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The human body, in all it's glory has some frailties. Here you can learn about some of the more common illnesses women experience. Click the links to find out more.

• Breast Cancer
• Duct Ectasia
• Fibrocystic Breast
• Inverted Nipple
• Menopause

Breast Cancer - Some Interesting Facts

• One in eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime

• Mammograms can detect cancer up to two years before a lump can be felt.

• If every woman over 50 had a yearly mammogram, the mortality rate resulting from breast cancer would be reduced by 30%

• 80% of women who develop breast cancer do not have it in their family history

• The United States estimates that 185,700 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed each year which makes it the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women

• Currently, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. An estimated 44,5560 lost their lives to this disease in 1995 which is one woman every 12 minutes

• More then 90% of women whose breast cancer is found and treated early will survive.

• 8 out of ten lumps found in a self exam are harmless

• Survival rates are as high as 97% when found early

It is recommended that every woman over 20 years old do a self breast exam once per month. It is best done 7-10 days after your period, when all natural tenderness has gone away (just before your period or during pregnancy, your breast may be somewhat lumpy and tender). The best way to treat breast cancer is to find it early, and you can do this simply each month with a Self Breast Exam. Not all lumps are cancer, many can be cysts or calcium deposits, but if you do find a lump, make an appointment with your physician because you won´t know if you don´t ask.

Tips On Looking For Symptoms

• Thickening of the breast or lumps near the underarm
• Change in shape or size of your breast
• Nipple discharge, tenderness, or introversion of the nipple
• Ridges or pitting in the skin of the breast; similar to the skin of an orange
• Change in the way the skin, areola or nipple looks or feels

Knowledge of your body is the key to good health. If you don´t know what you normally feel like, it will be hard to determine any signs that are abnormal to your body. Self Breast Exams help us be more comfortable with our body, and allow us to take control of our breast health. Since we have more knowledge of how our own body feels, we can protect ourselves from cancer and cysts and take our concerns to a professional who is experienced in helping women with their health and their fears. Many women do not perform their Self Breast Exam because they are afraid of finding something. Remember, 8-10 lumps are not cancerous, and even if they are, the best way to treat breast cancer is early discovery and treatment by your physician. Please make sure to choose a physician that you are comfortable with and who will listen to your emotional needs as well as your physical ones.

Duct Ectasia

Duct ectasia, widening and hardening of the duct, is characterized by a thick green or black nipple discharge, typically affecting women in their forties and fifties. The nipple and surrounding tissue may be red and tender. Duct ectasia is a benign condition but can sometimes be mistaken for cancer if a hard lump develops around the abnormal duct.

Opalescent (clear) nipple discharge is often due to duct ectasia or cyst. It often affects both breasts. The dilated ducts can become infected, when they will need to be treated. Why it occurs is uncertain.

Often, duct ectasia does not need treatment, or improves with the application of heat or antibiotic drugs.

Occasionally, the affected duct is surgically removed by an incision at the border of the areola (the pigmented region around the nipple).

There are several natural remedies that can help alongside conventional treatment. The following herbs may be helpful taken as herbal teas or used to make compresses applied to the breast:

• Sage
• Chamomile
• Hops
• Lime Blossom
• Vitamin E
• Evening Primrose Oil

One traditional - if rather strange sounding - treatment is cabbage leaf poultices. Remove some of the large outer leaves from a dark green cabbage, cut out the thick central stalk and bruise the leaf all over by hitting with a spoon, rolling pin or knife handle. Warm the leaf In a microwave, steamer or oven, leave it to cool to body temperature, apply to the breast and keep in place with your bra. Repeat as often as necessary.

Fibrocystic Breast Condition

Benign mammary dysplasia, is a general term used to describe those conditions which cause painful lumpiness and tenderness in both breasts, usually towards the end of the cycle. It is due to slightly abnormal responses of the underlying glandular and ductal tissue to the changes in the circulating levels of oestrogen and progesterone. If it is severe, ovulation may need to be suppressed either by the use of the combined oral contraceptive pill or other agents. The use of evening primrose oil is found, by some, to be helpful.

Fibrocystic Breast Condition is one of the most common causes of breast lumps in women age 35 - 50. As a result, multiple pockets of fluid (called sacs or cysts) develop, and an increase in fibrous tissue may form. In some instances a lump may consist only of fibrous, rubbery tissue (mammary dysplasia). The condition is so commonly found in normal breasts, it is believed to be a normal variant.

Tenderness and lump size commonly increase during the week before menstruation and decrease a week after. Fibrocystic condition usually disappears after menopause.

The cause is not completely understood, but the changes are believed to be associated with ovarian hormones since the condition usually subsides with menopause, and may vary in consistency during the menstrual cycle.

The incidence of it is estimated to be over 60% of all women. It is common in women between the ages of 30 and 50, and rare in postmenopausal women. The incidence is lower in women taking birth control pills. The risk factors may include family history and diet (such as excessive dietary fat, and caffeine intake), although these are controversial.

Inverted Nipples

For many women, having inverted nipples can be distressing. Lying flat against the breast or actually pulling in from the breast surface, they can be a source of self-consciousness and breastfeeding problems. Since the tissue is stretchable, if you can get hold of the end of the nipple, you can pull it out to a protruding position. The problem is that as soon as you let go, it goes back to the inverted position.

