Repeated mastitis. Mastitis: forms of the disease, symptoms and treatment

Mastitis- this is an inflammation (most often one-sided) of the mammary gland caused by pathogenic coccal flora (most often staphylococci). In most cases (96%), mastitis develops in lactating women (more often after the first birth) or in recent weeks pregnancy. Non-lactating mastitis develops in non-lactating women, young girls (juvenile mastitis) and newborns.

The female mammary glands are designed to perform the complex functions of producing milk and feeding the baby. With a variety of shapes and sizes (women with the same breasts do not exist), the mammary glands in all women have a constant and complex structure. The mammary gland is represented mainly glandular tissue located under the skin surrounded by fatty tissue. Connective tissue passes through the thickness of the gland, dividing it into several (15-20) large lobes, each of which branches into smaller ones glandular structures- slices. In the lobules are mammary glands, which are winding tubes with extensions at the end (alveoli). Milk is formed in the alveoli, and the tubules perform the function excretory ducts and open on the nipple. The mammary glands are permeated with blood and lymphatic vessels.

Infection in the mammary glands can penetrate in several ways:

- The most frequent and "simple" way for microbes to enter the breast tissue is formed in postpartum period. In the mammary glands of lactating women, the milk passages are actively functioning, through which, under certain conditions, pathogenic bacteria penetrate from the environment. The so-called lactational mastitis is the most numerous group of mastitis.

- Mechanical injuries of the mammary gland and nipple cracks can serve as "entrance gates" of infection.

- Relatively less often, infection in the mammary glands comes from distant foci purulent inflammation.

Inflammation can develop in the area of ​​the nipple or areola in case of penetration of microbes through cracks into the tissue of the gland (interstitial mastitis). If microbes enter the glandular lobules through the milk ducts (parenchymal mastitis), inflammatory process develops in the thickness of the gland and is limited to the glandular lobules. If the pus from the affected chest lobule is evacuated on its own, self-healing occurs. Sometimes there is a purulent fusion of the capsule of the gland, inflammation passes into the surrounding tissue, and parenchymal mastitis becomes interstitial.

Like any inflammatory process, mastitis has several successive stages of development, during which the inflammation passes from the phase serous inflammation in heavy purulent process. As the process progresses, the symptoms of mastitis increase, and may form purulent abscess or . Most often, mastitis is diagnosed and treated in the acute stage, so chronic forms of mastitis are rare.

Serious purulent mastitis with a severe course among patients occurs on this moment rarely, and then as a result of late or incorrect therapy, or in case of significant deviations in the functioning of the immune system. Purulent forms of mastitis can lead to the most formidable complication - sepsis, life threatening sick.

Treat mastitis is a must!

Mastitis is one of the diseases that simply cannot be overlooked. Most often, women seek help in the early stages of the disease and receive qualified medical care on time. In modern antenatal clinics and maternity hospitals, preventive conversations are held with women about the prevention of mastitis.

The expression "breast mastitis" is not literate. The term "mastitis" comes from the Greek word mastos - chest, therefore, the name of the disease and speaks of its localization. Mastitis cannot occur anywhere else except in the mammary glands. Breast mastitis does not exist.

Causes of mastitis

Mastitis is infectious. Infectious purulent mastitis develops with the participation of pyogenic flora: staphylococci, streptococci, coli and others. In the occurrence of mastitis, one pathogen or a combination of them can play a role. In the latter case, the disease is more severe and is accompanied by a bright clinic.

Through microtrauma and cracks in the nipple, microbes lymphatic vessels or through the milk passages they enter the tissue of the mammary glands, where they provoke an inflammatory purulent process (abscesses and phlegmon). The toxins produced by mastitis pathogens melt the surrounding tissues, and the inflammation quickly begins to spread, involving a large number of surrounding tissue.

Sites of purulent inflammation are classified according to the place of localization: in the areola, subcutaneous, located in the stroma (in the thickness) of the gland and retromammary (under the mammary gland).

Purulent lactational mastitis develops against the background of lactostasis (milk stagnation) in combination with an infection. Usually, if lactostasis is not eliminated in 3-4 days, it transforms into purulent lactational mastitis. Thus, the causes of lactostasis are also the causes of mastitis. With lactostasis in the ducts, with the participation of infectious agents, milk fermentation processes begin. Ideal conditions are created for the reproduction of pyogenic bacteria, and the process quickly spreads through the mammary gland, acquiring the character of purulent inflammation.

Predisposing factors for mastitis after childbirth include structural changes in the mammary glands (, scars and others) and violations of hygiene rules. The state of the immune system of patients determines the severity of the course of the disease.

Non-lactational mastitis is rare. The reasons for its occurrence include:

- traumatic injuries of the mammary glands;

- purulent processes in the skin or subcutaneous tissue mammary gland( , ) when inflammation begins to capture the underlying tissues;

- foreign bodies (for example, piercing or implant) in the mammary glands;

- purulent inflammation of any breast formations.

In the appearance of non-lactational mastitis, microbial associations take part, and not one pathogen, as in the case of lactation.

Symptoms and signs of mastitis

Mastitis often affects one mammary gland. Bilateral lesion of the glands is noted in 16-21% of all cases.

Symptoms of mastitis increase gradually as the infection spreads. There are acute and chronic forms of the clinical course of mastitis. The development of subsequent stages, as a rule, is either the result of a woman's inattentive attitude to her condition, or provoked by improper therapy.

Acute mastitis in the initial stage is in the nature of serous inflammation. Serous mastitis is characterized by an unexpressed clinic and a mild course. The mammary gland becomes evenly dense to the touch and slightly painful to the touch. Temperature at serous form mastitis can reach 38°C. Discovered in time serous mastitis responds well to therapy and is eliminated in a relatively short time.

In case of late diagnosis and / or lack of adequate treatment, mastitis acquires an infiltrative form. Pain in the affected area of ​​the mammary gland becomes pronounced, the temperature continues to rise. The affected breast looks edematous, increases in size and becomes painful. A painful dense infiltrate with indistinct boundaries appears at the site of inflammation, the skin of the gland turns red. Regional lymph nodes may be enlarged.

The abscessing form of acute mastitis usually begins after 3 to 4 days and is next stage the development of inflammation, when in the formed infiltrate the formation of purulent cavity- an abscess. There are signs of intoxication - chills, fever (body temperature reaches 40 ° C), enlarged lymph nodes. In the mammary gland, a sharply delimited painful area is palpated. Unlike an infiltrate, an abscess is softer to the touch (due to liquid pus accumulated in it). The structure of the mammary gland predisposes to the spread of the purulent process throughout the entire thickness, sometimes patients have multiple abscesses that look like honeycombs. Superficial abscesses may open on their own.

If the wall of the abscess is subjected to purulent fusion, and the process becomes diffuse, the phlegmonous form of mastitis begins. Phlegmon does not have clear boundaries, therefore, when palpation of the mammary gland, it is not possible to identify a clearly demarcated area of ​​compaction. The patient's condition is severe, the symptoms of intoxication are aggravated, fever is increasing (temperature exceeds 40 ° C). characteristic feature is a pronounced swelling and enlargement of the mammary gland, an inverted nipple and a cyanotic skin tone.

The gangrenous form of mastitis is the most severe, it is a running purulent process. The mammary gland greatly increases in size, acquires a purple-cyanotic hue, foci of necrosis become black. Multiple blisters may appear on the surface of the gland, similar to the effects of a burn.

terrible complication purulent mastitis is sepsis - a generalized purulent infection that poses a threat to the life of the patient.

Chronic mastitis proceeds in an infiltrative form and is more often secondary, as a result of ineffective treatment of an acute process. Much less often, chronic mastitis is primary. The general condition of the patient suffers slightly, the affected mammary gland may be somewhat enlarged in size, a very dense, almost painless infiltrate is well palpated in it. Infrequently, enlarged lymph nodes or a moderately elevated temperature can be found.

