Symptoms, causes and treatment of mastitis

Your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy. For first-time mothers, this can be quite difficult. Sometimes you don't even know what your problem is? Mastitis is a common condition that you will experience. Let aFamilyToday Health follow up with the following shares to understand more about this issue.

Mastitis often occurs in nursing mothers due to inflammation of the breast tissue. This can cause your breasts to become infected and negatively affect the breast. Mastitis makes you feel very distressed. Usually, mastitis occurs on only one breast, but sometimes it can appear on both sides. This mainly occurs in the first 3 months of life. 1 out of 10 people who breastfeed their babies with mastitis. You can get inflamed several times. Women with cancer, AIDS or other diseases that weaken the immune system are at a higher risk of mastitis than other women.

Why are mastitis?

Like other infections, mastitis is caused by special bacteria entering the body. Normally, the bacteria that cause mastitis usually appear on the skin and penetrate the body through the stretch marks on the nipples. These bacteria multiply more and more near the ducts, causing inflammation, pain and swelling. If severe, the milk glands can become blocked.

Mastitis is usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Approximately 1–3% of breastfeeding women develop this disease. In addition to this cause, there are other causes such as:

Excess milk production causes milk to accumulate and stagnate

Breast injury

Breasts get pressure from tight tops, seat belts or sleeping positions

Due to the diet or the gap between meals is too long

Babies drink bottles most of the time

Baby has a thrush

Symptoms of mastitis

How do I know if I have mastitis? Here are some of the more common symptoms of mastitis you should be aware of:

Swollen breasts

Fever

Cold chili

Pain in the breast

Pus oozing from the nipple

Body ache

Cracked nipples

Headache

Tired

The breasts are tender and swollen

Occurrence of tumor

The symptoms persisted continuously

There is a feeling of lump in the breast due to the accumulation of milk

Body temperature more than 38.5ºC

Does mastitis affect the baby?

Mastitis does not affect the baby much. Swollen, painful, or uncomfortable breasts can make you feel uncomfortable. Breastfeeding is safe because when your baby swallows these bacteria, they are killed by stomach acid.

How to treat mastitis?

The best way to treat mastitis is to continue breastfeeding. This can be painful, but it helps keep the tubes from clogging, reducing discomfort.

If you get the right treatment as soon as you know you have mastitis, the symptoms will decrease rapidly. Here are some effective treatments for mastitis:

Breastfeed on the inflamed breast

Feed your baby on the inflamed breast, no matter what pain you feel. If you stop breastfeeding, this will make the situation worse. If this doesn't work, see your doctor right away.

Feeding your baby properly

When breastfeeding, feed your baby in the correct position . You can also try different positions to help your baby suckle better.

Breastfeed regularly

Breastfeeding regularly helps reduce mastitis effectively. Breastfeed 8–12 times per day. You can express breastmilk by hand or in a breast machine if your baby doesn't finish feeding.

Massage

While feeding your baby, gently massage the breast to help the milk flow. Do not overly massage as this will make the situation worse.

Drink a lot of water

Drinking water and getting plenty of rest will help relieve this. Ask your doctor about pain relievers. Your doctor may prescribe you some pain relievers like  ibuprofen and paracetamol . In addition, a warm compress or cold pack can also be helpful. Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing and pay attention to your sleeping position as it can put pressure on the "double mountain" region.