One of the common problems for women is breast lumps or changes in the breast. It will always be a source of major anxiety any time a lump is located. And though it isn’t unusual for a woman to have different types of lumps in the breast during the course of her life or to have changes occur at times, they can still be a cause for anxiety. Things that contribute to this problem are age, menstrual periods and pregnancy. In most cases those lumps and breast changes are very normal. That may not be of much consolation to the woman who just found a lump for the first time. The waiting period until seeing the doctor and then having some tests can sure keep the stress level out of control.

Sometimes the waiting in that unknown can be so much worse than actually finding out the truth. At least if it is a tumor you can deal more with the facts than having the mind wander to dwelling on all the fears over what might happen. That is so hard to avoid during that phase. It can really be so upsetting and lead to plenty of sleepless nights. And no matter how hard you try to think of other things it is easy to have life feel like it is on hold until an answer is provided. You may have some trip planned or other important event that will have to be postponed. And without any help in terms of lab test results or other facts you can rely upon this just becomes something that has to be put on the backburner for an indefinite period.

With breast lumps there are certain benign or non-cancerous types that commonly take place. These include sacs that are filled with fluid, generalized breast lumpiness, painless, movable and firm lumps, damaged fatty tissue, growth in the ducts, enlargement of lymph nodes in the breast, breast pain, breast infections, nipple discharge and inflamed blood vessels. They are represent conditions where some change occurs that doesn’t represent a possible cancer tumor. Still when such things do take place it will be necessary to have the doctor check out the condition. There is no way to truly be sure about the problem without running tests. Only the doctor is able to actually make that kind of examination and then recommend specific tests. Which he will review once the initial examination is completed. So that will again be a matter of waiting to find out the results.

And that begins the long ordeal in some cases of hours spent in labs waiting to take tests. To spend time in some waiting room after not being able to eat or drink for hours in order to have some PET or CAT scan. Then after all that wait, to have some radioactive fluid put in your veins and then have to lie down on some table. Afterwards they slide you into this tube that can feel very tight quarters. And inside that tube you can’t move while they are taking the pictures. That can make the 15 to 20 minutes or more seem like forever. Once you are done you go home and can wait for days to find out the results. It can be very anxiety based to sit and wait for the phone call or the letter in the mail.

It is all part of the process of what follows when a tumor is discovered. But then that is what makes such a relief when the news comes that it is not cancer. All that time and testing will be such a relief when it comes back benign. So for that reason it is something that is well worth the time spent just to have the truth.

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