How to treat breast infections and inflammation | Causes & types

Did you know that most women experience breast infections and inflammations at least once? And it can be hell. You might not be aware of breast infections and inflammation unless you’ve experienced them.

Breast infections and inflammations are common problems for women. They can be painful, frustrating, and sometimes even dangerous if left untreated. Understanding what causes breast infections and inflammations may help you feel more in control of your life. We will be discussing the most common beast infection and inflammation, their cause and their cure. But before then, what are breast infection and inflammation.

What are Breast infections and inflammation?

Breast infections and inflammations are conditions that can cause pain, swelling, and redness. Usually, these conditions are also accompanied by fever or flu-like symptoms.

Breast infections and inflammations include mastitis, abscesses, and post-surgical complications.

Type of Breast infections

Many women suffer from breast infections and inflammations, but it’s not always clear the difference between them. Here are three main conditions that affect women’s breasts.

Mastitis

This is a common inflammation that affects the breasts. This inflammation results from an infection with Staphylococcus aureus. It is often seen in breastfeeding women and is characterised by redness, warmth, and pain in the affected area. You may also feel ill or experience other flu-like symptoms such as aches and chills.

Abscesses

Abscesses occur when an area of your breast tissue becomes infected with bacteria. It affects a small space and may be filled with pus. They are usually round or oval-shaped and can be felt as a lump under the skin. Abscesses can sometimes develop after mastitis if the infection is not treated effectively or the disease has spread to your bloodstream.

Post-surgical complications

These infections usually happen within two weeks of the surgery but can occur up to six months after surgery. If you have an infection or inflammation caused by surgery, you may notice redness, warmth, or bleeding at the incision site.

Fibrocystic Breasts

These are not infections, but they are common conditions involving lumpy or swollen breasts that are often painful to the touch and occur during a woman’s menstrual cycle. This type of inflammation often goes away on its own but sometimes requires treatment with medication or surgery.

Signs and symptoms of breast infection

The signs and symptoms of a breast infection vary depending on the type of infection, but in general, it involves redness and pain in the breast area. Fever, chills may accompany this, and discharge from the nipple.

Staphylococcus bacteria: This bacteria causes inflammation and swelling in the breasts through infected milk ducts, bite wounds, or cuts on the nipple.

Blocked milk ducts: This could result from improper milk removal from the breasts or when breastfeeding positions are not done properly. It could also be due to your baby’s poor latch or sucking reflex during nursing.

Traumatic injuries: Sports-related injuries and accidents that involve getting hit or punched in the chest area could cause inflammation and swell in your breasts.

Causes Of Breast Infections And Inflammation

Bacterial Infection

Staph infections, also called mastitis, cause breast inflammation, redness and swelling. You may have a fever, chills or body aches. The condition might spread to the lymph nodes under your arms.

Fungal Infection

Yeast can grow in wet areas of the body, such as your nipples or where your breasts meet the skin. Yeast infections can cause itching, redness and a rash that may look like a spider web.

2. Severe Sunburn

A sunburn can cause skin damage that leads to an infection in the skin of your breast. Stay out of the sun during peak hours—between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.—and wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 anytime you’re outside for more than 15 minutes.

3. Sports Bra Irritation

If you wear a sports bra too often or don’t change out of it after exercising, you might develop irritation to the material that could cause an infection in your skin. Wearing cotton underwear under the bra can help reduce irritation if you don’t have time to change between workouts.

Treatment of breast infection

There are many different treatment options available when it comes to breast infections and inflammations. It’s important to get to the root of the problem before selecting a course of treatment.

Medication

If you find yourself with breast inflammation, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen. If you have any allergies to these medications, please let them know so they can make sure that the medicine does not interact with your body.

You should also let them know if you have any other medical conditions like asthma or diabetes because these may affect how quickly these medicines work to treat your disease.

Suppose antibiotics don’t seem to be working after several days of taking them daily at regular intervals. In that case, they may want to try another antibiotic or even try something different altogether, like surgery or radiation therapy, depending on what type of infection it is and how much damage has been done.

Use heat therapy

Apply warm compresses or a heating pad to help relieve pain and swelling. You can also take a warm shower to help relax your muscles and promote milk flow. If it’s too painful to shower, use a wet washcloth to clean your breasts instead.

Cold compress

Applying cold compresses after feeding may help reduce swelling and discomfort associated with mastitis. To make a cold compress at home, wrap ice cubes or frozen peas in a thin towel and apply it to your breast for 15 to 20 minutes after nursing your baby.