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How to Avoid Painful Mammograms

Mammograms are an important medical prevention procedure for women. Mammograms are low-dose x-ray images to examine breasts. It is used to help diagnose breast diseases in woman. In general a x-ray is a painless method that helps doctors diagnose and treat medical problems.

For women, it is not the x-ray that hurts them, but generally the way the breast has to be positioned to be able to take the x-ray what makes it an uncomfortable, if not painful procedure.

Mammograms do not have to be painful and since they are necessary, it is important to share some of the tips with you that can make it much more comfortable and less painful for you to get a mammogram. During a mammogram, a special radiology technician positions your breast in the x-ray fixture. The fixture is generally a special platform, which compresses the breast with a paddle. The breast is placed in the fixture and then gradually compressed.

This compression is what makes it uncomfortable and sometimes even painful to women. The compression is necessary to even out the breast thickness so that all the breast tissue can be visualized. If the breast tissue is not spread out properly, small abnormalities might not be found under bigger overlaying tissue. Also, the spreading of the breast tissue allows for a lower x-ray dose, which is healthier for the human body. Also, during the x-ray imaging process, women are asked to move their position slightly to get better images of all the breast tissue.

Here are several tips to avoid painful mammograms and make them as comfortable as possible for you. First of all schedule your appointment about one and half weeks (10 days) after your period. This is the time when the breasts are the least sensitive and the least swollen. Less tenderness in your breasts will reduce the amount of pain that might otherwise be experienced.

Another great tip that might help you if you are a more sensitive type towards pain is to take a pain reliever before your mammogram. Take an over the counter pain reliever approximately one hour before the mammogram appointment, but do tell your physician about it. Pain relievers can help reduce any pain that might be experienced.

Did you know that caffeine could make your breasts tender? About one week before your next mammogram switch away from any caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and pop, to non-caffeinated drinks.

One very important factor that many women forget is talk to your technician. Should you experience pain during your mammogram, tell your technician about it. Sometimes it might just be something minor to adjust to reduce or eliminate that pain. Maybe your breast needs to be repositioned and why should you feel pain if it is preventable?

Another possibility for you to have a more comfortable experience and less pain during your mammogram is to ask for certain new technologies available on the medical market. Some companies have developed softer pads and paddles. These softer versions have been proven to reduce the pain and discomforts associated with mammograms up to 70%.

Since pain is one of the major reasons why women do not have their mammograms after the age of forty as they should, anything that can help should be used. Talk to your doctor about your issues. Mammograms are an important prevention method and generally are paid by your insurance. Go and have your mammogram done. Do not be afraid, use these tips to achieve a more painless procedure and therefore go on regular scheduled bases. Reduce your risk of cancer and pain.