Is Your Body Summer Ready?

It is common during the spring months to switch out hearty meals for lighter recipes; darker clothing in favor of pretty pastels; and to shake the dust off your trusty home workout DVDs, all in an effort to prepare for summer. Ah, summer, the time of year that calls for sunshine and cold drinks by the pool. When asked if they are “summer ready,” most women reply with a hasty, “No!” But, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, we urge you to think of being “summer ready” from a different angle.

This year, we propose you get “summer ready” in just 10 minutes by getting a mammogram screening. Mammography is the x-ray examination of breast tissues. The goal is to detect breast cancer in its early stages for early treatment. During a mammography scan, you can expect breast compression, which spreads the tissue apart to allow a lower dose of x-ray. We all know that breast compression may be temporarily uncomfortable, but it is necessary in order to produce a good mammogram image! The compression is only in place for a few seconds of the examination, and the entire procedure takes only about 10 minutes.

Sacrificing a few uncomfortable seconds and an exam totaling just 10 minutes seems like a small price to pay for peace of mind for an entire year!

If you fall into one of The American Cancer Society’s recommended breast cancer screening categories below, please consider regular screenings.

• Women age 20 to 39 should receive a clinical breast exam by a doctor or nurse every three years and complete a self-exam every month.
• Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year, a yearly clinical breast exam by a doctor or nurse, and conduct a self-exam every month. Note: Some physicians prefer a baseline mammogram be taken at age 35. Women with a strong family history of breast cancer may need to begin mammogram screenings at a younger age.

If you would like more information about mammography or would like to schedule an appointment, please call the Grinnell Regional Medical Center Radiology Department at 641-236-2355. Grinnell Regional Medical Center, here when you need us.