How often should a woman get a mammogram?

Has your doctor recommended that you get a mammogram? How often should you have a mammogram and what will happen during the examination? A mammogram is needed every 1-2 years for a woman in her 40s and older. You need to have a mammogram in order to detect breast cancer. It's one of the best ways to detect breast cancer early and to ensure that you will remain strong and healthy. A mammogram is simply 2 x-rays of your breasts and it will show the doctor any signs of cancer cells. These will be indicated by tumors that are found in the breasts and many times these tumor cells are not noticed by you as you cannot feel them.

If you have an increased risk of breast cancer because it runs in your family you need to visit the doctor more often in order to have the screening process done. Family history of breast cancer or even a genetic mutation will increase your risk of breast cancer and it is not advisable to avoid mammograms as it will lead to the potential development of cancer.

You should be performing regular self-examinations of your best in order to see if you have any tumors that may be cancerous. If you do feel a lump, call your doctor immediately to have them examine it. Not only will they feel the lump and check for cancer, they will also do a mammogram in order to see if the lump truly is cancerous and if it is spreading. Women in child bearing years may have a lot of lumps due to clogged milk ducts. Your doctor will examine your breast to see if it does feel like a tumor or if it is a clogged milk duct.

Early detection of breast cancer leaves you with the best possible treatment of it and to hopefully cure yourself of it before it does become too late. What the mammogram does it detect the lump and to see if the cancer is still contained or if it is starting to spread. If a tumor is detected and it is benign the doctor may recommend an ultrasound or an MRI as well in order to check on it and just to be sure that it is not cancerous.

While a mammogram is one of the best ways to catch breast cancer and to begin treatments right away, there are some drawbacks to them. For many people they are concerned over a lump and the mammogram results come back as abnormal. This will lead a person to worry that they do have breast cancer and it can leave them worried for days or weeks while they wait on getting another test done and to have other testing done to check on the breast and the tumor. There is another problem as the test results may not work if you do not have fatty breasts. The breasts with a larger amount of fatty tissue often return the best results.

Having a breast mammogram done is not going to be a pleasant experience. No matter what, there is no way to escape the pain of your "yearly squeeze" as it needs to be done in order to detect the tumors correctly. Since a breast is a 3 dimensional object on the body, the only way to get pictures of it correctly is be squeezing it in the machine that will be able to screen it and take accurate x-rays of it. If the pain is severe and it really bothers you, your doctor might provide you with some lidocaine gel which can help to numb the breast a little bit. The specialist will provide you with a comfort pad to try and reduce the pain as much as possible.