How to Prepare for Mammography: 8 Steps

2025 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-10 14:49

Regular breast screening is vital for the health of women over the age of 35 and can lead to early cancer detection. Getting a mammogram can be nerve-wracking, but preparing earlier may make you less uncomfortable. Learn how to prepare for a mammogram to make the exam easier.

Steps

Step 1. Bring your previous exams with you

Especially if you have carried out them in other structures, it is always better to take the results with you. This medical history will be useful for the doctor who will make a comparison to find any points or abnormalities that may be present

Step 2. Avoid caffeine

Prepare for the exam by varying your diet and skipping coffee, energy drinks, or other caffeinated foods and beverages for a day or two. Caffeine can increase swelling of the breast tissues and make mammograms painful. By avoiding it, our system reduces swelling and sensitivity and the test will cause you less discomfort. Additionally, caffeine can make you nervous, worsening any anxiety you may feel about mammograms

Step 3. Book it at your convenience

Prepare by booking the exam at least one week after your period. Menstruation can increase the tenderness and swelling of the breast tissue, so if you book the exam at least one week after your period ends, you will reduce the problems and discomfort

Step 4. Wear two broken pieces

Dress in a shirt and pants instead of a suit or one-piece. This way you only have to take off the top. You will likely be wearing the hospital gown anyway but with the pants on you will feel less exposed

Step 5. Ask the nurse

It may be helpful to talk to your doctor or nurse about what to expect during your mammogram if this is your first time doing it or if your experiences have all been negative before. Understanding everything that is going to happen will calm you down and prepare you mentally

Step 6. Stay clean

Avoid deodorants, perfumes, body lotions, and sprays on the day of the exam. Some ingredients of these products contain metallic elements that could interact with the machinery, giving wrong or inconclusive results

Step 7. Take a pain reliever

Reduce pain during and after your mammogram by taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen an hour or two before your appointment. They are pain relievers and anti-inflammatories that can reduce post-exam swelling and pain