Inverted nipple means that the nipple does not protrude from the surface of the breast, but points inwards. Sometimes this is congenital, due to tethering: The nipple can occasionally be persuaded to evert (come out) by stimulation, but sometimes it is permanent and may cause problems with lactation and breast feeding. A nipple which originally pointed outwards and which becomes inverted may be being retracted by an underlying ductal problem such as duct ectasia or cancer, and needs to be investigated.

Inversion of the nipple is caused by a short milk duct system running from the chest wall to the nipple. Women with inverted nipples basically have a choice of two types of procedures and regardless of procedure chosen, inverted nipple repair can restore the nipple to a beautiful and natural, projecting appearance.

Surgical procedures to correct the inverted nipple can be divided into two types: those that leave the milk ducts intact and those that do not. In either case, the objective is to reshape the nipple and areola so that the nipple projects out from the breast, enhancing the appearance of the breast while preserving sensitivity of the nipple. The technique that leaves the milk ducts intact can also help preserve a woman´s ability to breastfeed.

Women who want to correct inverted nipples in order to breastfeed more easily should know that they have other options in addition to plastic surgery. First of all, contrary to popular belief, breastfeeding does not involve the nipple so much as the breast itself, and a hungry infant can achieve quite a vacuum, pulling a moderately recessed nipple out into his/her mouth. Many women interested in breastfeeding are concerned that their nipples are inverted, whereas in reality their nipples will serve quite adequately - when the time comes - without medical assistance.

The true inverted nipple is reportedly rare. It is characterized by a tendency to retract when the area around the nipple is squeezed. A flat or even slightly recessed nipple will not necessarily prevent successful breastfeeding

Menopause

Menopause is the time at "mid-life" when a woman has her last period. It happens when the ovaries stop releasing eggs - usually a gradual process. Sometimes it happens all at once. Perimenopause is the period of gradual changes that lead into menopause. It affects a woman's hormones, body, and feelings. It can be a stop-start process that may take months or years. "Climacteric" is another word for the time when a woman passes from the reproductive to the non-reproductive years of her life.

The ovaries' production of estrogen slows down during perimenopause. Hormone levels fluctuate, causing changes just as they did during adolescence. The changes leading to menopause may seem much more intense than those during puberty. The intensity may be affected by a woman's feelings about aging, including her reactions to social judgments about aging. Induced menopause occurs if the ovaries are removed or damaged as in hysterectomy or chemotherapy. In this case, menopause begins immediately, with no perimenopause. The time after menopause is called postmenopause.

Hot Flashes

Those infamous hot flashes are one of the first signs of menopause they are difficult to treat but are usually short-lived.

Infections

Frequent bladder infections (cystitis) or urinary tract infections are common after menopause. Atrophic vaginitis is also bothersome. Both can be treated in a variety of ways.

Sexual Problems

Low sex drive is a common finding at menopause often this can be treated by testosterone supplementation.

Mood Swings

Women who suffer from PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome),PMDD (Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder)or depression are more likely to experience mood swings during menopause.

Irregular Bleeding

Years ago heavy bleeding during menopause often led to a hysterectomy, now there are less invasive alternatives.

Memory Problems

Did you ever find yourself looking in the closet but not knowing what you are looking for only to remember what it was when you got back to the kitchen? You are not alone.

Some Major Threats To Know About

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, resulting in brittle bones, is a "silent thief" -- it robs your bones of calcium. There are no early warning symptoms until the disease results in broken bones.

Heart Disease

Heart attack affects just as many women as men in the United States. In fact more women than men die each year from heart disease.

Alzheimer's Disease

There are an estimated 4-12 million people with AD in the world today, and most are women. The chances of developing AD doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.

Colo-Rectal Cancer

Estrogen replacement therapy may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women.

Hormonal Therapies

Hormone Replacement Therapy

HRT uses pills, patches, implants, and vaginal creams to restore estrogen and other hormones that decrease during perimenopause and menopause. Testosterone is sometimes used to increase sexual desire.

Non-Hormonal Therapies

Exercise - Aerobic, weight bearing, and stretching exercises are recommended for reducing risks of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and symptoms of menopause.

Diet

A diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat is recommended for overall health benefits. Soy products, foods such as soybeans, tofu, soymilk, and roasted soy nuts, are also recommended. Soy contains phytoestrogens. These plant chemicals are similar to estrogen.

Vaginal Products

Over-the-counter creams without estrogen are also available - lubricants for intercourse and moisturizers for dryness.

Herbal Treatments

Herbalists recommend herbal tinctures, capsules, and infusions - especially those rich in phytoestrogens.

Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine practitioners recommend acupuncture and herbal treatments to harmonize a person's life energy or Qi (chee).

Homeopathy

Homeopaths recommend minute doses of medicines that in larger doses cause symptoms like those of the condition being treated. For example, a remedy made from onions is used to treat colds with symptoms like runny nose and teary eyes.

Many women also benefit from counseling during mid-life changes.

For more information visit these Breast Resource Links..

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