Supporting your breasts (not just with a bra…)

A few weeks ago I had a bit of a scare. During a routine breast self-examination I found a lump that was the size of a really big marble, the ones that used to be rare and super coveted when we were kids (and if you get that reference, you’re at the age you really need to start thinking about your breast health).

I already have to have an annual check-up at the Sydney Breast Clinic: I’ve been getting a yearly mammogram and ultrasound since I turned 37. Regular breast screening isn’t actually indicated until the age of 40, however, due to the presence of a few risk factors (fibrocystic breasts, high density breast tissue and a family history of ovarian cancer) it was recommended I start screening earlier. And while it’s definitely the most stressful day in my year (health-wise at least), it gives me so much peace of mind to know I’m doing everything I can to support my breast health.

Luckily I was able to get an emergency appointment where I had an ultrasound, and was very relieved to find out it was just a cyst.

So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk about fibrocystic breasts. They used to be called Fibrocystic breast disease, but they’ve recently removed the “disease” from the name because it’s considered a very common subtype of breast tissue, appearing in more than 50% of reproductive-age women, and is essentially benign. There is a minor association with increased breast cancer risk, but it's thought to be correlation not causation, which means having fibrocystic breasts doesn’t cause you to develop breast cancer, it’s more that you’re unlikely to notice any lumps or changes because your breast tissue is more lumpy anyway. This is why if you have fibrocystic breasts you should consider annual screening: the best tool we currently have against fighting breast cancer mortality is early detection, and self-assessment is borderline impossible with lumpy breasts, so some form of regular imaging (mammograms, ultrasounds and/or MRIs) should be undertaken in its place.

Because of the size of my cyst (and the discomfort it was causing me) the specialists were happy to drain it, but most of the time doctors don’t recommend this because the cysts will just grow back. However, this doesn’t mean you have to keep putting up with cyclical pain for decades to come. As Naturopaths, supporting a woman with benign fibrocystic breasts includes-

-          Balancing hormones, usually an oestrogen excess relative to progesterone, but also checking the different pathways of oestrogen metabolism, as some oestrogens can increase local production within the breast tissue itself

-          Optimising prolactin, as well as reducing inflammation which increases sensitivity to normal levels of prolactin

-          Ensuring normal thyroid hormone levels (if they’re low this can increase prolactin as well as impair ovulation, which is necessary to produce enough progesterone)

-          Normalising nutrient levels, including free copper and IODINE (this is a biggie, because it supports thyroid production, ovulation, oestrogen detoxification and normal oestrogen receptor function)

-          Enhancing lymphatic circulation to remove hormones, toxins and excess fluid

If you have painful, swollen, lumpy breasts, your first and foremost task is to go to your GP for immediate investigation and imaging (Sydney Breast Clinic is the best place to do this). And if you’re told you just have fibrocystic breasts and need to put up with it till menopause, a Naturopath can help reduce your symptoms.