Non-lactational mastitis has no clear clinical signs, most often occurs with the formation of an abscess.

Mastitis in a breastfeeding mother

Towards total number childbirth frequency of mastitis is from 3 to 20%. In most cases, purulent inflammation in the mammary gland in women in the postpartum period is caused by S. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus). "Entrance gates" for pathogenic microbes are cracks and microtraumas of the nipples. It is possible for the infection to enter through the milk passages during feeding or pumping. Mastitis in a nursing mother may be the result of improper care of the mammary glands or develop if personal hygiene is not followed.

Postpartum mastitis, unlike its other forms, is predominantly associated with lactation (hence the name "lactational") and is diagnosed in 2-11% of lactating women. Lactational mastitis is characterized by unilateral lesions of the mammary glands, develops mainly at 5-6 weeks after childbirth and goes through all the stages inherent in acute purulent mastitis of any origin.

Violation of the regimen and / or rules of breastfeeding provokes stagnation of milk in the mammary gland, which provokes the development of local non-infectious inflammation.

Since the trigger for the development of inflammation is lactostasis, at the beginning of the disease, a woman has a feeling of tension in the mammary gland. Stagnation of milk leads to the fact that the mammary gland increases in size, and the overflowing milk ducts can be palpated in the form of painful seals without pronounced boundaries. The amount of expressed milk is significantly reduced, the body temperature rises.

If lactostasis is not eliminated in the next 3-4 days, the secondary pathogenic flora is attached, which causes the decomposition of milk and damage to the milk passages, that is, the process takes on the character of acute purulent inflammation. The mammary gland looks edematous and reddened, the discharge from the nipple becomes purulent, symptoms of intoxication increase. An attempt to empty the mammary gland is not possible due to severe pain. The further scenario of the disease depends on how quickly the patient seeks qualified help: if a woman does not turn to a specialist, does it too late, or tries to cope with the disease on her own, the likelihood of developing a severe infectious process becomes very high.

Non-lactational mastitis after childbirth is much less common, it develops without the participation of lactation and is similar to that in non-lactating women.

Mastitis in newborns

Purulent mastitis in infants develops infrequently. Sometimes women confuse the concepts of mastitis and physiological mastopathy in newborns.

Physiological mastopathy (breast engorgement) appears in about 70% of newborns and is absolutely normal. For proper development the fetus and the continuation of pregnancy, a woman needs estrogens. During pregnancy, they are produced so much that they penetrate to the fetus in utero through the placenta and accumulate in his body. After childbirth (usually within the first month of life), the body of the newborn begins to get rid of unnecessary mother's estrogens. A sharp decline hormone levels leads to the so-called "sexual crisis", leading to changes in the mammary glands.

Physiological mastopathy is considered one of the indicators of healthy adaptation of newborns to extrauterine life. The sexual crisis is most clearly manifested in those babies whose gestation and birth took place without serious complications. All changes in the glands with physiological mastopathy are reversible and disappear on their own within 2 to 4 weeks.

The gender of the newborn is not associated with a hormonal sexual crisis, but physiological mastopathy is more characteristic of female newborns.

Physiological mastopathy of newborns begins to appear within two days after childbirth, by the end of the first week of life, the symptoms decrease and may completely disappear within a month. The mammary glands increase in size evenly, occasionally the process can be unilateral. You should not panic if a small amount of fluid similar to colostrum is released from the milk ducts. The skin of the mammary glands does not show signs of inflammation, and their engorgement does not cause any inconvenience to the baby.

Mastopathy of newborns does not require any intervention. Attempts by parents to “treat” a child can provoke the transformation of a simple physiological state into a pathological infectious process. Excessive hygiene procedures, all kinds of compresses and lubrication, heating, squeezing out the contents of the mammary glands lead to the fact that all kinds of mechanical damage appear on the delicate skin of the breast (especially the nipples) - cracks, scratches, irritations, etc. Through such damage, microbes penetrate deep and provoke development severe septic complication - neonatal mastitis.

Mastitis in newborns can develop as a result of improper care of the baby. It is very important to bathe the child in a timely manner and prevent development.

As in the case of mastopathy, children of both sexes can get sick with mastitis. The disease begins at the moment when the symptoms of physiological mastopathy begin to disappear. Instead of their complete disappearance, there is a rapid development of the clinic of an acute infectious process, in most cases having a one-sided character.

The mammary gland becomes painful and increases in size. As the disease progresses, the skin of the chest turns red and becomes hot, you can feel the seal at the site of inflammation. The child's condition worsens as the infection worsens. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, an abscess will form at the base of the breast infiltrate. At this stage of the disease, children require urgent surgical care: the cavity of the abscess must be opened, and the pus must be evacuated. With non-intervention, the purulent process can develop further and go into a generalized form - sepsis.

Purulent mastitis in newborns should be treated exclusively in a surgical hospital. Treatment methods depend on the stage of the process and the condition of the child.

Diagnosis of mastitis

Diagnosis of mastitis begins with a study of the patient's complaints, such as pain in the affected gland and deterioration in well-being. May be noted purulent discharge from the nipple and fever. Breastfeeding women often report symptoms of lactostasis that precede the development of acute mastitis and/or cracked nipples.

During visual examination and subsequent palpation of the affected mammary gland, the presence and nature of compaction, swelling, discoloration and skin temperature are determined. Pay attention to the enlargement of the lymph nodes, the condition of the nipples and areola, the presence of purulent discharge, rashes and cracks. With a superficial purulent mastitis during palpation, an abscess of the mammary gland can be detected.

After a conversation and a thorough examination, a laboratory diagnostics:

- A complete blood count indicates an acute inflammatory process: an increase in the number of leukocytes and an increase in ESR.

— Examination of milk reveals an increase in the content of leukocytes (more than 106/ml) and bacteria (more than 103 cfu/ml).

- Bacteriological examination of the discharge from the nipples allows you to reliably establish the pathogen, and also, for the purpose of subsequent therapy, determine its sensitivity to antibiotics.

If necessary, clarify the diagnosis is assigned ultrasound scan mammary glands. It allows you to determine the presence, location and size of foci of purulent inflammation. During an ultrasound, the doctor can puncture the foci of inflammation and obtain material for bacteriological examination.

During the diagnosis, it is necessary to differentiate mastitis from lactostasis, which is sometimes difficult, since purulent mastitis often follows lactostasis. Distinctive features of lactostasis is the improvement of the patient's condition after emptying the gland and the absence of signs of purulent inflammation.

Mastitis treatment

The treatment of mastitis is an extensive and varied complex. therapeutic measures. The choice of method and timing of treatment remains with the attending physician.

With the most favorable scenario is the treatment started in the initial phases of the development of mastitis, when external signs no illness yet, but there are complaints about discomfort in the area of ​​the mammary gland and congestion (heaviness, swelling, etc.). Essentially, the treatment initial stages mastitis (serous stage of the process) is a treatment for lactostasis. Sometimes it is enough to provide complete emptying glands by setting correct mode feeding and expressing milk. If the symptoms increase, fever joins (temperature increase over 37.5 ° C), severe pain appears, and there is a need for antibiotic therapy. In addition to antibiotics, antispasmodics, ultrasound or UHF therapy are used.

Breastfeeding can be continued if the inflammation is eliminated, and bacteriological studies of milk have negative result. Feeding is carried out exclusively from a bottle, it is not recommended to apply the baby to any breast. Expressed milk from a diseased gland is not used, and obtained from a healthy one, it is pasteurized and given to the child using a bottle. Expressed milk cannot be stored. The decision to stop or continue feeding at any stage of inflammation is made by the doctor on an individual basis.

