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Mastitis is a breast infection that can occur during breastfeeding or in non-breastfeeding individuals. Puerperal mastitis is common in breastfeeding women, while non-puerperal mastitis is less common and may indicate a more serious underlying condition. Symptoms include pain, swelling, nipple discharge, and flu-like symptoms. Breast abscesses are rare but can occur and require antibiotics and sometimes needle removal of bacteria. Infants are not harmed by breastfeeding from a mother with mastitis.
Mastitis is generally classified as puerperal, or occurring during breastfeeding, or non-puerperal. In breastfeeding women, the condition is common. Although painful, the infection is easily treated and fairly harmless. When the condition occurs in non-breastfeeding individuals with no apparent mode of transmission, however, further testing is indicated.
Puerperal mastitis is the most common form of breast infection. This term can be confusing, however, as it indicates the fact that the patient is pregnant or nursing rather than the specific cause of the infection. Most frequently, these infections are caused by various bacteria that have entered the breast while breastfeeding. Once inside the warm, moist milk ducts, the bacteria reproduce rapidly.
There is no evidence to suggest that infants are harmed by breastfeeding from a mother with mastitis. So while breastfeeding with mastitis can be uncomfortable, stopping is usually not encouraged. Conversely, some doctors believe that breastfeeding will ease some of the symptoms and speed recovery.
Breast tissue infection is much less common in women who are not breastfeeding. While these infections are usually easily treated, they can indicate a more serious underlying condition. More frequently, nonpuerperal mastitis will be further labeled as ductal ectasia. This diagnosis is essentially another synonym for breast infection and does not indicate any specific cause.
Most frequently, ductal ectasia presents as a small or tender area on the breast, which may or may not be accompanied by nipple discharge. This type of mastitis is usually caused by changes in breast firmness. These changes, which often occur as a natural part of the aging process, can lead to blockage of the milk ducts and subsequent infection. Rarely, however, these changes may be indications of abnormal growths in nearby breast tissue. Therefore, patients presenting with even uncomplicated and mild cases of duct ecstasy may be referred for mammography or ultrasound testing.
Regardless of the cause, mastitis symptoms are fairly universal. Most patients with the condition report moderate to severe pain and swollen breasts that are very warm to the touch. Nipple discharge, varying in color from white to black, is also often noted. Flu-like symptoms, including fatigue and fever, are also common.
Although rare, a breast abscess can occur in patients with mastitis. This happens when bacteria builds up inside a hollow area of the sinus. Abscesses are extremely painful and often require the bacteria to be removed with a needle. Antibiotics are usually prescribed to these patients.
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