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Infection- Medical Care, Test and Treatment |
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Breast Infection- Medical Care, Test and Treatment |
When to Seek Medical Care
Call your health care provider as soon as you feel any suspicious lump, whether
you are breastfeeding or not. Call for an appointment if you experience the
following:
* You have any abnormal discharge from your nipples.
* Breast pain is making it difficult for you to function each day.
* You have prolonged, unexplained breast pain.
* You have any other associated symptoms that you are worried about such as
redness, swelling, pain that interferes with breastfeeding, a mass or tender
lump in the breast that does not disappear after breastfeeding.
* If you are breastfeeding, call your doctor if you develop any symptoms of
breast infection so that treatment may be started promptly.
You may need to be evaluated in a hospital's emergency department if the breast
pain is associated with other signs of an infection (such as a fever, swelling,
or redness to the breast) and if your health care provider cannot see you
promptly.
* A persistent high fever greater than 101.5°F
* Nausea or vomiting that is preventing you from taking the antibiotics as
prescribed
* Pus draining from the breast
* Red streaks extending toward your arm or chest
* Dizziness, fainting, or confusion
Exams and Tests
The diagnosis of mastitis and breast abscess can usually be made based on a
physical examination.
* If it is unclear whether a mass is due to a fluid-filled abscess or to a solid
mass such as a tumor, a test such as an ultrasound may be done. An ultrasound
may also be helpful in distinguishing between simple mastitis and abscess or in
diagnosing an abscess deep in the breast. This noninvasive test allows your
doctor to directly visualize the abscess by placing an ultrasound probe over
your breast. If an abscess is confirmed, aspiration or surgical drainage, and IV
antibiotics, are often required.
* Cultures may be taken, either of breast milk or of material aspirated (taken
out through a syringe) from an abscess, to determine the type of organism
causing the infection. This information can help your doctor decide what kind of
antibiotic to use.
* Nonbreastfeeding women with mastitis, or those who do not respond to
treatment, may have a mammogram or breast biopsy. This is a precautionary
measure because a rare type of breast cancer can produce symptoms of mastitis
Breast Infection Treatment
Breast infections require treatment by a health care provider.
|Self-Care at Home|
After you see a doctor, try the following to help your breast infection heal
well.
* Pain medication: Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) for
pain. These medicines are safe while breastfeeding and will not harm your
breastfeeding baby. Your doctor may prescribe a prescription strength pain
reliever if your pain is severe and not relieved with over-the-counter
medication.
* In mild cases of mastitis, antibiotics may not be prescribed at all. If you
are prescribed antibiotics, finishing the prescription even if you feel better
in a few days is very important.
* Frequent feedings: Do not stop breastfeeding from the affected breast, even
though it will be painful. Frequent emptying of the breast prevents engorgement
and clogged ducts that can only make mastitis worse.
o If needed, you can use a breast pump to completely empty the breast.
o The infection will not harm the baby because the germs that caused the
infection probably came from the baby’s mouth in the first place. An alternative
to this is to pump the affected breast to relieve the milk and discard the milk.
Breastfeed from the unaffected side and supplement with infant formula as
needed.
* Pain relief: A warm compress applied before and after feedings can often
provide some relief. A warm bath may work as well.
o If heat is ineffective, ice packs applied after feedings may provide some
comfort and relief.
o Avoid using ice packs just before breastfeeding because it can slow down milk
flow.
o Drink plenty of water—at least 10 glasses a day. Eat well-balanced meals and
add 500 extra calories a day while breastfeeding. Dehydration and poor nutrition
can decrease milk supply and make you feel worse.
|Medications|
For simple mastitis without an abscess, oral antibiotics are prescribed.
Cephalexin (Keflex) and dicloxacillin (Dycill) are two of the most common
antibiotics chosen, but a number of others are available. The antibiotic
prescribed for you will depend on the clinical situation, your doctor’s
preference, and your medication allergies, if any. This medicine is safe to use
while breastfeeding and will not harm the baby.
Chronic mastitis in nonbreastfeeding women can be complicated. Recurrent
episodes of mastitis are common. Occasionally, this type of infection responds
poorly to antibiotics. Therefore, close follow-up with your doctor is mandatory.
If the infection worsens in spite of oral antibiotics or if you have a deep
abscess requiring surgical treatment, you may be admitted to the hospital for IV
antibiotics.
|Surgery|
If an abscess is present, it must be drained. After injection of local
anesthetic, the doctor may drain an abscess near the surface of the skin either
by aspiration with a needle and syringe or by using a small incision. This can
be done in the doctor’s office or emergency department.
If the abscess is deep in the breast, however, it may require surgical drainage
in the operating room. This procedure is usually done under general anesthesia
to minimize pain and completely drain the abscess. Antibiotics and heat on the
area are also used to treat abscesses. |
Source:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/4960-6.asp
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