Treatment with antibiotics is carried out no longer than 10 days. If improvement does not occur after 48-72 hours from the start of therapy, it is necessary to exclude the formation of an abscess. Despite adequate antibiotic therapy initial forms acute mastitis, breast abscesses develop in 4-10% of cases.

The abscessing phase of mastitis in most cases requires surgical intervention. In relatively mild cases, it is possible to puncture the abscess, evacuate the purulent contents and administer antibiotics directly to the focus of inflammation.

If the patient's condition is severe, the patient is immediately hospitalized in a surgical hospital, where the abscess is opened and drained, followed by mandatory antibiotic therapy.

Self-treatment of mastitis at any stage can have the most unpredictable and often sad consequences!

Compress for mastitis

Despite numerous reminders of the dangers of self-treatment of purulent processes, the number of women who are fond of home treatment of acute mastitis does not decrease. Appropriateness of therapy folk remedies should be discussed with your doctor first. Acute mastitis, especially against the background of lactostasis, develops quickly, and if antibiotic therapy is not timely, severe septic complications may occur, so the time spent on home treatment, can only contribute to the aggravation and spread of infection.

For the purpose of treating mastitis, women use all kinds of compresses. To "warming" compresses with alcohol solutions should not be resorted to - when purulent inflammation begins in the mammary gland, any thermal procedure contributes to the rapid spread of microbes throughout the gland, and instead of alleviating the patient, the patient will only harm herself even more.

Among other things, alcohol aggravates lactostasis.

Compresses with camphor oil will not help cure mastitis. If camphor gets into milk, it will harm the baby.

For the treatment of mastitis initial stages apply compresses (not hot) with medicinal herbs, grated carrots, rice starch, pieces are used kombucha, leaves of fresh cabbage and coltsfoot. From the entire arsenal of methods traditional medicine for each specific patient, the attending physician will help to choose the right one.

Prevention of mastitis

Prevention of purulent mastitis includes measures that eliminate its causes, should begin at antenatal clinic, continue in the maternity hospital and end in the children's clinic.

Prevention of mastitis consists of several simple rules:

- The rules of personal hygiene allow you to keep the skin of the mammary glands clean. It is necessary to take a shower in a timely manner and change underwear. Do not wear underwear that squeezes the mammary glands. Underwear made of synthetic fabrics irritates the skin of the breast and prevents the mammary glands from “breathing”.

— Timely treatment cracks and irritation of the nipples will prevent the development of inflammation and the development of mastitis. It is not recommended to feed the baby on the breast on which the nipple is damaged.

- A correctly chosen feeding regimen and compliance with the rules for emptying the mammary gland (pumping) will prevent lactostasis and its consequences.

- correct good nutrition, rich in vitamins and proteins, will help increase the body's resistance to infections.

In each antenatal clinic, classes are held where expectant mothers are told about the methods and ways of preventing mastitis. In the maternity hospital, such conversations are conducted by a feeding specialist. After discharge from the maternity hospital, the young mother is helped by the patronage nurse: During mother and baby visits at home, she teaches how to hold and properly breastfeed the baby during feeding, how to properly care for the mammary glands and how to express milk. It is hard not to agree that with such a well-organized preventive work Every woman has the opportunity to maintain her health.

The most reliable way to prevent mastitis is a timely visit to the doctor. In the presence of any trouble in the mammary glands, you need to contact a specialist.

Mastitis is a disease in which the breast becomes inflamed. It affects women from 15 to 45 years old.

With mastitis, there is severe inflammation of the breast tissue. This disease is considered a common complication after a woman has given birth to a child. Usually, the first signs of the disease begin to bother a woman a few weeks after the birth itself. It is during this time period, according to experts, that a nursing woman should monitor her health as best as possible. Particular attention should be paid to the chest.

Mastitis is caused by Staphylococcus aureus. It easily penetrates the body of a woman, through cracks or small wounds, which can form on breast nipple. First of all, the milk channels, blood vessels and lymphatic ducts. Defeat causes a lot of discomfort and discomfort. Although, on such a basis as lactostasis (stagnation of mother's milk), it is not always possible to timely diagnose mastitis in a nursing mother.

Varieties of mastitis

It is necessary to indicate the fact that mastitis can be divided into several types according to what signs it manifests itself. In such cases, it may be:

1. Chronic
2. Spicy

And from what kind of inflammation develops in female gland, the disease can be divided into the following types:

1. Serous
2. infiltrative
3. lactation
4. Purulent mastitis

The lactation type of the disease, in turn, is classified into:

You should also be aware of exactly where the inflammation is concentrated. The form of the disease will depend on where the focus of infection is located. They may be as follows:

1. Subcutaneous
2. subareolar
3. Intramammary
4. Retromammary
5. Total form (in this case, the structure of absolutely all tissues located near the mammary gland is violated

Usually, the symptoms that occur at any stage in the development of mastitis manifest themselves in the form of severe pain and a feeling of discomfort. It is very important to seek medical attention in a timely manner. Indeed, otherwise the consequences may not be the most pleasant for a woman.

Why do mastitis develop in women

Breast mastitis can be caused by a change in the structure of the shape of the mammary gland, as well as the presence of chronic or purulent infection. The most common causes of this disease in women include the following:

1. Tissue damage by microbes
2. Severe stagnation of mother's milk
3. Frequent hypothermia
4. Improper hygiene behind the breasts and the whole body

Symptoms of mastitis can often be similar to the presence of other serious illnesses chest. It is for this reason that experts do not recommend delaying a visit to the doctor at the first appearance of pain in the mammary glands.

Who is at risk

Particular attention must be paid to those women who have previously experienced any breast disease, as well as those who gave birth, who after childbirth began to develop skin disorders of a purulent-septic nature.

Mastitis is diagnosed in almost 70% of women who gave birth for the first time. 27% suffer similar ailment after the birth of a second child, and only 3% of women are susceptible to diseases that have already had several births in their lives.

An interesting fact is that the disease can affect not only the woman who has given birth. Quite often there are cases when mastitis develops in girls and men.

At the same time, an increased number of diseases in animals should be noted. It is known that mastitis in cats and mastitis in cows are more common than in other animals.

A disease that does not occur as a result of breastfeeding is considered to be non-lactational. It can develop only due to a severe injury to the mammary gland. Also, the development of mastitis can be influenced by hormonal disruptions and other chronic diseases.

Mastitis in babies

Such deviations in the development of newborns occur in 70% of cases. At the same time, in most cases, mastitis affects only girls, although sometimes boys can also get sick. Premature babies are not at risk. They may be diagnosed with more severe deviations.

While still in the womb, the child receives estrogen (sex hormones in women) throughout the months. As soon as the baby is born, their number decreases sharply, which can result in a hormonal disorder. It is this that in most cases contributes to the occurrence of physiological mastitis in infants.

Treat this species illness is not needed. After some time, all unpleasant symptoms disappear on their own.

With complications during pregnancy in the mother, the child can become infected with purulent mastitis. This type of disease poses a great threat to his life. Therefore, as soon as the mother notices something strange in the behavior of the child, you should immediately seek the help of specialists.

Signs of the disease in women

Most women who give birth for the first time have no idea how mastitis manifests itself. To protect yourself, you need to be informed that this disease can manifest itself the following signs:

1. Frequent and severe chest pains that only get worse over time.
2. When feeling the chest, you can find a slight seal.
3. A sharp increase in body temperature (the mark on the thermometer can rise higher than 38 degrees).
4. In the place where the inflammatory process occurs, the chest will become a reddish hue.

Very often, similar symptoms are observed in young mothers who gave birth for the first time. Pain begins to disturb them already 3-4 days after childbirth. This reason is explained by the fact that the ducts of the glands in such women are not yet of sufficient size. And in order for them to acquire the necessary form, a certain amount of time must pass.

