How to treat mastitis at home. Is it possible to treat mastitis at home? Destructive forms of mastitis or purulent mastitis

Among the complex and dangerous women's diseases A special place is occupied by inflammation of the mammary gland - mastitis, to which absolutely all women are susceptible. But, despite this, there are many excellent ways to cure such an illness without consequences and complications.

Mastitis, or as it is also called, breastfeeding, is an insidious disease, the development of which can be triggered either by an infection, mainly Staphylococcus aureus, or by stagnation of milk in the mammary gland. As a rule, this disease occurs in a unilateral form, that is, in one breast. However, there are rare cases of bilateral mastitis.

To a greater extent, only women who have given birth suffer from breastfeeding, and not only those who safely feed their children, but also non-breastfeeding new mothers. This is due to hormonal changes in the female body after pregnancy and childbirth, as well as the beginning of lactation (the process of producing breast milk). However, it is worth noting that not only women in labor can be susceptible to the disease, but also those representatives of the fair sex who have any of the following health problems:

We will separately highlight other reasons why mastitis may occur. One of them is more concerned with young girls who have had their nipple pierced. During this procedure, if carried out independently and without observing hygienic and sanitary standards, you can introduce an infection into the body, which will become the causative agent of inflammation of the mammary gland.

Another reason is when a woman wears tight underwear, leading to compression of the breasts and mammary gland tissue, which in turn can lead to their deformation and improper development.

What mastitis looks like: photo

Forms of mastitis

Inflammation of the mammary gland can occur in several forms, depending on which the woman will experience symptoms of varying severity:

Serous form of mastitis – initial form a disease in which a woman’s breasts greatly increase in volume and upon palpation she feels pain. In addition, a high temperature may rise. This form of breastfeeding is mainly characteristic of nursing mothers who have had milk stagnation (lactostasis), which has caused inflammation, because, as you know, breast milk contains a lot of different nutrients, and this is the most favorable environment for bacteria to live. As a rule, the serous form of mastitis is quickly and easily treated at home. folk remedies.

Infiltrative form of the breast - a more complex stage of development of the disease, which occurs if a woman does not begin timely treatment for the serous form of mastitis. Except characteristic symptoms for serous inflammation of the mammary gland, the woman still experiences a fever, hard lumps appear in her breasts, which cause cutting pain. Seals will also make themselves felt externally. Redness will appear in the places where they are located on the skin of the chest. This form of breastfeeding cannot be cured on your own. During the visit to the doctor, the woman will be prescribed special antibiotics.

Purulent form of mastitis– untreated infiltrative mastitis, that is, the lump begins to fester, resulting in an abscess that requires surgical intervention.

Types of mastitis

As we mentioned above, mastitis can occur both in women giving birth and in other women at risk. In view of this, inflammation of the mammary gland is divided into the following types:

Lactation mastitis, which 7-16% of new breastfeeding mothers face.

Unfortunately, with such a diagnosis, a woman is strictly prohibited from feeding her baby in the future, since the milk is infected and poses a danger to the child’s health. It is necessary to suppress the process of milk production using drugs specially designed for this and do everything possible to get rid of the infection.

Some people confuse mastitis with lactostasis, which has similar symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother women. However, in fact, lactostasis is one of the main and first causes of breastfeeding. Therefore, the mother in labor first of all needs to do everything necessary measures to prevent stagnation of milk. To do this, you need to pump in a timely manner and feed the baby on demand at any time of the day.

The second cause of mastitis in nursing mothers is failure to comply with personal hygiene rules. Before and after each feeding, nipples should be washed well and treated with special products that moisturize and nourish the skin. Indeed, during feeding, cracks often form on the nipples, through which infection can easily enter the body and cause mastitis.

We cannot fail to mention another important reason for the occurrence mastitis with breastfeeding – the presence of an inflammatory process of an infectious nature in any other organ of the woman. This could be the throat, tonsils, nose, ear and even teeth. Immunity drops so much during pregnancy that a similar health problem can occur after childbirth.

Not lactation mastitis (extremely rare), occurring in women whose bodies have hormonal disorders and other deviations from the norm.

It should be noted that on early stage mastitis in non-breastfeeding patients according to symptoms very different from women who breastfeed. The main signs that they have the disease include:

Increased sweating
The appearance of swelling in the chest
No pain
No temperature or nipple changes
General health is quite satisfactory

Therefore, it is impossible to recognize mastitis in a non-breastfeeding woman at the very first stage unless undergoing regular medical checkup from a gynecologist, mammologist and endocrinologist.

Treatment of mastitis

Depending on the type and form of inflammation of the mammary gland, the process of diagnosis and treatment of this disease will depend. We'll consider, how to treat mastitis lactational and non-lactational.

