Women's Health

Do you have diabetes?

Do you have a disease or take medicine that causes problems with your immune system?

Do you have increasing pain in one area of the breast?

Do you have increasing redness in one area of the breast, or red streaks extending away from an area of the breast?

Do you have drainage of pus from the nipple or another area of the breast?

Do you know or think you have a fever?

Do you have swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck or armpit?

Are your nipples cracked and bleeding after 24 hours of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have diabetes?

Do you have a disease or take medicine that causes problems with your immune system?

Have you been treated for a breast infection and your symptoms have not improved after 3 to 4 days of treatment?

Have your symptoms returned after completing treatment with antibiotics for a breast infection?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have severe breast pain?

Do you have moderate breast pain?

Have you had mild breast pain for 2 weeks or longer?

Do you have breast pain that comes and goes?

Do you have breast pain that occurs regularly with your menstrual cycles, and home treatment has not relieved your pain?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have breast tenderness that you think may be caused by a medicine?

Do you have nipple discharge that you think may be caused by a medicine?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have a lump or thickening in the breast or armpit?

Do you have a change in the size or shape of your breast?

Are you a man who has found a breast lump?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have skin changes, such as dimpling or puckering of the skin of the breast?

Do you have nipple discharge that comes out without squeezing the nipple (spontaneous discharge)?

Do you have bloody nipple discharge?

Do you have a change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast or the darker area around the nipple (areola)?

Do you have a nipple that is drawn inward (retraction or inversion)?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may need immediate care. Call your health professional now to discuss your symptoms and arrange for your care.

• Symptoms are likely to worsen without medical care.
• If you do not have a health professional, seek emergency care.
• Emergency transportation is not needed. However, if you are not able to travel safely either by driving yourself or having someone else drive you, call an ambulance.

You do not need to answer any of the other questions.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you need to call your health professional to discuss your symptoms and arrange for care.

• An appointment today is usually needed.
• Symptoms are unlikely to improve without medical care.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may wait to see if your symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or the specified time period). If symptoms improve, no appointment is needed.

• If symptoms do not improve after 24 hours (or the specified time period), an appointment within the next 24 hours is usually needed.
• If appropriate, try home treatment to relieve your symptoms.
• Check your symptoms in 24 hours, or sooner if there is any change.
• Call your health professional if symptoms get worse.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.