The first thing a woman should pay attention to is the appearance of cracks in the nipples. It is through them that the infection enters the body and causes an inflammatory process. After it starts, there is pain. Most often, they can be increasing in nature. Likewise with pain female breast may swell due to which become a little larger in volume.

As soon as he showed one of the described signs, the woman in without fail should see a doctor. Only after the prescribed drug treatment and the implementation of all the doctor's advice, the disease can be defeated very quickly and its possible consequences avoided!

If you do not pay attention to anxiety symptoms, mastitis can go into a purulent form. In such cases, the woman's health deteriorates sharply, and she needs urgent medical care.

What should a breastfeeding woman pay attention to?

In a woman after childbirth, mastitis makes itself felt after a few days. The reason for this is lactostasis. That is why a young mother needs to pay special attention to such symptoms of mastitis:

1. A sharp increase in body temperature (the mark on the thermometer can rise above 38 degrees). After that, weakness, headache and nausea may appear.
2. Every time the baby is fed, severe pain will occur in the mammary gland.
3. The shape of the breast may change (the skin will be hot and red, and it will be almost impossible to touch it due to acute pain). In rare cases skin begin to peel or itch.
4. In such situations, the disease affects both mammary glands. Therefore, the recovery process will not occur very quickly.

For what reasons can mastitis develop in a nursing woman

Even if a woman carefully monitors the condition of her breasts during the period of feeding her child, unpleasant symptoms of the disease can appear very often, especially in the first few months. Such symptoms can be provoked the following reasons:

1. There is a lot of milk left in a woman's breast after breastfeeding. Such stagnation is very harmful to the whole organism.
2. The appearance of small cracks and sores on the nipples (this is a consequence of improper attachment of the baby to the mammary gland).
3. Using uncomfortable and tight-fitting underwear, which in turn can squeeze the chest very strongly, thereby provoking its injury.
4. A bruise or injury to the chest.
5. Weak immune system after an illness.
6. Failure to take care of the body.
7. A woman does not drink enough water per day.
8. Pointed warts.
9. Treatment of cervical erosion.

Most often, mastitis in lactating women develops as a result of the accumulation of milk and the addition of bacteria (staphylococcus aureus) to it. It is they who penetrate the gland of a woman, thereby causing a strong inflammatory process in all tissues.

Also, infection can occur through untreated caries, pyelonephritis and tonsillitis.

How to diagnose the presence of mastitis in a timely manner

For a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to describe in detail to the doctor the state of your health and indicate which symptoms bother the woman. It is on the basis of these data, as well as on the conducted laboratory and clinical studies, that the specialist will establish accurate diagnosis.

If the specialist misses something or, for some reason, cannot establish the presence of purulent mastitis, then the treatment period for this form of the disease may be delayed indefinitely.

Blood and urine tests may be done for diagnosis. If necessary, the specialist will offer to undergo an ultrasound examination of the breast and echography of the breast. Such methods allow you to provide extensive information about the state of ongoing mastitis.

Any experienced doctor should immediately pay attention to the lethargy of the woman and the fact that upon examination, she will be unpleasant to touch the chest. Sometimes the pain can be so severe that the patient does not allow it to be examined and felt normally.

If necessary, the patient can be left in the hospital for further treatment.

Mastitis treatment

As soon as a woman shows the first symptoms of an unpleasant disease, she urgently I have to go to see a gynecologist. The doctor will prescribe special studies, on the basis of which it will be assigned therapeutic treatment. Antibiotics are the main component of treatment. In each case, they must be selected strictly according to individual character the course of the disease and the well-being of the patient.

Treatment of mastitis in a nursing woman consists in following these recommendations:

1. It is necessary to regularly carry out procedures that contribute to the removal of excess milk from the breast.
2. Therapeutic massage in order to improve the outflow of milk.
3. Expression of milk after feeding the baby. They need to be carried out every 3 hours. Only then can one achieve positive result.
4. The use of drugs that help slow down the production of mother's milk.
5. To reduce severe pain and reduce fever, you can use medications:
6. Antipyretic drugs will reduce the high numbers of body temperature.
7. The introduction of novocaine will reduce severe pain in the breast area.

In the initial stages of mastitis, you can use warm compresses and do a light massage. After carrying out these procedures, the female breast should be warm. During this period, it is recommended to wear loose underwear.

Home treatment of purulent mastitis is impossible. Such situations require the intervention of doctors and surgical intervention.

Preventive actions

In order to avoid the occurrence unpleasant symptoms bottom ailment, every woman, when feeding a baby, can perform simple rules. Only observance of a special regimen will keep her health in order.

Preventive measures that are easy to perform at home include:

1. You need to feed the child not after a certain amount of time, but only when he requires it himself (this also applies to the period of the night).
2. Express excess milk only when necessary.
3. Use only comfortable underwear, preferably cotton, not synthetics.
4. It is necessary to learn how to properly apply the baby to the breast and each time change the position in which the baby is fed.
5. Try to be less in cold air and avoid drafts.
6. If cracks or sores appear on the nipples, they must be urgently treated to avoid the entry of microbes and viruses into the body.

These rules are easy to follow. In addition, they do not require much effort and time. These recommendations simply need to be made a sine qua non of your life in the first few months of feeding your baby.

What can be dangerous mastitis

The consequences of the disease can take the most negative turn only if the disease is too neglected. If in the early stages of the disease it is not properly influenced, then as a result, phlegmonous or gangrenous forms of mastitis may develop, which, in turn, pose a huge threat to the health of every woman. If the disease does not respond to treatment with drugs, then experts may advise amputation of the infected breast.

After mastitis, you need to be as careful and careful as possible. Any violation of the recommendations can provoke the re-development of this disease.

Mastitis is a fairly common disease that almost every woman who has given birth has to face. Its occurrence is impossible to predict, but to do everything so that it does not disturb you is quite realistic. All it takes is a little effort on your part. Do not forget, because the health of her baby depends on how well the mother will monitor her health. Therefore, the breast should be given due attention, both during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Author Bozbey Gennady Andreevich Update date: November 4, 2017 0

Breastfeeding is a great opportunity to raise a healthy and developed child, this is a beautiful side of motherhood, but these are some problems that, although not inevitable, are quite possible. During lactation, sometimes there are troubles, one of which is lactational mastitis. However, the disease can also occur in nulliparous women, But more on that later.

Mastitis in women: what is it

The name of the disease traditionally goes back to Greek. It is to him, as well as Latin, that doctors owe the opportunity to name each disease with an incomprehensible word. Mastitis comes from the Greek "μαστός" - breast and the Latin ending "-itis", meaning the inflammatory nature of the process. Simply put, mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland, and like any similar pathology, it goes through several stages in its course.

What is the classification of mastitis

Doctors have developed several classifications of mastitis depending on the stage of the process, the location of the lesion, prevalence, etc.

The most interesting for non-physicians will be the following types of classification of mastitis:

• Origin:
• Lactational (in women who have given birth).
• Non-lactating (everyone else, including infants).

Along the process:

• spicy,
• chronic.

According to the nature of inflammation:

Non-purulent, in turn dividing into

• serous,
• infiltrative;

• abscessing;
• phlegmonous;
• gangrenous.

There is also a special type of disease - infiltrative-abscessing, combining two forms, which are included in the name.

lactation or postpartum mastitis

As the name implies, breastfeeding women suffer from this disease. According to statistics (ICD-10 code - O.91) occurs in different regions countries in 2-18% of successful births. It is noted that the frequency falls depending on the number of births: after the birth of the second child, the risk of mastitis does not exceed 10%, and after the third it is almost eliminated. Repeated births change the ability of the breast to adapt to changes in a woman's hormonal status. In addition, more experienced mom better knows how to properly apply the baby, and observe the rules of personal hygiene.