Treatment of mastitis in nursing mothers women will begin with a comprehensive diagnosis in order to identify the cause of the disease. To do this, the patient will need to donate blood, breast milk or other nipple discharge to laboratory research. Their results should reveal an infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.

If no infection is detected (this is possible with a serous form of the infant), then mastitis can be treated at home. A woman can continue to breastfeed her baby and independently carry out the following manipulations:

Do breast massage using different techniques. Water massage, when the mammary glands are massaged with a stream of water, helps and relieves pain very well.
Exercise - perform at least two basic exercises - push-ups and squeezing your palms in front of you. During these exercises, the pectoral muscles are trained, which prevents congestion in the mammary glands.
Apply cold compresses three times a day. It turns out that this procedure can relieve pain and inflammatory process. However, breastfeeding mothers will need to exercise extreme caution in this process to ensure that the cold does not affect breast milk production.
Make cabbage wraps (preferably at night). To do this you need to beat one cabbage leaf with a kitchen hammer until the juice comes out. With the side of the sheet from which it comes out, apply it to your chest and wrap it loosely with a bandage or cloth. You can grind the cabbage in a meat grinder, and then mix it with yogurt, and make compresses from this mixture.

An alternative to cabbage could be:

Vishnevsky ointment
Vaseline ointment
camphor oil
camomile tea
burdock leaves
pumpkin pulp
sea buckthorn oil
vodka
cottage cheese cakes
baked onion
herbal decoctions from currant leaves, sage, St. John's wort, calendula

Important note! In no case should hot compresses be applied to lactation mastitis, because this can only create a favorable environment for the proliferation of bacteria in the mammary gland that provoked the disease.

If the tests reveal the presence of infection, then without a ten-day course antibacterial therapy it will not be possible to do without, but in this case breastfeeding will definitely be stopped.

What medications are usually prescribed for women with lactation mastitis:

Ampicillin – taken in tablets;
Amoxicillin - also taken in tablets, but can cause side effects in the form of allergic reactions;
Cefazolin - injected intravenously and intramuscularly.

If the pain is very severe, which is especially typical for the last stages of mastitis, then women are also given pain-relieving injections (Novocaine).

In addition to antibiotics, the patient will also be injected with hormonal drugs that promote rapid emptying of milk from the breast. These include Oxytocin and Parlodel. To maintain normal condition female body, patients are also given IVs and a course of vitamins is prescribed.

If the case of lactation mastitis is too advanced, then doctors resort to surgery.

How to cure mastitis in a non-breastfeeding woman women? Essentially, the course of treatment will be the same. The biggest difficulty in the treatment process will be to establish the cause of breastfeeding. Therefore, the diagnosis of the disease is wider.

It includes the following procedures:

Ultrasound diagnostics of the breast (at the site of inflammation)
Tomography to detect tumors in the mammary gland
Complete gynecological examination(examination and tests)
Tests for hormone levels to detect endocrine disorders

If the root cause of mastitis in a non-breastfeeding woman is an infection, she will be prescribed the above course of antibiotics. If the disease occurs against the background of a weakened immune system, the patient will be prescribed vitamin complexes and herbal preparations. If mastitis occurs after a chest injury, treatment will consist of physiotherapeutic procedures.

Complications and consequences of mastitis

Mastitis is a disease that, if improperly or untimely treatment may have death.

We will name 4 main complications that may arise:

Breast abscess, when large cavities filled with pus form in the mammary glands;
Cellulitis, which is characterized by the spread of pus throughout the chest, accompanied by extensive inflammation, swelling, bluish skin and high fever;
Gangrene – the skin of the breast becomes black, blistered and dead. With this complication, doctors often resort to amputation of the breast;
Sepsis - pus from the mammary gland enters the blood, resulting in blood poisoning and death of the patient.

Prevention of mastitis

If we are talking about a nursing woman, then the best prevention of mastitis is to frequently put the baby to the breast. In addition, new mothers during lactation need to wear special high-quality underwear that does not compress the breasts and allows her skin to breathe. Of course, it is important to follow the rules of personal hygiene - wash your nipples with baby soap after each feeding.

Women who do not breastfeed, first of all, need to be examined regularly. Under no circumstances should you overcool and start infectious diseases, even if they are not related to the mammary gland.

Video: Mastitis: safety precautions for nursing mothers

In this excerpt from the TV show “Live Healthy!” experts talk with Elena Malysheva, what to do for mastitis lactating women.

