Checking For Breast Cancer Is More Important Than Checking The Notifications On Your Phone

Written By: Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin

June 12, 2021

Highlights

Regular self-examination of your breasts is the best way to detect breast cancers and catch them early. Most cancers that are caught early are treated more successfully.
There are four easy steps to do a self-examination of your breasts at home to check for any lumps, bumps or abnormalities.
Do not panic if you think you feel a lump in your breast. Get in touch with your doctor if you’ve noticed a lump or other breast change. Most women may have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts and most turn out to be benign (not cancer).

Quick Read
Full Read

Here are 4 easy steps to do a self breast exam

1. Stand in front of a mirror, place your hands on your hips and look at your breasts for their usual size, shape, and color. Look for any uneven shape, visible distortion or swelling. Look out for these:

· Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin

· Nipple has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)

· Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

· Any fluid discharge coming from one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

2. Using your right hand feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Do this lying down. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Check the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side in a circular motion. Start from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

3. Follow the same pattern throughout. Start at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast and then move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows. Feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you’ve reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.

4. Now feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. The easiest way to feel the breasts is when the skin is wet and slippery, so you can do this in the shower. Cover your entire breast, and repeat step 3.

Spread the love

Just like you have your daily CTM skin routine or oiling the hair routine every week, it is also important to take care of your breasts regularly. is important to also take care of your breasts regularly. Breast changes should seek more attention than the notifications on your phone. Regular self-examination of your breasts is the best way to detect breast cancers and catch them early. If breast cancer is caught early is treated more successfully.

Here are 4 easy steps to do a self breast exam

· Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin

· Nipple has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)

· Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

· Any fluid discharge coming from one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

3. Follow a same pattern throughout. Start at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast and then move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows. Feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you’ve reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.

What to do if you find an abnormality?

Do not panic if you think you feel a lump in your breast. Get in touch with your doctor if you’ve noticed a lump or other breast change that is mentioned above. Most women may have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts and most turn out to be benign (not breast cancer). Non-cancerous breast lumps may be caused due to hormonal changes, a benign breast condition, or an injury.

Also, there are changes in the breasts throughout the menstrual cycle: breasts may seem to get bigger or more prominent in some way. Menstruators may want to wait until after your period to see if the lump or other breast change disappears on its own before calling your doctor.

The doctor may do a physical exam of the breasts and may ask for breast cancer imaging tests. Both an ultrasound and a mammogram are typically recommended to evaluate a lump in women who are over age 30 and not pregnant or breastfeeding. Further tests may include additional imaging with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), MBI (molecular breast imaging), and/or a biopsy if required.

It is important to make sure to get an explanation of the cause of the lump or breast change from your doctor, and, if necessary, a plan for monitoring it or treating it. Don’t hesitate to get a second opinion if you are not comfortable or satisfied with the doctor.

How often should one do breast self-exam

Do breast self-examination once a month to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel especially after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you don’t menstruate, choose a day that’s easy to remember and follow it every month. The upper, outer area around the armpits has the most prominent lumps and bumps.

Record the findings of your breast self-exams in a diary as this may help you remember, every month what is “normal” for your breasts. Lumps may appear at certain times of the month and disappear as your body changes with the menstrual cycle (if you are still menstruating).

Source: breastcancer.org

breast cancer breast self examination cancer lumps in breast

Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin

Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin has done her masters in Journalism & Communication and has worked as a senior journalist, editor and columnist for leading publications like The Logical Indian, Deccan Chronicle, Worldwide Media Corporation, The Bridge and Provoke.
With Infano, she hopes to create more awareness about women’s health issues. Suffering with Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, she has also been advocating for its awareness through media.

How Are Sex Workers Managing During Lockdown With Zero Income?

Written By: Sonali

June 18, 2021 | 06:32 PM |

123

Highlights

Sex workers are one of the most affected, vulnerable and neglected sections of our society.
“The business will not stop. If one area is sealed, it will move to another!”
How are they taking precautions?
What are the alternatives?
Why soliciting should be legalised?
We need to start acknowledging their existence in society!

Quick Read
Full Read

Ever since the pandemic attacked, many of us lost our jobs and faced severe money crises — that comes along with mental health issues and a physical burden.

People are struggling; they are opting for every possible alternate option to sustain themselves and their family — but think about the communities who have been neglected by our society much before the pandemic hit us — sex workers!

They are one of the most affected, vulnerable and neglected sections of our society — constantly struggling amid the pandemic.

Knowing the fact that we live in a country where one rape case happens every 15 minutes, marital rape is legal, sex work as a profession is considered a sin!!

Read how are sex workers managing during lockdown with zero income?

Spread the love

Ever since the pandemic attacked, many of us lost our jobs and faced severe money crises — that comes along with mental health issues and a physical burden.

They are one of the most affected, vulnerable and neglected sections of our society — constantly struggling amid the pandemic.

“All physical contact workers are going to suffer because of COVID-19 here. Unfortunately, the government is not responding the way it should. Most sex workers’ children live in hostels. Now, the kids have come back to their mothers. Now, they not only have to feed themselves but their kids too – this is a nightmare for them,” said Meena Seshu, founder of Sangram, a non-profit.