Causes of acute mastitis

Staphylococcus aureus is considered the direct "culprit" of the development of acute mastitis (purulent and non-purulent). This microorganism constantly lives on the skin and mucous membranes in almost half of healthy people, without causing any illness for years. However, when provoking factors appear, it is he who becomes the causative agent of any form of mastitis in 9 cases out of 10. Much less often, the “culprits” of the disease are Escherichia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, streptococcus, enterococcus, proteus, etc.

Sometimes (for example, with granulomatous mastitis), the microbial flora is only secondary cause pathology, and autoimmune damage to the gland comes to the fore. However, this type of disease is still very little studied, and it is assumed that it is only one of the manifestations of systemic granulomatosis.

Here is what increases the risk of developing this pathology:

• lactostasis;
• pathological pregnancy and childbirth;
• the presence of comorbidities.

Signs of mastitis in a nursing mother

Lactostasis is a kind of "pre-painful" stage, which is noted in the majority (approximately 85%) of women with mastitis. There are many reasons for its development, which can be conditionally divided into objective ones:

• injury,
• cicatricial changes after operations,
• stiff nipple and its fissures,
• elongation, refinement and tortuosity of the milk ducts,
• diffuse or focal fibrocystic mastopathy;

and subjective, that is, a violation of the feeding technique and non-compliance with the regimen (feeding "on demand").

Acute mastitis usually develops 3-4 days after the onset of lactostasis, passing through several stages in its development that differ clinically.

Serous mastitis

This is the very first stage of the disease. An inflammatory reaction begins, the body temperature rises, chills appear, the mammary gland may increase slightly in size, and the place where the process began is painful, the skin over it turns red (hyperemia). When feeling the chest, apart from pain, there are no other signs of inflammation; it is impossible to feel the pathological focus. When expressing milk, its amount may be less than usual.

Infiltrative form

During this stage, the sensations of the patient are the same, the high body temperature and pain also persist. However, now in the mammary gland, with careful palpation, you can feel a shapeless seal without clear boundaries and softening areas. With serous and infiltrative mastitis general reaction body is caused precisely by the stagnation of milk. It is absorbed into the blood through the milk ducts damaged by inflammation, and it is this that causes the syndrome of intoxication.

Acute purulent mastitis

In the absence of proper treatment or in the treatment of mastitis with folk remedies, a purulent process develops for 3-4 days. From this point on, conservative treatment becomes ineffective.

Abscess form

When the process passes into the abscess phase, the patient's condition begins to deteriorate, the phenomena of pronounced intoxication increase, the body temperature in a third of patients rises sharply to numbers exceeding 38 ° C. The skin over the focus is intensely red, the pain is sharp. When feeling, a clearly defined seal is determined, in the center of which there is a softening area.

Infiltrative-abscess form

The course of this form is heavier than the previous one. Almost half of women complain of a temperature rise above 38°C. The main difference between this form of mastitis and abscessing is that a large seal is palpated (palpated) in the thickness of the gland, which consists of many small abscesses. Because of this, it is almost impossible to feel softening in the focus area.

Phlegmonous form

An even more severe type of inflammation. The general condition of the patients becomes severe, the symptoms of intoxication are pronounced, a third of the patients suffer from fever over 39°C, and almost all of them have a temperature above 38°C. Pain in the mammary gland is strong, weakness, loss of appetite, pallor appear. The volume of the affected mammary gland is sharply increased, the breast is edematous, the skin is sharply hyperemic, sometimes its color becomes bluish, the nipple often becomes retracted. Phlegmon captures 2-3 quadrants of the organ at once, and its total defeat is also possible. Feeling the breast is very painful.

Gangrenous form

This is the most dangerous form mastitis, in which the condition of a woman becomes severe or extremely severe. In this case, purulent fusion is not limited only to some part of the mammary gland, but captures it all. Often the process extends beyond the organ, affecting the tissue of the chest. All symptoms are pronounced, the patient is tested severe weakness, there is no appetite, there are headaches, aching bones and muscles. Temperature above 39°C is a common occurrence in the gangrenous process.

Local manifestations are also bright: bluish-purple skin, exfoliation of the epidermis with the appearance of blisters over the focus, filled with fluid mixed with blood. Areas of complete necrosis (necrosis) of tissues appear. Other organs and systems of the body may also be involved in the process. For example, due to severe intoxication, the kidneys may suffer, which is manifested by changes in the general analysis of urine.

My chest hurts and is red. The symptoms are similar to mastitis. Which doctor should you go to? Lera, 21 years old

Lera, you should contact the surgeon and strictly follow his instructions. You may need to first go to a therapist for a referral.

Mastitis treatment

As with any inflammatory process, with mastitis, treatment can be conservative and surgical. The main tasks of the doctor in this case are the most rapid suppression of the process while maintaining the function and appearance of the mammary gland. With non-purulent forms, the treatment of mastitis at home is quite possible, since it consists in taking certain medications, although not in tablets or syrups, but parenterally. It is advisable to stop breastfeeding.

In non-purulent forms, treatment is as follows:

• 8 times a day, milk should be expressed first from a healthy, and then from a diseased gland. Milk can be given to the baby only after pasteurization. If its disinfection is not possible, it should be destroyed.
• 20 minutes before pumping or feeding, an ampoule of no-shpa is injected intramuscularly for a more complete opening of the milk ducts. It is also possible to prescribe oxytocin 5 minutes before pumping (increases milk flow).
• Antibiotics are prescribed a wide range actions, antihistamines, vitamins C, B.
• Recommended also novocaine blockades with the use of an antibiotic in the absence of an allergy to both novocaine and the corresponding drug.
• Semi-alcohol compresses are also used for mastitis. It is forbidden to use any ointment bandages.
• At good effect from the started treatment, it is possible to prescribe UHF to the site of inflammation a day after the start of taking the drugs.

With purulent mastitis, treatment is impossible without surgery. An abscess opening is fundamental principle surgery, and not a single folk remedy or taking drugs orally or by injection can force the body to “deal with” pus. That is why several types of operations have been developed, which in most cases allow avoiding any cosmetic defects or dysfunction.

For the operation, all patients are hospitalized in the surgical department. Intervention is carried out in the operating room, subject to the rules of asepsis and antisepsis. The details of the operations themselves are of interest only to specialists, here we will only indicate the main stages of the surgical treatment of purulent forms of mastitis:

• choosing the best incision site, taking into account possible aesthetic consequences;
• opening of the abscess and complete removal pus and dead tissue;
• drainage (installation of a system that allows the remnants of pus, blood, wound discharge to flow freely from the abscess cavity);
• washing the abscess with antiseptic solutions by the drip method (permanent drip irrigation).

Levomekol, which was previously used relatively often for mastitis, is no longer used. The drainage-flushing method of treating the disease, according to research, is much more effective than just ointment applications.

After the operation, it is possible to immediately close the wound with sutures, but in case of extensive lesions, the surgeon may decide to perform a two-stage closure of the wound, followed by plasty of the defect with a skin flap.

Immediately after the operation, the woman is given antibiotics. The gold standard in the treatment of acute purulent mastitis is the use of cephalosporin drugs. Practice shows that penicillin antibiotics (augmentin, amoxiclav, and even more so amoxicillin and the like) are not effective enough to suppress the microbial flora.

Depending on the microorganism that caused suppuration, drugs from 1 to 4 generations (cephalexin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cefpirome) can be used. At severe forms diseases associated with systemic manifestations inflammation, as well as in sepsis, thiena is prescribed. Of course, we are not talking about ingestion of drugs; they are all administered intramuscularly or into a vein.