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

Most often, mastitis in women occurs during breastfeeding or during last days pregnancy. In rare cases, the appearance of the disease has been observed in newborns and non-lactating teenage girls. Breast mastitis, the symptoms of which are 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 in the chest area. This can occur through nipple damage such as cracks. The infection may be on the woman's skin or in the mouth of the newborn baby she is nursing. After this, the bacteria begin to multiply rapidly, and symptoms of the disease appear noticeably. Inflammation of the mammary gland in women nursing 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 positions, otherwise a significant amount of milk may remain in the mammary gland;
An ill-fitting bra. A nursing woman should choose underwear that is comfortable and not tight. The bra should support the breasts, keeping them in their natural state.
Repeated inflammatory process. If health problems arose during your first pregnancy, there is a high probability of them occurring again. Also, the possibility of disease increases with untimely or incorrect therapy. Treatment is necessary when the first symptom of irritation is detected.

In addition to the above, lactostasis is considered one of the main reasons for the onset of the development of the inflammatory process. Congestion in the mammary gland is a kind of impetus for the appearance of mastitis. A prolonged absence of milk serves as the basis for the formation of a favorable environment in which bacteria multiply. The infection that arises after this can cause not only inflammation, but also fever with suppuration.

Non-lactation irritation of the mammary gland

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

Damage mammary glands subsequent injuries;
The presence of foreign bodies in the chest. These include implants and piercings;
Formation of ulcers;
Impaired metabolism;
Various procedures carried out in violation of sanitary and antiseptic standards.

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

General symptoms and warning signs of mastitis

As stated earlier, unilateral type mastitis most often occurs. In rare situations, a bilateral inflammatory process occurs.

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

Unpleasant sensations.
Swelling and increase in the size of the diseased area of the body.
Increased body temperature and chills.
Detection of blood or pus in the milk of a nursing mother.
Pain during breastfeeding and pumping.
Decreased appetite and loss of strength.
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 professional can prescribe the correct procedure and tell you how to cure mastitis and what to do if infected. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, this disease can be cured within a few days.

It is worth noting that self-medication is not recommended during this period of time. Otherwise, the risk of complications and severe forms of the disease increases.

Complications of inflammation of the mammary glands

Delayed and incorrect treatment of the problem in nursing women can cause a number of complications.

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

Stages of the inflammatory process

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

Serous. This stage considered initial. Often, the symptoms of mastitis in this case are almost impossible to distinguish from lactostasis. Learning to distinguish one illness from another is not at all difficult. Due to stagnation of milk, nursing mothers may complain of heaviness and discomfort in the area of the sore chest. With lactostasis, the pumping procedure becomes painful, but in this case there is no lack of milk. Stagnation is temporary, so if the illness lasts more than 2 days, you should think about serous mastitis. Increased body temperature and general deterioration the patient’s health status is another indicator of the first period of infection. Sometimes there come moments when the serous period passes on its own. Otherwise, the next stage begins.

Infiltrative stage. The second form of mastitis can be characterized by the presence of a dense, uniform compaction in the sore spot. It increases in size, but there are no other visual changes - redness or swelling. With absence therapeutic therapy at this stage of the problem, purulent formations appear, and the next form of the disease process occurs.

Destructive. During this period, toxins contained in purulent formations penetrate into the patient’s blood. 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.

Consultation on how to determine one or another stage of the problem, and how treatment of mastitis in nursing women should proceed, can be obtained from the attending physician. The destructive form of the disease can be seen visually - the affected area of the breast turns red and 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

Based on their temporary nature, there are 2 types of irritation of the mammary gland:

acute;
chronic.

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

The chronic form of breast damage occurs when the serous stage is treated incorrectly. Its main characteristic is the presence of irritation during a certain period of time. Effective treatment in this case is only possible with the help of surgical intervention. A thorough sanitation of the milk ducts and subsequent competent antibacterial therapy are necessary.

Treatment

If primary signs of a problem are detected, you should immediately contact a doctor treating 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 select treatment.

Before you begin to treat 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 method is antibiotics. To achieve a favorable effect in the shortest possible time, the selection of medications is carried out by the doctor individually for each patient. Proper prescription of medications will help 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 monitor the dynamics of the disease. In more difficult cases when the harbingers of mastitis indicate its last stage, it is necessary surgical intervention. An operation is performed during which the pus is sucked out from 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.

Rice starch compress. You can relieve the symptoms and treatment of mastitis using rice starch diluted in water. The resulting mixture should resemble sour cream in consistency. Using a bandage, you need to apply the product to the sore spot. You can see the effect of this method of treating mastitis after 3 hours.

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

Apple. You can remove cracked nipples using grated apple mixed with butter.

Narcissus. Chopped narcissus root mixed in equal proportions with rye flour and boiled rice will prevent the mammary gland from becoming very inflamed. Apply the resulting mixture to the affected area of the body several times a day.

Particular attention should be paid hygiene procedures. Contrast massage with jets of warm and cool water while taking a bath will relieve painful sensations.

The 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 consultation with a doctor.

