Mammogram

A mammography, or mammogram, is an X-ray of the breast. It's a screening tool used to detect and diagnose breast cancer. If your doctor orders a mammogram as a routine test to check for any cancer or changes, it's known as a screening mammogram. That's what happened to me after attending an event in Centuria last month. Bloggers and media were given free breasts ultrasound by Asian Breast Care. The doctor found cysts on my left breast and immediately advised to have Mammogram.

I honesty don't feel anything wrong with both of my breasts but because of age, I'm required to have it. I tried to avoid mammogram for four years because I heard my relatives before that it's a painful procedure. It actually isn't painfl but it is tiring because I needed to stand quite long to get the proper positioning of the breasts.

My mammogram result will be released next week.

A mammogram is an important step in taking care of yourself and your breasts. Here are important reminders :

1. Schedule your mammogram when your breasts are not tender or swollen to help reduce discomfort and get good pictures. Try to avoid the week just before your period.

2.  On the day of the exam, don’t wear deodorant or antiperspirant. Some of these contain substances that can show up on the x-ray as white spots. 

3.  You might find it easier to wear a skirt or pants, so that you’ll only need to remove your top and bra for the mammogram

4.  A technologist will position your breasts for the mammog/ram. You and the technologist are the only ones in the room during the mammogram.

5.  To get a high-quality picture, your breast must be flattened. The technologist places your breast on the machine’s plate. The plastic upper plate is lowered to compress your breast for a few seconds while the technologist takes a picture. 

6. The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes. The actual breast compression only lasts a few seconds. 

7. If you feel some discomfort when your breasts are compressed, and for some women it can be painful. Tell the technologist if it hurts.

8.  Two views of each breast are taken for a screening mammogram. But for some women, such as those with breast implants or large breasts, more pictures may be needed.

9.  Choose a facility that specializes in mammograms and does many mammograms a day.

10. Try to go to the same facility every time so that your mammograms can easily be compared from year to year.

I1. If you’re going to a facility for the first time, bring a list of the places and dates of mammograms, biopsies, or other breast treatments you’ve had before.

12. If you’ve had mammograms at another facility, try to get those records to bring with you to the new facility (or have them sent there) so the old pictures can be compared to the new ones.