(S. Srakocic/ Healthline) — Breast lumps are very common. Fortunately, they’re not always a cause for concern. Ordinary reasons such as hormonal changes can cause breast lumps that appear and disappear on their own.
Over 1 million women have breast biopsies each year. According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, these tests show that up to 80 percent of lumps are benign, or noncancerous.
While you can’t determine on your own whether a lump is cancerous or not, you can learn some signs to look out for. These signs can tell you if a lump might be concerning and help you decide when to seek medical care.
You might be worried if you discover a lump in your breast, but lumps aren’t always a sign of a serious condition. Most breast lumps aren’t caused by cancer, especially if you’re under 40 years old and haven’t had breast cancer in the past.
Hard breast lumps will feel different from your typical breast tissue. They often have several harmless causes. (…)