Mastitis is an inflammatory process, usually of an infectious nature, affecting the parenchyma and interstitial tissue of the mammary gland. Up to 90% of inflammation of the mammary glands is associated with lactation and develops mainly in the first weeks postpartum period. The overwhelming majority of cases of the disease occur in first-time mothers (70-75%), with repeated births the frequency of inflammation decreases sharply.

During the third or more births, the mammary gland is affected only in 2% of cases.

When making a diagnosis, mastitis must be differentiated from paramastitis. This term combines other infectious and inflammatory diseases of the skin and breast cancer (furuncles, carbuncles, abscesses, cellulitis, erysipelas).

The main causes of inflammation of the mammary glands are milk stasis and bacterial infection. Stagnation of milk creates favorable conditions for active reproduction pathogenic flora(staphylo- and streptococci, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella), contributing to the rapid development of the inflammatory process in the mammary gland.

The main danger of the disease is its rapid progression. Without timely treatment pathological stasis of milk first turns into serous and then (within 1-3 days) into infiltrative form of mastitis. Within a few days, the infiltrate may fester, turning into phlegmon or abscess of the mammary gland, requiring immediate surgical intervention. In the absence of specialized help purulent mastitis can lead to death from sepsis.

It is precisely because of the risk of severe, rapidly progressing complications that non-drug treatment, including: lymphatic drainage massage, pumping, applying a warm compress to the breast before feeding and a cold one after (to improve the flow of milk and reduce the severity of swelling and pain syndromes), performing a light massage during feeding, resting and drinking plenty of fluids, are advisable only at the stage of milk stagnation.

If there is no effect from drug treatment Within 24 hours and mastitis is diagnosed, antibacterial therapy is immediately prescribed.

Basic requirements for antimicrobial agents used

An antibiotic prescribed for a nursing mother for mastitis should:

be as harmless as possible for her and the newborn baby;
little passage into breast milk;
have a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity and act on the main pathogens;
have a high affinity for mammary gland tissues and create a sufficient antimicrobial concentration.

The use of sulfonamides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones and chloramphenicol is strictly prohibited. Lincosamides are prescribed only for vital signs, with cessation of breastfeeding. The use of metronidazole ® in the treatment of mastitis is an indication for temporary cessation of breastfeeding.

Antibiotics prescribed for inflammation of the mammary gland: list

The following drugs are prescribed from penicillins:

Benzylpenicillin ® ;
Flucloxacillin ® ;
Dicloxacillin ® ;
Amoxicillin ® ;
Amoxicillin/clavulanate ® ;
Ampicillin ® ;
Oxacillin ®.

Macrolides recommended for use:

Erythromycin ® ;
Azithromycin ® ;
Josamycin ® ;
Clarithromycin ® .

Of the cephalosporins, the following are indicated:

Cefazolin ® ;
Cefoxitin ® ;
Cefuroxime ® ;
Cefmetazole ® ;
Ceftriaxone ® .

Amoxiclav ® for mastitis

Amoxicillin ® , protected by a beta-lactamase inhibitor (clavulanic acid), is the “gold standard” for initial therapy for mastitis. The spectrum of antimicrobial activity includes anaerobic and aerobic pathogens.

The drug is not prescribed to women with beta-lactam intolerance, liver failure, cholestasis and lymphocytic leukemia. In the presence of renal failure, dose adjustment is carried out in accordance with the glomerular filtration rate.

The most common undesirable effects for the mother are: gastrointestinal disorders, allergic reactions, candidiasis, dysbacteriosis and others. For a child, with prolonged use, there is a risk of sensitization and disruption of intestinal microflora. Therefore, the duration of treatment should be agreed with the attending physician.

Cephalexin ®

Bactericidal antibiotic of the first generation of cephalosporins.

It is administered orally. Active against the entire spectrum of major pathogens. However, in comparison with the 2nd and 3rd generations, it stands out in greater numbers with breast milk. In this regard, a temporary cessation of breastfeeding may be recommended.

It is prescribed in a dosage of 0.5 grams every six hours.

Contraindicated if you are allergic to cephalosporins. In patients with reduced creatinine clearance, dose adjustment is necessary.

Ceftriaxone ®

Belongs to the third generation of cephalosporins. Used by injection. It has a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity and resistance to most bacterial beta-lactamases.

Ceftriaxone ® for mastitis

Not prescribed for intolerance to penicillins and cephalosporins.

It is prescribed intravenously or intramuscularly at 1000 milligrams twice a day.

It is well tolerated by patients; its use is rarely accompanied by undesirable effects. Side effects, as a rule, are manifested by dysbacteriosis, candidiasis and phlebitis when intravenous administration, allergic reactions are possible.

