More and more consumers are turning to the internet to get answers for medical questions. Health.com a consumer online source for medical information recently posted a question from a very concerned woman regarding pain that she was feeling in her breast. Her immediate fears were whether or not the pain she was feeling in her breast could in fact be breast cancer. The response online hopefully helped to calm the woman’s fears. According to the post breast pain is usually not a symptom of breast cancer. Some alternative explanations for the pain included a bacterial infection called mastitis, mastalgia, a condition caused by a noncancerous change in the breast (cyst for example), or hormonal fluctuations that could subside once the woman has her period. Dr. Kim cautions patients not to become alarmed with every new discovery concerning their breast. Patients who have had breast augmentation, breast reduction, or breast lift are likely to be paying more attention than ever before to their breast. This only becomes a problem if patients are panicky and fearful that every change in their breast is a symptom of breast cancer. The best form of defense against breast cancer is early detection. Dr Kim is committed to making sure that patients are doing monthly breast self-exams and getting mammograms yearly after 40 years of age. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that having breast surgery does not change this recommendation and the patient should be conscious of their breast health.
