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Healthy Living: Preparing for a mammogram
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If you have benign cysts or fibro-cystic breasts, the compression of a mammogram can be painful.
"This denser tissue is not as malleable, and so if you have more engorgement of the breast, now you are pulling against something that is more static and may be getting more painful," breast surgeon oncologist Dr. Arvind Mahatme said.
Breast tenderness can be made worse by how much caffeine we drink.
"It doesn't mean you can never drink caffeine, it's not that you can’t have a cup of coffee on the weekend, but everything must be done in moderation," Dr. Mahatme said.
Maintaining ideal body weight will also help.
"Excess weight means excess adipose tissue, what that can translates to is greater estrogen stores within the body. So if you have that, you can be stimulating breast tissue, potentially causing more pain symptoms," said Dr. Mahatme.
According to the doctor, many women do not perform monthly self breasts exams, and if you do not get an annual mammography, these monthly exams could save your life.
Find out more in this “Healthy Living” in the video above.