In order not to stop lactation, even with purulent inflammation, you should continue to express milk. This is necessary in order to prevent the continuation of lactostasis, which can cause a relapse of the disease. Lactation is interrupted only in a few cases: in severe forms of the disease, sepsis, bilateral process, relapse of the disease. Possible termination breastfeeding and with the stubborn desire of the mother to do so. In these cases, apply special preparations that suppress milk production - parlodel, dostinex.

It should be noted that there is a tendency to prescribe drugs with unproven or unexplored efficacy. So, sometimes traumel is prescribed for mastitis - a homeopathic remedy intended for use only in traumatology and orthopedics. At least that's what the manufacturer's instructions say. However, there is no particular problem if traumeel is taken simultaneously with other medical prescriptions. It most likely will not improve the course of treatment, but it will not worsen it either.

Symptoms and treatment of non-lactational mastitis

The cause of non-lactational mastitis is the penetration of infection into the mammary gland through cracks or wounds of the nipples, as well as in case of skin damage. This disease occurs in a non-nursing woman aged 15-50 years. There are also special forms This pathology: mastitis during pregnancy, which occurs extremely rarely, and mastitis in newborns, affecting both boys and girls. The provoking factors of the latter are diaper rash, purulent-inflammatory skin diseases.

The symptoms of mastitis in non-lactating women are exactly the same as in lactation. A feature of its course is more frequent and faster, compared with lactation, abscess formation. The disease itself is easier, better treatable, but more often becomes chronic and recurs.

The treatment of this form of the disease is exactly the same as with its lactational form. Newborns also open an abscess, followed by drainage.

Chronic mastitis

This disease is most often the result of an acute process that was treated incorrectly or insufficiently effectively. The symptoms are similar to those of the acute form of the disease, but clinical picture differs in "pallor": there are no acute phenomena of intoxication, the general condition rarely suffers, there is no reddening of the skin at the site of inflammation, feeling it is not painful. On careful examination, a very dense infiltrate is palpated.

Sometimes chronic mastitis occurs in the form of a fistula, when an abscess of the mammary gland in acute mastitis breaks out on its own. The channel through which pus flows out becomes a fistula. Due to insufficient outflow of pus, the inflammation does not completely stop, it becomes sluggish, and since the contents of the abscess constantly flow through the canal, it cannot close.

Treatment of chronic mastitis is only surgical. The cavity of the abscess is opened, all non-viable tissues are removed, they are excised in the fistulous canal, after which the wound is sutured according to the same rules as with acute form. Antibiotic prescription is mandatory.

Treatment of mastitis with folk remedies

The tendency of our people to keep everything under control makes them not turn to doctors using methods incomprehensible to mere mortals, but to seek alternative ways fight the disease. The treatment of mastitis with folk remedies most often consists either in applying some kind of compresses to the chest, or in drinking certain decoctions, infusions or teas from plants considered medicinal. Practice, however, shows the complete failure of such methods. The risk is huge, because too much time is often spent to understand that, for example, cabbage does not help with mastitis at all, and the use of camphor oil only delays the inevitable transition of a non-purulent form of pathology into an abscess or even phlegmon.

However, for those who didn't heed the warning, here are a few traditional medicine recipes that are believed to help manage the disease:

• From melted butter, rye flour and fresh milk they make a bun in the evening, leave it to “walk” overnight, and then apply it to the sore chest.
• The leaves of burdock and coltsfoot are poured with boiling water and applied to the sore spot.
• A piece of kombucha is placed on gauze, covered with parchment or any other paper and applied to the affected mammary gland for 5-7 days. The procedure is carried out before going to bed.

The use of Vishnevsky's ointment for mastitis can also be equated with traditional medicine. Xeroform, which is part of it, according to its antiseptic properties many times inferior modern drugs(for example, chlorhexidine). The tar, which is also contained in the preparation, has a predominantly irritating effect, “due to” which almost always the non-purulent form of the disease turns into a purulent one, worsening its course and making the operation absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, there are no statistics on cases of recovery with such treatment, however, any surgeon has a dozen stories in his arsenal about how a woman lost her breasts because she did not go to a regular doctor for too long, preferring the recommendations of newspapers like "Grandmother's Pharmacy" ".

Prevention of mastitis

Prevention of mastitis should begin during pregnancy. To do this, you should take a warm shower daily (preferably twice a day), and additionally wash your chest with water at room temperature, and then rub it with a clean terry towel. This allows you to increase the resistance of the nipples to mechanical damage, inevitable especially in initial period feeding.

After feeding, the breast should be washed with water without soap, dried with a clean towel and left open for 10-15 minutes. Such air baths allow the skin to dry completely. After that, a bra is put on (only cotton or cotton!), In which a sterile napkin or gauze is placed.

The nutrition of a nursing mother should be complete, it must contain enough protein, which is necessary for the adequate functioning of the immune system, as well as vitamins A, C and group B. Lifestyle is also extremely important: sleep, walks in the fresh air, a positive emotional attitude - all this improves the body's resistance to infections and does not cost a penny. It is necessary to completely eliminate smoking and even the use of minimum quantities alcohol.

Mastitis or mastopathy: what is the difference

Most often, women do not understand the difference between mastitis and mastopathy. It would seem that the same pains in the mammary gland, the same seal that is palpable in it, even fluid leakage can be. However, there is still a difference.

The first symptom that is with mastitis is an increase in temperature. Even with mild forms of the disease, the temperature may rise, which is uncharacteristic for mastopathy. The second sign is the connection with the monthly cycle. Pain in mastopathy increases before menstruation and weakens or even disappears after the end of bleeding. The third sign is the lack of connection with lactation. Mastopathy is manifested both in women who have given birth and in those who have not given birth. The fourth sign is the absence of an aggressive course of the disease, that is, suppuration with mastopathy rarely occurs. Actually, if pus appeared, then we are already talking about mastitis.

Mastopathy is the growth of glandular, connective or epithelial tissue, whereas mastitis is an infectious and inflammatory process caused by a specific pathogen. Accordingly, the treatment in case of mastopathy differs radically from the treatment of mastitis.

Inflammation of the mammary gland is a rather simple pathology in diagnosis, but a very insidious pathology in treatment. Procrastination, ignoring medical appointments, self-medication can lead to loss of lactation, breast deformity, and in some cases, sepsis and death. Only a timely visit to a doctor will help prevent life-threatening and health consequences.

Hello. I got a lump in my chest. The doctor said it was mastitis and prescribed antibiotics. And they are dangerous! Can there be any treatment for mastitis with folk remedies? Well, recipes that helped someone exactly? Zhanna, 36 years old

Zhanna, unfortunately the methods of traditional medicine help extremely rarely. There is an opinion that their effectiveness is zero, but in fact, those whom they allegedly helped, in fact, had lactostasis, which they got rid of with the help of pumping. Do not ignore the appointment of the surgeon, otherwise the risk of developing an abscess is high and an operation may be necessary.

Gennady Bozbey, Emergency Medical Doctor

Ask a doctor a free question

Breast mastitis is an inflammation of the breast tissue in women. Previously, this disease was called differently - the chest. Most often, the inflammatory process occurs unilaterally. It spreads quite quickly, so when at least one symptom appears this disease should proceed to immediate treatment.

Most often, mastitis in women occurs during breastfeeding or during last days pregnancy. In rare cases, the onset of the disease has been noted in newborns and non-nursing adolescent girls. Mastitis of the mammary gland, the symptoms of which have been identified in this category of patients, is called non-lactational.

In order to minimize the risk of this problem, and learn how to avoid mastitis altogether, you should familiarize yourself with the reasons why it appears.

