Mastitis Causes & Treatment
Mastitis is inflammation of a mammary gland. It often appears in women after childbirth because of nipple cracks infection that occurs in the course of lactation. Sometimes it happens just before birth.
Mastitis is considered a non-specific disorder, unlike breast actinomycosis.
Breast Inflammation after Pregnancy
The disease usually begins with lactostasis – inflammation and fever, but without microbial attack. You can define a painful spot, and skin gets reddish. More often lactostasis is noticeable in the underarm area.
Mastitis usually develops during lactation after delivery.
What Causes Mastitis?
streptococci;
staphylococci;
enterobacteria;
gonococci;
pneumococci;
anaerobic bacteria.
Mastitis is an infectious disease. It appears when microorganisms get into the breast ducts and lobules. Infection is dangerous because the breast may develop a festering that requires surgical treatment.
Mastitis Forms
Serous
A woman’s overall health is getting worse, she has fever, and breast milk is stagnated.
Infiltrative
There appears an infiltration in the breast, which later transforms into an abscess; the skin becomes reddish above the infiltration.
Purulent
There is a purulent inflammation.
Abscessed
There is a suppurative nidus – an abscess.
Phlegmonic
Purulent inflammation spreads on breast tissue.
Gangrenous
Massive necrosis develops in the breast,.
Mastitis Signs
The cause of mastitis is an infection. It penetrates through the cracks of the nipples causing lactostasis – ducts are plugged, and milk outflow is insuffucient, which, in its turn, reduces immunity. Mastitis occurs acutely or chronically.
Mastitis Symptoms
denser breast;
skin redness;
severe pain;
fever;
chills.
If the disease progresses, the breast becomes larger, the skin is painful and hot. An abscess develops inside the breast. Breastfeeding is painful and milk can been contaminated with pus and blood.
Why Is Mastitis Dangerous?
Mastitis is tricky because the more time passes since the beginning of the disease, the harder it is to treat. The main reason for lactostasis is poor milk drainage. After birth, in the first weeks it is important to express milk carefully after feeding.
For antibiotic treatment, doctors prescribe those that minimally affect a woman’s body and act in the source of infection. In purulent forms of mastitis, the patient is treated surgically.
Other Mastitis Treatment Tips
anti-inflammatory drugs;
physical therapy;
breast cooling;
lactation suppression – when indicated.
Mastitis Prevention
Mastitis prevention suggests the following measures:
prepare nipples for breastfeeding; if cracks appear, treat them;
do not allow milk stagnation; express breast milk after each feeding and apply cold;
carefully observe hygiene rules when breastfeeding;
keep your hands and nipples clean;
hold your baby against the breast properly; the baby should fully grasp the nipple and the areola;
at first signs of mastitis, consult a doctor.
