October puts breast health in the spotlight, although your body speaks up all year long. At Jovi, we want you to feel calm, clear, and confident about listening to those signals and asking for answers. As Dr. Beth DuPree, MD reminds us, “Your body speaks to you through subtle signals: fatigue, tenderness, anxiety, or physical changes.” Far too often, “women dismiss these whispers until they become shouts.” We’re here to help you hear the whispers early and advocate for yourself with compassion and courage.

In This Article

1. Common Signs You've Heard About + The Subtle Ones You May Not
2. Why Early Detection Matters
3. What To Do If You Feel A Mass Or Notice A Change (Dr. Beth's Playbook)
4. Encouragement To Self-Check And To Start The Conversation
5. Your Intuition Is A Life-Saving Tool

1. Common Signs You've Heard About + The Subtle Ones You May Not

You probably know to pay attention to a new lump or bloody nipple discharge. But cancer can present more quietly, too. While many breast changes are benign, get new or persistent changes checked; especially if they’re one-sided or feel different than your normal.

Subtle breast cancer symptoms to watch for

• Skin texture shifts (dimpling, “orange peel”), puckering, or unusual thickening

• Contour or shape changes (one breast looks newly fuller, higher, or asymmetric)

• Nipple changes (new inversion, flattening, scaling/crusting, or a change in direction)

• Persistent redness, warmth, or darkening not linked to irritation

• Non-milky discharge (clear, bloody, or spontaneous from a single duct)

• Focal, non-cyclic tenderness; a firm ridge/area that stands out

• Underarm/collarbone swelling or a new sense of heaviness on one side

And remember Dr. Beth’s framing: “The body’s messages are invitations to pay attention, not sources of fear.”

2. Why Early Detection Matters

When you act on a change, you trade uncertainty for information; and that opens doors to earlier, often less invasive care. As Dr. Beth shares from the operating room: “I’ve seen women who trusted their intuition save their own lives. They felt something ‘off’ and didn’t settle for reassurance of their doctor who is not a breast specialist, they pursued answers and imaging with a breast cancer expert.”

That could look like adding an ultrasound for dense breasts, asking for a referral to a breast specialist, or simply scheduling that evaluation sooner rather than later. Awareness is power because it leads to action, and action leads to clarity.

3. What To Do If you Feel A Mass Or Notice A Change (Dr. Beth's Playbook)

“If you ever discover something new in your breast, whether it is a lump, a change in contour, texture, or nipple discharge or change in appearance, you have bodily agency and autonomy.” Here’s exactly what Dr. Beth tells her patients:

• “Don’t panic but don’t delay.” Most changes are benign; only imaging and expert evaluation can confirm that.

• “Schedule an evaluation promptly.” Start with your physician, “but ask directly for a breast ultrasound if you’re under 40 or have dense tissue to assess any new breast mass.”

• “Advocate for yourself.” “If you’re told ‘it’s probably a cyst,’ you have the right to request an ultrasound or a referral to a breast specialist.”

• “Track changes.” “Note any new symptoms, size, or pain pattern and share them at your appointment.”

• “Get follow-up imaging if needed.” “If a lump or symptom persists, insist on answers, not assumptions.”

• “Trust your intuition.” “You know your body best. ‘If you feel something, say something.’”

This is self-advocacy in action: calm, clear, and persistent.

4. Encouragement To Self-Check And To Start The Conversation

Build a simple monthly ritual to know your normal:

• Look in the mirror (arms at sides, overhead, and on hips) for changes in skin, contour, and nipples.

• Feel with the pads of your fingers using light/medium/firm pressure in a consistent pattern (circles, vertical lines, or wedges).

• Include the full map: collarbone to bra line, breastbone to side seam, and into the armpit (tail of Spence).

When you talk with your clinician, borrow Dr. Beth’s clarity: bring notes (when you noticed the change, where it is, whether it varies with your cycle) and ask directly for the imaging or referral you need. As she reminds us, “Breast health is not simply the absence of disease, it’s the daily practice of balance, awareness, and compassion toward yourself.” “When we honor our emotions, nourish our bodies, and listen to our intuition, we become our own best healers.”

5. Your Intuition Is A Life-Saving Tool

Your body’s whispers matter. You have the right to ask questions, to request imaging, and to see a breast specialist. As Dr. Beth says, “You know your body best.” Share this with a friend who needs a nudge to book that appointment or follow up on something new. Awareness together is powerful.