Flucloxacillin ®

Refers to semisynthetic penicillins. Acts bactericidal. Effective against gram- and gram+ cocci, as well as gram-bacillus (Klebsiella, Shigella, Escherichia coli and Salmonella).

It is prescribed in a dose of 250 milligrams (tablets) four times a day.

Not for use in persons with ophthalmological pathologies and individual intolerance to penicillins.

The most common undesirable effects are: dyspeptic disorders, allergies, colitis, fungal infections mucous membranes and disruption of intestinal microflora.

Duration of the course of antibacterial therapy

Treatment of mastitis with antibiotics should last seven to ten days. It is strictly forbidden to stop taking medications earlier than 48 hours after complete clinical recovery. Also, it is important to remember that in cases where inflammation of the mammary glands is caused by staphylococci, the course of antibacterial therapy should be from 10 to 14 days.

The ability of antibiotics to pass into breast milk and their effect on the baby

Penicillin drugs penetrate into milk in small quantities. The lowest conversion rate is for penicillins with a broad spectrum of action. This is due to the fact that these drugs are maximally bound by plasma proteins (with the exception of ampicillin) and are intensively excreted in the urine.

Cephalosporins also penetrate into milk little, up to about 3% of the antibiotic concentration in the blood, however, with inflammatory damage to the mammary glands, this figure increases slightly. The least excreted in milk are second and third generation cephalosporins. Compared to penicillins, the conversion rate is higher, but the likelihood of allergic reactions in the mother and sensitization of the child is lower.

Macrolides penetrate well into milk and can create a concentration in it half as low as in the blood. This far exceeds the penetration rates of penicillins and cephalosporins. However, macrolides do not have minimal toxic effects, a low likelihood of allergic reactions and other complications from treatment on the part of the mother, and do not have a negative effect on the baby. In this regard, medications from this group can also be prescribed for mastitis in women who do not want to interrupt breastfeeding.

Why are other antibiotics contraindicated?

Antibiotics of the aminoglycoside class penetrate little into milk. However, they have high toxicity rates for both mother and baby. They can lead to hearing impairment and cause pseudomembranous colitis in infants. Also have a high risk of kidney damage for the mother.

Tetracyclines have a high excretion rate in breast milk, averaging 60 to 75 percent of the concentration in the blood. They are highly toxic and have a wide range of undesirable effects. They can lead to severe (even fatal) colitis in infants, disruption of the formation of tooth buds and bone tissue growth.

Fluoroquinolones are also capable of large quantities excreted in milk. These are effective and at the same time very toxic antibiotics. They are difficult to tolerate by the body and have a high risk of unwanted effects. Due to frequent complications from the kidneys, joints, ligamentous apparatus, the development of photosensitivity, as well as the ability to disrupt the formation of the skeleton, are not prescribed to pregnant women, breastfeeding women and persons under 18 years of age.

Clindamycin ® is little excreted in breast milk, but can lead to severe pseudomembranous colitis. Lincomycin ® is released in high doses and often leads to severe disruption of the microflora and allergic reactions at the baby.

Safety and effectiveness of using others antimicrobial agents, has not been studied for inflammation of the mammary gland. Their use is not advisable due to the lack of clinical data.

Causes of inflammation of the mammary glands

The most common factors contributing to the development of mastitis include: stagnation of milk, mastopathy, cracked nipples, improper attachment of the child to the breast, irregular feeding, abrupt cessation of breastfeeding, insufficient pumping, hypergalactia, non-compliance with hygiene rules, immunodeficiency states, decreased natural resistance of the body, tight underwear squeezing the mammary gland.

Classification

Clinical classification postpartum mastitis corresponds to the stages of their development:

period of pathological lactostasis;
serous form of mastitis;
infiltrative form;
purulent mastitis: infiltrative-purulent, abscessing, phlegmonous (purulent-necrotic), gangrenous.

Main symptoms of the disease

Milk stagnation most often develops in the first week of feeding. On initial stages general well-being may be slightly disturbed. The temperature does not rise above 38 degrees. Patients complain of moderate pain and engorgement of the breast. At this stage of the disease it is advisable not medicinal methods treatment.

As symptoms progress, a diagnosis of serous mastitis is made. This form of the disease is characterized by an increase in temperature above 38 degrees. Violation of general health. Patients complain of severe weakness, chills, and pain in the mammary glands. When palpating the breast, limited, dense, painful areas are detected. The skin around the areola is hyperemic. The affected breast gradually increases in size.

In the absence of timely, adequate treatment, serous mastitis turns into infiltrative (regional lymph nodes enlarge, the mammary gland is dense and sharply painful), in the future, the infiltrate can fester.

