Mastitis is called mammary inflammation. The most common occurrence of mastitis in women, less often mastitis in children and men. The causes may be hypothermia, as well as improper treatment of lactostasis. Most often there is infectious mastitis, the causative agent of which is Staphylococcus aureus, less often Klebsiella, epidermal staphylococcus and other bacteria. Disease of mastitis is divided into 2 groups - lactational mastitis and fibrocystic. The method of treatment of mastitis depends on the causes of its occurrence.
Mastitis in a nursing mother (lactational mastitis) is a very common disease. The cause may be infection through cracks in the nipples or improper feeding. With infectious mastitis, it makes no sense to stop feeding, since the infection is transmitted to the child before the signs of illness in the mother, but with milk the baby will receive the substances necessary for the immune system. With improper feeding, lactostasis can first be formed (milk stagnation in the thoracic lobe due to obstruction of the ducts). And if you do not take any measures, the stagnation of milk can cause inflammation of the breast. Symptoms of lactostasis and mastitis are similar, but in any case, continued breastfeeding can help with treatment and is not considered dangerous for the child. Mastitis of the breast is not a contraindication for feeding, even when treated with antibiotics, because special medications are prescribed for nursing mothers. Folk treatment of mastitis is contraindicated until an accurate diagnosis is established, since many folk methods can only exacerbate the course of the disease.
Fibrous-cystic mastitis is not associated with the feeding of the child and, with its symptoms, a specialist consultation is necessary.
There are certain stages of the development of the disease, and if the disease is not treated, then the inflammation of the breast develops and flows into serous mastitis, infiltrative, purulent, abscessing, phlegmous and gangrenous. With purulent mastitis, surgical intervention may be necessary to prevent the development of more severe forms of the disease. When signs of mastitis appear, consult a doctor to determine the method of treatment.
Symptoms of mastitis
The most obvious signs of mastitis are pain, redness and swelling of the chest, tightening of the gland, fever. With such symptoms of mastitis, nursing should exclude lactostasis.
If there are purulent discharge from the chest, then urgent treatment is needed, since this is already a symptom of purulent mastitis. Also, with the development of the disease, an increase in the gland is observed, the skin on the breast becomes hot, an abscess may form under the skin or in the gland.
Diagnosis of mastitis
The methods of diagnosis include a blood test, analysis of discharge from the chest, ultrasound examination. When suspected of mastitis, nursing mothers undergo bacteriological examination of milk, the sample is taken from both a healthy and a sick chest.
Treatment of mastitis
How to treat mastitis can be determined only by an experienced specialist, self-medication can lead to a chronic course of the disease, the occurrence of purulent abscesses and other negative consequences. Treatment of mastitis with antibiotics is prescribed only after laboratory tests and establishment of a causative agent of the disease. When mastitis in nursing mothers are allowed only safe for children drugs.
Treatment with ultrasound can give positive results after the first procedures.
Treatment of mastitis with folk remedies is also possible, but only after diagnosis and consultation with the doctor. It is inadmissible to use alcoholic infusions, especially when breastfeeding, as the milk outlet is blocked. Cooling or heating the breast can also be contraindicated. Massaging the inflamed areas is not recommended, especially when the ducts are blocked, as the mammary gland is damaged.In the early stages of mastitis is treated out-patient, treatment is not long. With purulent mastitis in nursing mothers, feeding the patient with breast temporarily stops, the milk is expressed by the breast pump.
Operation with mastitis is required in cases when purulent formations appear or the disease acquires a gangrenous character.
Mastitis in newborns
Before childbirth and with milk, the mother's hormones can enter the baby's body, which in the first weeks and a half after the birth causes swelling of the mammary glands. Such a condition does not require intervention and takes place within 1-2 weeks. At the same time, one should not allow the nipples to be mechanically affected - squeeze, tightly swaddle the chest area. This phenomenon is considered normal and in medicine, mastitis is not called. But if the child becomes sluggish or nervous, the temperature rises and there are discharges from the mammary glands, then these are signs of purulent mastitis. In these cases, you need to immediately contact a specialist. Mastitis in a newborn often requires surgery, treatment is in the hospital.
Prevention of mastitis
For the prevention of mastitis, it is necessary to protect the breast from injury, as well as monitor the overall condition
Prevention of mastitis in nursing mothers is compliance with the rules of feeding, proper breast care, as well as performing hygiene procedures to avoid getting infection.
Timely appeal to a specialist in case of symptoms of mastitis allows to establish and cure the disease in a short time. Any delay can cause complications that require surgery. In the early stages, mastitis is not a dangerous and terrible disease, but you can not let it go by itself.