How to know WHAT is normal? Seeking advice

Hi all,

I'm hoping to get some advice from people here whom I am sure have a lot more experience than me. I am 21 years old and this year I have started to regularly check my breasts. It's just that I can't seem to find anything online about checking for the first time. It says 'learn what is normal for you' but as I have never properly checked before, I have no idea! I think I have found a small lump but my mom thinks it is just tissue/muscle. Obviously, I don't know if this is normal for me or if I need to get it checked. It is so confusing. I have health anxiety too, and this can contribute to me worrying I have something major and I will often feel things that aren't actually there. Is there someone who knows what I could do? I know my left boob has always been slightly more lumpy than my left but I'm not sure when to get help and when to note it's my 'normal'. 

  • Hi emlouisex, 

    It's good that you started to regularly check your breasts but as you suffer from health anxiety too, it is important obviously to strike the right balance between regularly checking your breasts and making sure there have been no changes and getting too obsessive about it.  But it's good to be breast aware and you can read more about breast awareness on this page. As a general rule, if you have any breast changes and are worried about these you should go to your GP so there is no harm in getting that small lump you found checked by your GP who will also be able to tell you more about what to look out for and what is normal. 

    I thought I would also share this document with you from Breast Cancer Care which will visually show you what to look out for and how to check your breasts properly. 

    I hope this helps! 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator