What to Expect at a Breast Exam
The Basics
A breast exam is a medical exam performed by a licensed doctor to look for any lumps and other irregularities in or around a woman's breast. Prior to the exam taking place, a woman will be asked to remove any clothing she has on above the waist. She will then be made to put on an opened-front hospital gown. She will then be ushered into a dimly lit mammogram room where the exam will take place. The room will feature a few pieces of computer equipment that are relevant to the exam. The dim lighting in the room is important so the doctor can properly see any results from the computer portion of the exam.
Sitting Up
During the clinical portion of a breast exam the doctor will view a woman's breasts while she is sitting up on a table. The doctor will be looking for any irregularities with the shape of the breasts as well as the skin and nipple area. The doctor will then request the woman raise her arms above her head and put her hands on her hips so he can observe the breasts at these positions. Finally the doctor will check a woman's lymph nodes (under her arm and near her collar bone on both sides of her head) for any swelling that may be present.
Lying Down
Next, the doctor will ask the woman to lie down on her back while on the exam table. The doctor will then move his hand all around both breasts, one at a time, looking for any lumps or irregularities. He will use his fingers to thoroughly examine these areas. At this point, a doctor may or may not request a mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of a woman's breast that will be used to make sure no irregularities have gone undetected. Once this is done, this will conclude the clinical portion of a breast exam.
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