Inflammation of the breast

Quite often, young mothers, who first breastfeed their baby, face such a problem as inflammation of the ducts of the breast mammary gland or, in other words, mastitis. In this case we are talking about lactational mastitis. But this disease can occur not only in women during breastfeeding, but also in traumatizing the breast, implanting foreign bodies, furuncles, carbuncles into it, when the inflammatory process penetrates into the deeper layers of the breast tissue (non-lactating mastitis).

Mastitis should be distinguished from other inflammatory diseases of the skin of the breast and its subcutaneous tissue (abscess, carbuncle, phlegmon, furuncle, erysipelas), which is otherwise called paramastitis.

Symptoms of inflammation of the breast

Mastitis usually begins with a serous stage, which is characterized by the presence of severity and pain in the mammary gland, fever, chills, profuse sweating. At the same time the breast increases, the skin on her blushes and becomes painful to the touch. The amount of expressed milk is reduced.

If there is no treatment at this stage or it is not done correctly, then the condition worsens. Redness of the skin over the inflamed part of the gland increases, this area is clearly palpable.

Further mastitis passes into the phlegmonous stage, in which lymph nodes are involved in the inflammation process, the gland itself is even larger and the skin on it becomes cyanotic.

On the gangrenous stage there are necrotic areas and blisters with dark bloody contents. Edema spreads to nearby tissues.

After 3-4 days develops abscessing mastitis, which is characterized by an even higher temperature rise. The infiltrated site of the gland becomes sharply painful, in its center there is a softening, indicating the onset of an abscess.

With mastitis, not associated with lactation, the symptoms are not so pronounced. At the beginning of the disease, all the painful sensations are associated with the primary focus of the infection (boil, carbuncle, injured skin area). Then there is inflammation of the breast tissue.

How to treat inflammation of the breast?

To treat mastitis should be approached very seriously and not engage in self-medication.

Conservative treatment of inflammation of the breast suggests the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and the creation of resting gland. A woman, as a rule, is recommended bed rest with a breast of elevated position by using immobilizing dressings or a bra that supports the gland.

If the breast is inflamed, then to reduce lactation reduce the amount of fluid consumed, appoint Synestrol, salt laxative, Diethylstilbestrol, camphor.

At the initial stages of the disease, it is recommended to apply cold to the breast between the feeds, as well as complete emptying of the breast (more frequent applying or expressing the milk with a breast pump ).

At later stages, the use of antibiotic therapy, novocain blockades.

If suppuration occurs, the abscess is opened, and the feeding of the affected gland is temporarily stopped. After the operation, the reception of antibiotics continues, the abscess cavity is washed with chlorhexidine, dioxidine or furicillin with a daily change of dressings.

To prevent inflammation of the breast, it is necessary: