause you anxiety. Sometimes mammograms can miss cancer when it is there. It also exposes you to radiation. You should talk to your provider about the benefits and drawbacks of mammograms. Together, you can decide when to start and how often to have a mammogram.

A diagnostic mammogram takes a little longer to do than a screening mammogram. It's done for people who have a lump or other signs or symptoms of breast cancer. The signs can include breast pain, thickening of the skin of the breast, nipple discharge, or a change in breast size or shape. But these signs can also be caused by a breast condition that is benign (not cancer). A diagnostic mammogram may also be used if you have breast implants or if there are other reasons it's difficult to view your breast tissue.

When you have a mammogram, you stand in front of an x-ray machine. The person who takes the x-rays places your breast between two plastic plates. The plates press your breast and make it flat. This may be uncomfortable, but it helps get a clear picture.

You will get both breasts x-rayed from the front and from the side. Afterwards, a radiologist (a doctor with special training) will read the mammogram. The doctor will look at the x-ray for early signs of breast cancer or other problems. You will usually get the results within a few weeks, although it depends on the clinic or medical office that you went to. If your results are not normal, you should hear back earlier. Ask your provider when and how you will receive your results.

An abnormal (not normal) mammogram does not always mean that there is cancer. You will need to have additional mammograms, tests, or exams before your provider can tell for sure. You may also be referred to a breast specialist or a surgeon. But it does not necessarily mean you have cancer or need surgery. You would see one of these doctors because they are experts in diagnosing breast problems.