“Hold Your Breath, Now Breathe”: Breast Care Day!
- sharonche794
- Feb 15
- 2 min read
It just so happens that my mammogram appointment happened to fall on Valentine's Day.
The idea of getting a mammogram scared me for a long time, but I finally gathered the courage and did it. For someone like me with high-risk factors such as my gender, age, family history, and recently informed dense breast tissues, it was vital for me to get screened [1]. Please, dense breasts are not an indication that something is wrong. It is considered a risk factor because it makes it difficult to detect cancer on the mammogram image.
For some reason, I had it in my mind that mammograms are painful. Why I thought so, I do not know. I was prepared to be in pain during the whole ordeal, but to my greatest surprise, it was not. I would say uncomfortable, not painful. The breast compressions and standing still in specific positions to get a good image are what gave me the discomfort. Before a mammogram appointment, you would be given instructions on what to do. Instructions such as no deodorant, lotion, perfume, or powder on your breasts and underarms.
During the mammogram, the technician will tell you to “hold your breath, now breathe.”
That is to reduce movement and prevent the images from becoming blurred. And the process takes a few minutes. We tend to fear the unknown, which is normal, but screenings help find and treat diseases early before they spread. Women, if you are of the recommended screening age for a mammogram [1], make it a habit to go for a routine mammogram yearly.
Let us live up to the phrase, "Health is wealth.”
Prioritize your health!
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