Tales of sufferings

“If the customer wears a mask, it is fine. If he does not wear a mask, he will not be entertained. If something happens to me, who will look after my children?” said Rajni*, a 30YO Mumbai-based sex worker. “The customer has to wash his hands; there will be no mouth-to-mouth. We won’t even take our clothes off – just do the kaam (job) and leave!” she added.

“We will tell the customer not to touch our faces. Both of us have to wear masks. They also know of COVID-19; they understand,” 31YO Mumtaz Ansari*, another sex worker, added.

“It is the worst time for my family and me. There are a lot of things like paying the house rent, electricity bill, ration for which we need money. But, since there is not a single customer coming now, we have zero income, and we are unable to pay for these necessities on time. For now, I am working with Saheli NGO from which I am able to at least pay the house rent, and the NGO provides us with all kinds of ration, But I also get anxiety issues because I have not met my kids, who are in a hostel, since last two years,” a 33YO sex worker from Delhi said.

“Initially, we used to offer services online, but we realised that it carried the risk of being recorded and our videos could be leaked on the Internet. So, we started offering services over text chats. But the drawback of performing online or over the phone is that customers often refuse to pay,” another 29YO sex worker from Bengaluru, Mansi*, added.

Business will not stop

“The business will not stop. If one area is sealed, it will move to another,” said Sudhir Patil, treasurer of the National Network of Sex Workers (NNSW).

“Customers have to wear a condom anyway. Henceforth, they have to wash their hands and wear a mask. We will also be wearing masks. We have told members to only have peno-anal sex to reduce direct contact between the two,” he added. “Some researchers are claiming COVID-19 cases will increase due to sex work. We want to ask them, does COVID-19 spread only because of sex work? We were targeted when HIV came as well. Instead of targeting people of a particular community, target the virus.”

Sex work amid the pandemic

“Sex work has resumed on a small scale. All sex workers and their clients are wearing masks; some are even making their clients take a bath before the activity,” said Amit Kumar, national coordinator, All India Network of Sex Workers (AINSW). “Some have kept thermometers to check the client’s body temperature and look for basic symptoms of COVID-19. I don’t see sex workers trying to leave the profession. In Mumbai, some sex workers had started selling vegetables outside some restaurants in Kamathipura, but the police drove them away. They might take up something like this temporarily.”

“The women have shifted to WhatsApp-based or internet-based solicitation where pictures are being shared with clients. They are then supplied in massage parlors and small hotels (lodges) in an appointment-based pattern across cities. The traffickers and people running this business are enjoying anonymity and are hiding from the scanners of law enforcement agencies,” Ravi Kant, President of the Delhi-based NGO Shakti Vahini and an advocate with Supreme Court, said.

“These women are victims of human trafficking. They are often brought from countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh. They are now being moved out of the red light area and taken to other places such as East Delhi, Majnu Ka Tila by owners of human trafficking business,” he added. “The sex work has diversified across the city as, during COVID-19 times, hundreds of massage parlours and spa services have been opened. Even in NCR cities such as Faridabad, Gurgaon or Karnal, the only business working is massage parlours as they are able to pay the rent. Girls are being forced into this industry.”

The alternative

“Brothel-based sex workers are easier to find, target and give welfare, but how will you find who is a sex worker on the street because she does not reveal her identity, and they are also regular women staying at home in their families,” said Anant Kamath, a faculty with the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). “During these times, many sex workers have been even asked by other states to move to other professions to be saved. But that is not what they need, and they need financial aid.”

“We are also running a centre, Pahal, which prepares the children of sex workers to get entrance to normal schools. About 60 children are enrolled with the centre. We are also taking care of the elderly sex workers above 40 by social orientation and train them so that they can choose another profession. Their regular health needs are also taken care of on a regular basis during COVID-19,” said Amitabh Srivastava, governing body member of Prayas.

“If any woman is found positive or is unwell, we have made our own community arrangements for them. We are in touch with doctors too. We send them to a nearby hospital with referral if their situation aggravates,” an official from Durbar said.

Acceptance is the key

Mumbai-based activist Harish Iyer feels soliciting should be legalised, “It is important to legalise soliciting to ensure sex workers also get the protection of the law. If soliciting is made legal, their right to dignity, livelihood, privacy will be ensured. Not everyone in sex work is forced into it. Also, even if they are forced into it, if they want to continue it, it is up to them. It is like a labourer using his body to earn a living.”

“There is no room for respect or acceptance towards our profession as sex workers. When I approach schools with sufficient income and all the required documents, my 5-year-old child still is denied admission. Although there is no legal requirement to provide the father’s name or documents, one school used it as an excuse to deny my child’s right to education. And when a pregnant sex worker needs to have her delivery, the hospital gives her the lowest priority, even in an emergency,” one of the sex workers shares.

Sad! Knowing the fact that we live in a country where one rape case happens every 15 minutes, marital rape is legal, sex work as a profession is considered a sin!!

What these people need is guidance, aid and welfare — and the government strongly needs to start acknowledging their existence in society.

Covid-19 Pandemic sex work Sex Workers women womens rights

Sonali

A 'non-9-5 desk job' ambivert geek who chooses her own audience, Sonali loves sharing stories and finding the corners where humanity still exists! She believes that every individual's story is unique and special. She loves writing about the untouched and unspoken segments of society. When not writing, you can find her listening to someone's stories or playing with dogs. Sonali values mental health and encourages people to speak their heart out!