"What Should I Do About a Lump Found on My Breast?"
Many women prioritize their breast health in daily life and emphasize breast maintenance. Discovering bumps on nipples can be alarming, fearing underlying illness. Thus, promptly identifying the cause and administering targeted treatment is crucial. So, what steps should one take upon finding nipple bumps? There are two primary explanations:
Nipple Bumps Explanations:
1. Nipple Inflammation: Caused by bacterial infection, accompanied by redness, swelling, pain, and discharge. Treatment involves warm compresses and applying ointments like erythromycin or mupirocin.
2. Sebaceous Gland Fat Granules: Normally, sebaceous glands on the nipple prevent dryness. Blockage under trauma or high estrogen levels can form bumps. If asymptomatic, no treatment is needed. Regular cleaning with warm water is advised, avoiding squeezing to prevent damaging mammary ducts.
Breast Lump Management:
Breast lumps have diverse causes, from malignancies to inflammatory abscesses. Distinguishing lump types is essential:
Types of Breast Lumps:
1. Abscess-Type: Caused by breast infection, painful with redness, warmth, and possible fever. Treated with antibiotics or surgical removal.
2. Intraductal Papilloma: Growth within the breast duct, often beneath the nipple, may cause nipple bleeding. Common in menopausal women (one breast) or younger women (both breasts).
3. Cyst-Type: Caused by pus-filled cysts, smooth to touch, may be painful. Hormonal imbalances can cause them, non-cancerous. Professional aspiration relieves pain and eliminates the lump.
4. Sebaceous Cyst-Type: Caused by hair follicle duct blockage, similar to cyst-type lumps. Hormonal stimulation or trauma can exacerbate. Usually asymptomatic, requiring no treatment. If needed, a small hole is made to remove the blockage.
5. Fatty Breast Lumps: Occur due to breast fatty tissue changes, forming round lumps. Feel hard, may cause breast skin redness. Often resolve without treatment.
6. Adenoma-Type: Non-cancerous growths of breast glandular tissue. Common in African women around 20, feel round, hard, and movable.
7. Breast Cancer: Hard, irregularly shaped lumps that may adhere to skin or deeper tissues, non-movable with a finger. Usually painless.