Purulent forms are characterized by high fever, severe intoxication, pain not only in the chest, but also in the regional lymph nodes. Most often, such mastitis occurs as a purulent diffuse infiltration without the formation of an abscess. Abscess forms are observed less frequently. The outcome of such mastitis can be sepsis and death. Gangrenous mastitis is considered the most rare and severe form with an extremely poor prognosis.

Features of treatment

Physiotherapy is used to reduce lactostasis.

The absence of clinical improvement with antibacterial therapy within 48 hours is an indication for consultation with a surgeon in order to exclude abscess formation.

For bilateral or purulent mastitis, drugs that suppress lactation are used: cabergoline ® or bromocriptine ®, estrogens and oral contraceptives.

Oral administration antibacterial agents effective for serous and infiltrative forms.

Surgical treatment is indicated for purulent forms, with the aim of opening and draining the septic focus. In this case, antibiotics are administered intravenously.

In case of severe pain, a retromammary novocaine blockade is performed. In addition to antimicrobial therapy, detoxification, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory therapy is prescribed.

Prevention of the disease includes timely treatment for medical care, proper attachment to the breast, pumping, treatment of cracked nipples, massage and hygiene.

Mastitis (breast) is an infectious and inflammatory disease that occurs in the mammary glands. The lesions quickly spread, capturing healthy tissue. A disease left to its own devices leads to dangerous complications. Against this background, sepsis, abscess, phlegmon and gangrene develop. If mastitis occurs, treatment at home is carried out with medications and folk remedies.

Usually mammary glands become inflamed in postpartum period. This happens due to increased milk production. When breastfeeding, women develop lactation mastitis. The disease manifests itself in 2 forms:

unilateral (more common);
double-sided

There is non-lactation mastitis - a pathology not associated with milk production and breastfeeding. The symptoms of this form of the disease are vague. The inflammation is localized, it does not involve neighboring tissues. Such a breast often takes chronic form. Sometimes it occurs in newborn girls. Hormones received from the mother in excess lead to the disease.

According to the nature of the course, mastitis is distinguished:

spicy;
chronic;
serous;
purulent.

Causes

There are many factors that cause mastitis. The lactation form of the disease most often leads to Staphylococcus aureus . After harmful bacteria get on the skin, the appearance of pathology is provoked by reasons such as:

mastopathy;
post-operative scarring;
peculiarities anatomical structure organ;
difficult pregnancy;
complicated childbirth;
chronic diseases;
disturbed sleep;
postpartum depression.

Most often, inflammation of the mammary glands occurs in women who have given birth to their first child. They lack the skills to breastfeed and express milk. Breast congestion leads to the development of an inflammatory process.

A non-lactating breast appears when the immune system is weakened. Her reasons are:

hypothermia;
severe infections;
concomitant pathologies;
neuropsychic and physical overload;
silicone implants;
chest injuries.

The provoking factor in this case is bacterial infection. The causative agent is the same as for lactating infants - staphylococcus.

Symptoms

The initial stage of the postpartum and non-lactational form is serous mastitis, which is often confused with milk stagnation. Both pathological conditions accompanied by:

heaviness in the mammary glands;
discomfort;
minor tissue compactions.

But with lactostasis, which lasts only 1-2 days, the temperature does not rise, milk easily oozes from the nipple. With mastitis, the lumps grow and the temperature rises. Serous exudate accumulates in the lesions.

IN further illness goes into the infiltrative stage. A compaction forms in the inflamed area without clear boundaries. The breasts swell, hurt, and the temperature rises. The skin does not undergo changes.

In advanced conditions, destructive breastfeeding develops - a dangerous pathology. If purulent mastitis occurs, the woman suffers from the following symptoms:

intoxication;
high temperature jumping to 40 degrees;
loss of appetite;
disturbed sleep;
headache.

At purulent mastitis skin lymph nodes turn red armpit increase. The disease can develop into an abscess, phlegmon, and gangrene.

Drug therapy

For treatment simple shapes Infants use conservative therapy methods. Serous mastitis is treated as follows:

Non-lactation mastitis can disappear spontaneously. If the disease does not go away, drug therapy is carried out.

Treatment at home

Treatment for breastfeeding begins after consulting a doctor. Most medications should not be used while breastfeeding. Therefore, mastitis is treated with folk remedies, for the preparation of which honey, plants, and camphor are used.

Cabbage leaves

Cabbage effectively fights breastfeeding. The leaves of the plant are used for applications. Compresses are made like this:

Cabbage fights swelling, inflammation, and resolves seals.

Oils

To treat mastitis at home, use camphor and Castor oil. They make applications with them.

Camphor oil for mastitis helps relieve pain and eliminate the inflammatory process. Thanks to it, compactions are reduced.

Castor oil quickly relieves aggravation. After rubbing it into the chest, apply a film and a warm bandage.