The development of the disease begins after bacteria enter the tissues located in the chest area. This can occur through damage to the nipples such as cracks. The infection can be on the woman's skin or in the mouth of the newborn baby she feeds. After this, the bacteria begin to multiply rapidly, the symptoms of the disease are noticeably manifested. Inflammation of the breast in women who are breastfeeding babies can occur for the following reasons:

• The presence of cracks and other damage to the nipples;
• The only position for feeding. Breastfeeding must take place in various poses otherwise, a significant amount of milk may remain in the mammary gland;
• An oversized bra. Underwear for a nursing woman should choose comfortable and not tight. The bra should support the breasts, keeping them in their natural state.
• Repeated inflammatory process. If health problems arose during the first pregnancy, there is a high probability of its occurrence again. Also, the possibility of the disease increases with untimely or incorrect therapy. It is necessary to be treated when the first symptom of irritation is detected.

In addition to the above, one of the main reasons for the onset of the development of the inflammatory process is lactostasis. Stagnation in the mammary gland is a kind of impetus for the appearance of mastitis. Prolonged absence milk is the basis for the formation of a favorable environment in which bacteria multiply. The resulting infection can cause not only inflammation, but also fever with suppuration.

Non-lactational irritation of the breast

In addition to the inflammatory process that occurs during lactation, the development of another type of problem is allowed. To understand the question, what is non-lactational mastitis, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the information about the reasons for its occurrence. Among these are:

• Damage mammary glands subsequent injuries;
• Presence in the chest foreign bodies. These include implants and piercings;
• The formation of ulcers;
• Disturbed metabolism;
• Various procedures carried out with violations of sanitary and antiseptic standards.

The non-lactating species is rare. In addition to it, mastitis of newborns is isolated. The causes of its occurrence are the mother's hormones that entered the young body during pregnancy or lactation, as well as poor child care, and non-compliance with hygiene rules.

Common symptoms and harbingers of mastitis

As mentioned earlier, unilateral mastitis is most often manifested. In rare situations, a bilateral inflammatory process occurs.

To learn how to recognize inflammation of the mammary mammary glands and get rid of mastitis in time, you should study information about its symptoms.

1. Unpleasant sensations.
2. Puffiness and an increase in the size of the affected area of ​​the body.
3. Increased body temperature and chills.
4. Detection of blood or pus in the milk of a nursing mother.
5. Pain during breastfeeding and pumping.
6. Decreased appetite and loss of energy.
7. General weakness of the body.

These criteria are the first signs of inflammation of the mammary glands. If at least one of the symptoms of the disease is detected, treatment should be started immediately. Only a qualified medical worker will be able to prescribe the correct procedure and tell how to cure mastitis and what to do in case of infection. With timely treatment to the doctor, this disease can be cured within a few days.

It is worth noting that self-medication in this period of time is highly not recommended. Otherwise, the risk of developing complications and a severe form of the disease increases.

Complications of inflammation of the mammary glands

belated and wrong treatment problems in lactating women can cause a number of complications.

1. Sepsis. Too advanced stage of the disease can cause blood poisoning.
2. The presence of inflammation on the body of a significant number of purulent foci entails such health problems as pneumonia, meningitis, osteomyelitis.
3. Infectious-toxic shock.
4. Fistula formation.

Stages of the inflammatory process

In order to determine one or another stage, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each of them in more detail.

1. Serous. This stage is considered initial. Often, the symptoms of mastitis in this case are almost impossible to distinguish from lactostasis. Learning to distinguish one disease from another is not at all difficult. Due to the stagnation of milk, nursing mothers may complain of heaviness and discomfort in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe sore breast. With lactostasis, the pumping procedure becomes painful, but there is no lack of milk in this case. Stagnation is temporary, so if the disease lasts more than 2 days, you should think about serous mastitis. An increase in body temperature and a general deterioration in the patient's health are another indicators of the first period of infection. Sometimes there are times when serous period passes on its own. Otherwise, the next step begins.

1. infiltrative stage. The second form of mastitis can be characterized by the presence of a dense homogeneous compaction in a sore spot. It increases in size, but there are no other visual changes - redness and swelling. In the absence of medical therapy at this stage of the problem, purulent formations appear, and the next form of the disease process begins.

1. Destructive. During this period, the penetration of toxins in purulent formations into the patient's blood occurs. There is a significant increase in body temperature - up to 39-40 degrees. Other health problems immediately appear - frequent headaches, lack of appetite, sleep disturbances.

Advice on how to determine this or that stage of the problem, and how the treatment of mastitis in lactating women should proceed, can be obtained from your doctor. The destructive form of the disease can be seen visually - the affected area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe chest turns red, increases in size. The veins in this area of ​​the body become pronounced. In each situation, treatment of mastitis should be carried out immediately.

Forms of the disease

By temporary nature, 2 types of irritation of the breast are distinguished:

• acute;
• chronic.

In the first variant, the disease appears suddenly, its signs are clearly identified. Most often this happens in the postpartum period.

The chronic form of breast lesions occurs with erroneous treatment of the serous stage. Its main characteristic is the presence of irritation in any particular period of time. Effective treatment in this case is possible only with the intervention of surgeons. A thorough sanitation of the milk ducts and subsequent competent antibiotic therapy are necessary.

Treatment

If you find the primary signs of a problem, you should immediately contact the doctor who treats the disease - a mammologist. Only a qualified doctor will tell you exactly what to do with mastitis, how to accurately determine inflammation of the mammary gland and choose a treatment.

Before you start treating breast inflammation, you need to determine the nature and stage of development of the disease, the causes of its occurrence, as well as the volume of the affected area of ​​​​the body and the duration of the disease.

The most common treatment is antibiotics. To achieve a favorable effect in the shortest possible time, the selection of medicines is carried out by the doctor individually for each patient. Proper prescription of drugs will help to quickly expel the infection from the body.

In cases where the manifestation of the inflammatory process is similar to lactostasis, it is recommended to drink antiseptics and control the dynamics of the disease. In more complex cases, when the harbingers of mastitis speak of its last stage, surgical intervention is necessary. An operation is performed during which pus is sucked out of the affected area.

How to treat mastitis at home

There are many traditional medicine recipes that will help get rid of the causes of breast disease.

1. Rice starch compress. To alleviate the symptoms and treatment of mastitis, use rice starch diluted in water. The resulting mixture should have a consistency similar to sour cream. With the help of a bandage, you need to attach the remedy to the sore spot. You can see the effect of this method of treating mastitis after 3 hours.

1. Pumpkin. Warm a piece of sweet vegetable pulp in microwave oven and apply to the painful area. Change every 15 minutes.

1. Apple. You can remove cracks in the nipples with a grated apple mixed with butter.

1. Narcissus. The crushed narcissus root, mixed in equal proportions with rye flour and boiled rice, will not allow the mammary gland to become very inflamed. Lubricate the affected area of ​​​​the body with the resulting mixture several times a day.

1. Particular attention should be paid hygiene procedures. A contrast massage with jets of warm and cool water while taking a bath will ease the pain.

Symptoms and signs of mastitis are most often pronounced, so it is very difficult not to notice the development of this health problem. Familiarization with primary information about inflammation of the mammary glands will provide a sufficient level of knowledge on how to treat this disease. The emergence of concerns about its development should serve as an impetus for immediate medical attention.

Mastitis is inflammatory disease chest (mammary gland), which usually develops after childbirth and is characterized by severe chest pain, redness and enlargement of the mammary gland, discomfort during breastfeeding, increased body temperature and other symptoms. The main cause of mastitis is bacterial infection, causing inflammation of the breast.

The course of mastitis passes in several periods. If there wasn't necessary treatment, the disease can go into a purulent form, fraught with dangerous complications. If mastitis is detected in the early stages and treatment is started in a timely manner, it is possible to prevent the progression of purulent inflammation of the breast.

Causes of mastitis

The main reason why a disease such as mastitis develops is penetration of bacteria into the breast tissue.

