by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Over-the-counter lidocaine gel, a topical anesthetic (numbs up your skin) applied to the breasts and chest about an hour before a mammogram reduce discomfort and pain, according to a study published online at Radiology.

Some women won’t get a mammogram due to this discomfort. The breast has to be somewhat compressed in order for the test to be effective. This study showed that lidocaine gel be worth a try.

The women studied were expecting “substantial discomfort” during the mammogram. They were given either acetaminophen, ibuprofen, lidocaine gel (4 percent) or placebo (no active ingredient) tablets or gel. The lidocaine gel group reported an average 20 percent decrease in discomfort from all of the others. The ibuprofen and acetaminophen were no better than the placebos.

The authors found no decrease in mammogram quality, but check with your doctor or the mammogram center before you apply this. The study was small, and other things like deodorants and powders have been thought to potentially decrease the test accuracy of testing.

Other tips to avoid discomfort:

• Avoid caffeine for a few days prior to the study. It can increase breast discomfort in some.
• If you have increased breast tenderness or swelling at a certain time of the month, schedule around this.
• Ask about padding for the machine.
• Ask if it is possible for you to control the compression pressure. Some let you; some don’t.

This quest for a pain-free mammogram is a work in progress. Does anyone else have any tips?

Here’s a video on how to do a breast self-exam.

Also don’t forget regular professional exams.

Tags: breast cancer

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This entry's content reflects the opinions and reporting of the author and not necessarily that of JHMFD. This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 12:30 am and is filed under Cancer, Studies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.