For older patients, mint oil helps get rid of mastitis. The product stimulates blood circulation and fights swelling. In 1 tablespoon vegetable oil add 3-5 drops of mint ether. The mixture is rubbed into the chest at night.

For mastitis, make applications with honey:

Applications with salt

Women should know how mastitis is treated with salt compresses. This accessible remedy getting rid of the disease at home. Salt applications are effective for lungs and running forms breastfeeding Salt draws out exudate, relieves swelling, inflammation, improves blood circulation.

The method of preparing a salt compress is simple: heat the water to 50 degrees, dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in it. Slots are made in a cotton napkin for the nipples (they will avoid irritation of the epithelium in this area), the fabric is soaked in a solution, placed on the chest, covered with polyethylene, and secured with an insulating bandage. Remove the application after cooling.

Applications for purulent chest

The following methods help cure purulent mastitis:

Herbal extracts

When treating mastitis at home, compresses alternate with lotions made from plant extracts. At the same time, drink herbal teas and herbal decoctions. They are prepared using the following recipes:

Compresses are a warming procedure. Doctors note that heat applications can aggravate the disease, so they should not be used during exacerbation and fever. To avoid unwanted consequences, use the remedies recommended by the doctor. At severe forms breastfeeding traditional methods are ineffective, and the disease is treated surgically.

Inflammation of the mammary gland often begins as a result of stagnation of milk. In this case, lactation mastitis is diagnosed. If the pathology is caused by pathogenic agents, a person develops non-lactation mastitis of a bacterial nature. Antibiotics for mastitis help slow down and eliminate infection in the gland tissues.

The signs of mastitis in the first hours of the disease are unclear. They can be eliminated conservative treatment. A nursing mother should remove any remaining milk from the breast. Deterioration in well-being means that the disease has reached an acute stage and requires appointment antibacterial drug. Sometimes pathology can provoke an oncological process.

The main causative agent for purulent mastitis is Staphylococcus aureus. The disease can also develop in men.

It can be overcome by taking medications such as:

Cloxacillin
Cephalexen
Doxycycline
Amoxicillin with Clavulanic Acid
Clindamycin
Ciprofloxacin

In some cases, antibiotics Tetracycline, Almag, Amoxiclav and Methicillin are prescribed. All of these antibiotics can be taken by a nursing mother without stopping breastfeeding. As reviews show, feeding a newborn can not be stopped in case of a mild form of the disease.

When is it prescribed?

Treatment of mastitis with antibiotics is advisable when severe pain. Remedies help reduce elevated temperature and eliminate the abscess. The drugs have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and help quickly get rid of the problem. The sore breast quickly returns to normal.

Antibiotic therapy is prescribed in the following situations:

A purulent type of disease.
Reproduction of pathogenic flora in breast tissue.
A large amount of pathogenic flora in breast milk bacteria.
Development of phlegmon or necrosis.
Relapse of the disease.
Poor nipple regeneration and constant injury.

For non-purulent types of mastitis, antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent the spread of the disease and as a prophylaxis to prevent the development of a non-purulent form of the disease.

Serous mastitis usually occurs in women during lactation. If you continue breastfeeding, you need to express milk regularly. This measure will help avoid milk stagnation due to illness. The mother can receive treatment and feed the child.

Basic requirements for antimicrobial agents used

Before using antibiotics, it is necessary to determine the type of pathogen. Only then can the doctor find a drug that will affect specifically this group of pathogenic microbes.

Among the treatment requirements for the medications used are:

High bioavailability
Fast action
Efficiency
Few side effects
Well tolerated

The drug should be chosen with a minimum of side effects. It should not cause strong manifestations on the part of the weakened chronic disease female body. Good antibiotic will never provoke the development of dysbacteriosis, nausea, vomiting, or neurological disorders.

Varieties

There are several groups of antibiotics that are widely used for various forms oh mastitis. These include:

Semi-synthetic penicillins
I and II generation cephalosporins

Semi-synthetic antibiotics include Clavulanic acid, lactamase inhibitors, Amoxicillin, Sulbactam, Ankopen. These mild antibiotics are prescribed for the initial stages of inflammation in order to successfully cure the pathology.

The use of Neomycin, Oxytocin, Pentelast, and Capsicam is also effective. In special cases, antibacterial medications Dostinex, Progestogel, Theotropin, Tineol, Sumamed are prescribed. Traumeel and Troxevasin are actively used.

The chest is treated with lotions with a solution of Chlorhexidine. Antimicrobial cream with ichthyol, antibiotic balm, zinc ointment or fir ointment helps eliminate inflammation. The use of the Darsonval apparatus is effective. Homeopathy is widely used. The external homeopathic method of using medicines at home can effectively help get rid of the disease.

