Mastitis - an inflammatory disease of the breast, most often develops in women during lactation, although sometimes there are those who are not currently breastfeeding. Approximately one in ten women during breastfeeding ill mastitis; in most cases it occurs within the first three months after birth, and doctors to describe the disease often use the term "lactation mastitis."

Symptoms of mastitis

Mastitis usually affects only one breast, and causes the following symptoms:

• Redness and swelling of the breasts. Often, the breast becomes hot to the touch, and touch it can be very painful;
• The appearance of atypical solid areas on the chest;
• Burning and pain in the chest Chest pain   - In some patients these symptoms are always present, others - appear only at feeding time;
• Discharge from the nipple. They usually come in white, but sometimes they contain traces of blood.

Approximately half of the women suffering from mastitis, also have symptoms similar to flu-like symptoms, including:

• Body aches;
• Increase in body temperature to 38C or more;
• Chills and shivering;
• Weakness;
• General malaise.

When you see any symptoms of mastitis should immediately consult your doctor. In most cases, mastitis occurs without any complications, but the doctor's consultation and prompt treatment is needed to prevent the worsening of symptoms.

Causes

Non-infectious mastitis. In most cases, the cause of non-infectious mastitis is lactostasis or stagnation of milk - so the condition in which the milk ducts are not completely emptied during feeding. This may be caused by the following reasons:

• Child properly applied to the chest;
• Too much pressure on the chest - for example, because of the tight clothes, the wrong size bra, or due to the fact that you are sleeping on your stomach;
• The child has problems with sucking - for example, due to the structural features of the oral cavity;
• You started less to feed the baby - this often happens when a child begins to sleep at night, and therefore the need for a night feeding disappears. However, for some time, the body continues to produce milk under the old "Schedule" feedings, in consequence of which it may stagnate in the milk ducts;
• The child prefers one breast, so the other always remains unclaimed milk.

Lactostasis causes that some milk ducts are blocked. Experts still do not quite understand why under such conditions in the breast tissue inflammation begins. According to the most widespread theories, the cause of inflammation are specific proteins contained in human milk - cytokines. In general, cytokines are used by the immune system - they are transmitted to the child and to protect it from all sorts of infections. It is expected that a large gathering of cytokines in the milk ducts immune system takes them for a bacterium or virus, and causes inflammation of the breast tissue to stop the spread of infection.

Infectious mastitis. Fresh human milk usually can not serve as breeding ground for bacteria. However, if it stagnates in the milk ducts, it could start an infection. How the pathogens penetrate the breast tissue is unknown. On this account, there are two main versions:

• Bacteria that normally live on the skin in peace breasts without causing any harm to penetrate into the mammary gland through small skin lesions;
• Bacteria living in the mouth or throat of a child fall into the mammary gland during lactation.

The risk of mastitis infection increases if a woman has damaged nipples, or her baby has birth defects such as cleft lip Cleft lip   and cleft palate, which can cause damage to the teats.

Mastitis does not develop during lactation. Women who do not breastfeed, mastitis always cause infection. Various nipple damage, including - nipple piercings - increase the likelihood of mastitis.

Treatment

In most cases, mastitis respond well to treatment, and a significant improvement comes pretty quickly.

• Non-infectious mastitis

Patients with non-infectious mastitis is usually recommended for a few days (to improve) comply with bed rest and drink plenty of fluids. To relieve the symptoms, you can take non-prescription pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Paracetamol is excreted in breast milk, but in such small quantities that it does not harm the child. Aspirin during breastfeeding Breastfeeding: notes   can not be taken.

Warm compresses, a warm shower or bath can also relieve the symptoms of non-infectious mastitis. During treatment is not recommended to wear tight clothes and bras.

In all kinds of mastitis women are strongly encouraged to continue breastfeeding. After feeding, the patient remained in the breast milk must be express. Massage the chest with light strokes - this will quickly free up the blocked milk ducts; most intensively it recommended to massage those areas of the chest, where there is mastitis caused by seals. Before serving, you can wash your breasts with warm water, or make it a warm towel - this will slightly ease the current milk ducts.

• Infectious mastitis

For the treatment of infectious mastitis apply the above methods, as well as antibiotics. If you are breastfeeding, your doctor will prescribe the most safe antibiotic that will not harm the child. Usually, the symptoms of mastitis take place soon after the patient starts taking antibiotics, but despite this, it is necessary to continue taking the drug for as long as recommended by the doctor. Otherwise, it may happen relapse, and treatment will have to be held again.

Related Articles

Mastitis in lactating mothers: Causes and Treatment

Mastitis men: and not so rare

Nelaktatsionny mastitis: the problem in hormones

Mastitis newborn - are possible irreversible effects