Bacteria can enter the breast in several ways:
through the blood, in the presence of female body chronic foci of infection (pyelonephritis, chronic tonsillitis, etc.),
through nipple cracks - small skin defects in the nipple area are a favorable environment for infection.

Under normal conditions, when a small number of bacteria enter the mammary gland, the woman's immune system is able to suppress the infection. But after childbirth, the body of a woman in most cases is weakened and cannot qualitatively resist bacteria.

plays an important role in the development of mastitis lactostasis, the occurrence of which is associated with rare feedings or incomplete / insufficient pumping of breast milk, leading to its stagnation in the ducts of the mammary glands. The milk present in the ducts of the mammary glands serves as a favorable environment for the reproduction of bacteria, since milk contains a large amount of nutrients.

Risk Factors for Mastitis

In most cases, mastitis manifests itself through 2-4 weeks after the woman is discharged from the hospital.

There are a number of factors that increase the risk of mastitis:
large mammary glands,
the presence of cracks in the nipples,
nipples of an “irregular” shape (inverted or flat nipples) make it difficult for the baby to suckle the breast, as a result of which the mammary glands are not emptied enough during feeding, which leads to the appearance of lactostasis,
lactostasis - with insufficient decantation of milk, it stagnates in the ducts of the mammary glands. Usually, with lactostasis, the outflow of milk from one lobe of the mammary gland is disturbed due to clogging of it with a “plug” of thickened milk.

Signs of lactostasis are:
pain in the breast,
nodules (seals) in the chest that disappear after massage,
uneven leakage of milk from the affected area of ​​the breast.

Usually, with lactostasis, not complicated by mastitis, body temperature does not increase. If lactostasis is not cured within three to four days, it turns into mastitis. The first symptom of the development of mastitis - increase in body temperature up to 37-39 degrees.
neglect by a woman during breastfeeding the rules of hygiene (before and after feeding),
existing infectious diseases chronic nature(pyelonephritis, tonsillitis, etc.).

There are two main types of mastitis:
lactation ( another name - postpartum) - develops in nursing mothers,
non-lactation - mastitis, which is not associated with breastfeeding. This type of mastitis is quite rare and is formed due to trauma, compression of the mammary gland, and also as a reaction to hormonal disorders occurring in the body.

Fibrous and cystic mastitis are nothing more than cystic-fibrous mastopathy.

Stages of development of mastitis

During postpartum (lactational) mastitis, several stages are distinguished:
early stage – serous mastitis - the main characteristics of which include an increase in body temperature, pain when feeling the breast, an increase in the volume of the mammary gland,
infiltrative mastitis develops in the absence of adequate treatment of serous mastitis, fever appears with it, and a painful seal forms in one area of ​​the mammary gland,
purulent mastitis - This is a suppuration of the chest area.

Signs and symptoms of mastitis

Mastitis is usually acute development- this indicates that symptoms appear quickly (within a few hours - a couple of days).

There are such main signs and symptoms of mastitis:
body temperature rises to 38 degrees, which is evidence of the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. As a result of an increase in temperature, chills, pain in the head, weakness appear;
constant pain in the chest of a aching nature, which intensifies during breastfeeding;
an increase in the volume of the mammary gland, redness of the skin in the area of ​​​​inflammation, the skin becomes hot.

If mastitis is not cured in time (in the early stages), it progresses to a purulent form.

The main signs and symptoms of purulent mastitis are:
body temperature rises to 39 degrees or more, there is a sleep disorder, severe pain in the head, poor appetite,
severe soreness in the mammary gland, pain is felt even from a light touch,
V armpit there is an increase in lymph nodes, which are presented to the touch as small, dense, painful formations.

Diagnosis of mastitis

If you have any of the symptoms listed above, you should urgently seek medical help. Diagnosis of mastitis consists in identifying the characteristic signs of the disease, which are detected when the doctor performs palpation (palpation) and examination of the mammary gland.

To confirm the diagnosis of "mastitis", a general blood test is performed, which can show the inflammatory process in the body. Spend also bacteriological examination milk, which is necessary to identify the type of bacteria and determine their sensitivity to antibiotics. In some cases, when diagnosing mastitis, the method of ultrasound examination (ultrasound) of the mammary gland is used.

Mastitis and breastfeeding

With mastitis breastfeeding is prohibited regardless of the form of the disease. This is due to the fact that in breast milk, both from the patient and from healthy breast may contain many bacteria that are dangerous to the baby. In addition, in the treatment of mastitis mandatory use of antibiotics which also pass into breast milk and may harm the baby. Even with a temporary suspension of breastfeeding during mastitis, it is necessary to express milk regularly and carefully. This procedure will not only speed up the recovery process, but will also help maintain lactation in the future so that the woman has the opportunity to continue breastfeeding.

Mastitis treatment

The treatment of mastitis is influenced by factors such as the form of the disease (purulent, serous mastitis, etc.), as well as the time elapsed since the onset of the disease.

In the treatment of mastitis, the following basic principles are guided:
stopping the growth of bacteria
removal of inflammation
anesthesia.

Purulent mastitis treated only with surgery. It is strictly forbidden to treat mastitis on your own!

Promotes faster and painless recovery from mastitis, complete or partial suppression of milk production (lactation). After recovery occurs, lactation can be resumed. Usually lactation is suppressed with the help of special medications (for example, Dostinex, Parlodel etc.), which are prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

Treatment infiltrative and serous, i.e. non-purulent forms of mastitis held conservative methods, without surgical intervention. It is necessary to express milk every three hours to avoid stagnation, which contributes to the growth of bacteria. To get rid of soreness in the chest, local anesthetics are used, such as, for example, novocaine blockades.

Antibiotics are the main medicines for the treatment of mastitis. After determining the sensitivity of bacteria, a specific antibiotic is prescribed. As a rule, for the treatment of mastitis are used following groups antibiotics:
cephalosporins ( cephradil, cefazolin and so on.),
penicillins ( Amoxiclav, Oxacillin and so on.),
aminoglycosides ( Gentamicin) and so on.

Antibiotics are taken both inside and intravenously and intramuscularly.

Treatment of purulent mastitis is based on surgical intervention. The operation is done using general anesthesia. After the operation, antibiotics are prescribed without fail.

When antibiotics are stopped and bacteriological tests show that the milk does not contain bacteria, it is allowed to resume breastfeeding.

Traditional methods of treating mastitis are not recommended, since the vast majority of herbs do not have the ability to destroy the infection that has penetrated the mammary glands. Each delay in the treatment of mastitis is fraught with the appearance of purulent forms of the disease, which pose a threat to the life of a woman.

Prevention of mastitis

Every woman should preventive actions aimed at preventing mastitis. The main ones are listed below:
1. Before and after breastfeeding, hygiene rules must be strictly observed. A woman during the feeding period should monitor the condition of her body, since she is in close contact with a newly born child. Daily shower required. Before the breastfeeding procedure, you need to wash your hands and both breasts with warm running water, after which you need to blot them with a soft towel (you can not roughly wipe the mammary glands, because the skin on them is very delicate and cracks may appear on it).
2. One of the risk factors for the development of mastitis is the appearance of cracks in the nipples. To soften the skin around the nipples, lanolin-based vegetable oils are applied to the skin after feeding.
3. As a measure to prevent lactostasis, the child should be fed on demand (adhering to a feeding schedule is not recommended). During feeding, you need to make sure that there is no retention of milk in one of the lobes of the mammary glands (it is contraindicated to squeeze areas of the mammary gland with your fingers, you do not need to hold the chest). The milk that remains after feeding the newborn must be expressed (this can be done both manually and using a breast pump). If in one of the lobes of the mammary gland there is a seal (stagnation of milk), it is necessary during feeding to give the child such a position in which his chin will be turned towards the seal. To eliminate lactostasis, when feeding, you can gently massage the dense area until it becomes normal.