What is acute mastitis?

Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
Updated on September 17, 2024
00:00
00:00

Acute mastitis is an acute purulent infection of the mammary gland, commonly occurring in women during the postpartum breastfeeding period, especially more frequently seen in primiparous women. It usually occurs within three months after delivery, particularly in the third and fourth weeks postpartum. Therefore, it can also be referred to as postpartum mastitis or lactational mastitis. The main causes are due to bacterial invasion, stagnation of milk, and a decrease in the body's immune function. The primary pathogens are generally Staphylococcus aureus, with occasional cases involving Streptococcus. In such instances, it is recommended to conduct a routine blood test for the mammary gland and an ultrasound to determine the severity of the mastitis.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Chao Jie
Breast Surgery
49sec home-news-image

What fruits to eat for acute mastitis?

For mastitis, it is primarily important to avoid spicy and stimulating foods, seafood, and lactation-promoting foods. Foods high in fat and sugar, spicy fried foods, and stimulant drinks like liquor and coffee should be avoided. If blood sugar levels are high, certain fruits high in sugar content should also be avoided. For those without diabetes, the issue is simpler; for example, consuming more tomatoes, especially cooked tomatoes, is advisable. The principle is to eat light and nutritious foods. Therefore, tomatoes, green vegetables, loofah, cucumbers, crown daisy, lotus root, and mung bean soup are good options. This also includes oranges, strawberries, apples, grapes, and kiwifruits which are suitable choices.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Chao Jie
Breast Surgery
56sec home-news-image

What department should I go to for acute mastitis?

What department to see for acute mastitis is a very common question. Acute mastitis often refers to the inflammation of the mammary glands during breastfeeding or pregnancy. Of course, this also includes breast injuries from physical trauma or parasites. Early-stage acute mastitis can manifest changes such as mild local pain and swelling, and possibly fever without other significant symptoms. Therefore, the early stage of acute mastitis can be quite confusing. In fact, one should visit the Breast Surgery department, Thyroid Breast Surgery, or Breast Thyroid Surgery department in major hospitals. If these specialties are not available, it is advisable to consult a doctor who has received advanced training in relevant fields at higher-level hospitals, typically a general surgery or gynecology specialist.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cui Yu Rong
Breast Surgery
39sec home-news-image

Is hot compress effective for acute mastitis?

An important factor in acute mastitis is the accumulation of milk during breastfeeding, which leads to mastitis. Applying heat can be somewhat effective, as it helps to unblock the milk, thus further alleviating and controlling the symptoms of mastitis. However, heat application is mainly used in the initial stage of mastitis. If the condition progresses further, with more apparent systemic symptoms or pus formation, then heat application is not very effective. Further anti-infection treatment and, if necessary, incision and drainage surgery are needed to control the condition.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Chao Jie
Breast Surgery
42sec home-news-image

Which department should I go to for acute mastitis?

For acute mastitis, one should first consult the Department of Mammary Surgery or Thyro-Mammary Surgery. When some hospitals lack a specialized breast surgery department, patients typically consult the general surgery department or gynecology department. If it is during the night or none of the specialized departments are available, then the emergency surgery department should be consulted. Thus, there are multiple relevant departments for acute mastitis. In larger hospitals with specialized departments, one can directly consult the Department of Mammary Surgery or Thyro-Mammary Surgery. During off-hours, nights, weekends, or other emergency periods, it is appropriate to consult the emergency surgery department.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lin Yang
Breast Surgery
41sec home-news-image

Acute mastitis is caused by what?

Mastitis is generally considered to be caused by the accumulation of milk, which occurs during breastfeeding when the posture or unintentional actions by the child cause damage to the milk ducts, leading to an accumulation of milk within them. Since milk serves as an excellent culture medium, this can lead to bacterial infection. The second point is that if there are cracks or fissures on the nipple, bacteria can infect in reverse, leading to significant infections by Staphylococcus aureus, which can also cause mastitis. The third point concerns a weakened immune system, for example due to mental stress or lack of sleep. These are the main causes of acute mastitis.