Amoxicillin is found in the following medications:

Flemoxin Solutab
Hiconcil
Grunamox
Ospamox
Amotid

These drugs are relatively safe and can be taken for mastitis. The product does not provoke the development of allergies and other adverse reactions.

Antibiotic agent Flemoxin. The drug is produced by a pharmaceutical company in the Netherlands. Belongs to the 1st production generation, is actively used in medical practice. Therapy with this remedy is aimed at eliminating bacteria and eliminating symptoms.

It is used for the diagnosis of prenatal mastitis; the product is not contraindicated for pregnant women. Has high bioavailability. It is not prohibited by doctors when breastfeeding.

For treatment, the tablets are divided into parts and washed down with water, or dissolved in it. Injections and a suspension are also used, which must be diluted in a certain proportion.

Therapeutic drug Ospamox. Prescribed for acute manifestations of the disease. A small amount of the drug is sometimes found in milk.

Antibiotic Hiconcil. The antibiotic is produced at pharmaceutical factories in Slovenia. Used to eliminate the serous form of mastitis. Allowed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You can feed your baby during treatment. Taken in capsule and suspension form. Virtually no effect side effects and is well tolerated by the woman’s body.

Effective cephalosporins include the new antibiotic Ceftiofur. It has increased stability against lactamases and is more active than penicillins. The latest generation drug is designed specifically for the treatment of mastitis and infections in women.

It is highly active against gram-negative microbes. Infants are also treated with the drugs Ceftriaxone, Cifran, Cephalexin, Cefazolin, Ciprolet, Citrine. The use of Amoxiclav is effective - it helps to dissolve the seal.

Antibiotics of the cephalosporin group are often used parenterally. They stop the life of pathogenic microagents. The bacteria is broken down. The drug is widely used in the treatment of various forms of mastitis and various gynecological diseases. Works great against fungal infections. The antibiotic has a powerful healing effect, as it is a potent antibiotic.

Efficacy of the drug

To reduce pain from mastitis, antibiotics are used in conjunction with sulfonamides and painkillers. It is advisable to use the ointment locally for mastitis. The components of the antibiotic medicinal mass penetrate deeply into the affected tissues and act directly at the site of the disease.

Vishnevsky ointment or antibacterial heparin gel are good at eliminating pain and inflammation in glandular tissues and are actively used in complex treatment.

Only the affected areas need to be smeared. You can apply Seimova ointment or heparin. Syntomycin helps a lot. For treatment you need to use Syntomycin ointment.

A compress with Dimexide, magnesia and ichthyol ointment. For cracks and purulent lesions of the breast, Levomekol cream is used. It is necessary to treat the breast until complete healing in various ways.

The principle and duration of action of the medicine

Almost every drug is absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly from gastrointestinal tract. The maximum concentration of the antibiotic is detected 1 hour after administration into the body.

The action of the antibiotic is based on the suppression of protein synthesis. The drug destroys certain reactions and reduces the rate of reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.

The duration of the therapeutic course of antibiotics is adjusted by the attending physician. It all depends on the pathogenesis of the disease, its course and symptoms. The permissible period of antibiotic use is 5-21 days.

Before starting treatment, you must carefully study the instructions for the drug. It describes in detail how and how long the medication works. It is important to know the application features medicine, which contains magnesium.

How to take the drug

Use any medicinal product during pregnancy or menopause in old age, it is required only after consultation with a doctor, and as prescribed by the attending physician. Each antibiotic comes with detailed instructions about the use of the medicine.

Antibiotics are usually taken between meals or immediately after meals. The antibiotic is usually swallowed whole with water if it is in tablet form. Do not exceed the dose of antibiotic. You cannot take 2 tablets of the medicine. Even if the required dose is missed.

Widely used drug regimens:

Amoxicillin is taken together with clavulanic acid. Clavulanate or Augmentin can replace it. The drugs should be taken in a dosage of 875 mg 2 times a day.
Ciprofloxacin - you need to take 500 mg twice a day.
Sulfamethoxazole - take 160-800 mg twice a day.
Doxycycline - required for treatment to take 500 mg 4 times a day.
Clindamycin - take 300 mg four times a day.
Vilprafnene is taken 250 mg twice a day.

Side effects

Unfortunately, taking antibiotics can provoke the development of adverse reactions. In some situations, after drug treatment the following are observed:

- Allergy
- Quincke's edema
- Vomit
- Nausea
- Dysbacteriosis
- Stool disorders
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Dizziness

Visual impairment
Double vision

In case of severe side effects, you should report this fact to the attending physician. It may be necessary to reduce the dosage of the drug or completely discontinue it. It all depends on the characteristics of the treatment and the manifestation of the pathology.

It is prohibited to use antibacterial medications in case of chronic kidney and liver failure. Do not use antibiotics in case of individual intolerance or allergies.