Causes and symptoms of mastitis: where does the disease come from?

Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland that leads to suppuration. This disease affects all women from 14 to 50 years. Most often, the disease manifests itself in nursing mothers, less often in pregnant women. In rare cases occurs in newborns. Mostly mastitis is manifested in the postpartum period and during puberty. Scientists and now can not determine why some women are exposed to mastitis, while others are not.

Mastitis and its causes

Pathogens of mastitis are bacteria that predominate on the skin of each person (staphylococcus, E. coli, streptococcus). Causes of mastitis are a bacterial infection that is formed on the background of milk stagnation or is caught through nipple cracks, or other breasts (scratches or abrasions). Penetrating into the mammary gland infection enters the connective tissue, which causes inflammation.

In general, mastitis begins to develop after prolonged lactose (milk stagnation), which is a favorable environment for the reproduction of bacteria. Developing, the infection provokes inflammation and suppuration.

How does the inflammation of the breast?

A woman feels a general malaise, an increase in body temperature, a tightening that provokes redness and pain in the breast. The nipples swell considerably and cracks form on them.

How are mastitis distinguished?

There is a classification of mastitis, which allows to distribute the disease according to certain criteria. In the course of the inflammatory process, mastitis is divided into: purulent, serous, abscessing, infiltrative, phlegmonous and gangrenous type.

Purulent, serous and infiltrative mastitis refer to sequential stages of the disease, starting from the development of a small compaction to the formation of a purulent process.

With abscessorizing mastitis, purulent inflammation spreads in the mammary gland tissues. With prolonged illness, gangrenous mastitis occurs. In addition, mastitis of newborns and postpartum mastitis are isolated.

Signs of mastitis

Postpartum mastitis is a frequent phenomenon caused by the development of lactose in nursing mothers. In this case, the following symptoms of mastitis are manifested: noticeable densification, redness of the chest, increased body temperature and manifestation of common signs of intoxication. With the progression of the disease, symptoms of mastitis are worse: the chest becomes hot and swollen. When expressing and feeding, pain occurs, and in the milk, purulent discharge and blood can be detected.

Plasma cell mastitis is a fairly rare disease, manifested against the background of cessation of lactation. Symptoms of mastitis - infiltration of tissue cells, leading to hyperplasia of the outflow ducts.

Mastitis of newborns is manifested by swelling of the mammary glands. Usually, this phenomenon occurs as a result of the residual action of the maternal sex hormones. When a purulent inflammation occurs, a surgical sanction is performed. In most cases, the symptoms of mastitis go through 2 days.

Diagnosis of mastitis

The doctor determines the outbreak of inflammation when palpating. Ultrasound examination of the breast allows you to determine the presence of inflammation and its scale. For completeness of the diagnostic picture, the doctor can take on bacteriological tests milk from the affected gland.

Treatment of mastitis

It is recommended to start treatment immediately. At the first stage of the disease, warm compresses will be most effective.

Compress of fat. It is recommended to apply at night to the breast gland slices of salted fat.

Compress is fast. Mix 1 table. Lies. Honey, unsalted butter and tar. Put the compress on your chest. But the next day, apply a compress of camphor oil. And so alternate up to 2 weeks.

Compress from the mother-and-stepmother. On the tumor, apply the resulting gruel from the plant.

If after 3 days after the done compresses you have not achieved improvement, then it is necessary to consult a doctor.

And the last thing I would like to draw attention to is the preventive measures that every young mother must perform. Do not let your baby suckle for comfort, otherwise the risk of developing cracks is large enough. Express the remaining milk (which is especially important in the first weeks of a child's life) and observe the rules of hygiene. Remember, with the timely detection of foci of infection, the chances for a speedy recovery are quite large.