Mastitis symptoms can show up out of nowhere. You can be thinking you are going along ok breastfeeding your baby and then before you know it you feel you’ve been hit by a truck
These symptoms can vary in their strength of presentation. You may have a fever and aches and then eventually you notice a red and painful breast. But the breast may be red first and then other symptoms develop afterwards. And you also may not have all the symptoms on this list, everyone is different!
So the best rule is if you have any of the above listed mastitis symptoms you should consider mastitis until proven otherwise.
Although much of the information on mastitis tells you it’s an infection, it is actually defined as inflammation that may or may not become and infection. The inflammation occurs in one or more of the breast lobes that make milk. Many people will tell you it’s an infection, and although it can be certainly become one, many cases of mastitis are an inflammatory reaction in one or more of the breast lobes themselves (where the milk is made). Due to this fact Antibiotics will only help if your mastitis is the infection type. They will not help you if your case is solely inflammatory.
This can be tricky to determine at time but there are a few differences to look out for. The reason it’s tricky is that inflammatory mastitis and infectious mastitis show the same symptoms listed above. However, with an infection the symptoms are usually more severe and may include fainting & vomiting. You should also check if you have any nipple grazes or cuts as this provides an opening for bacteria to enter the breast, as does any other cut or abrasion of the skin on the breast.
If you suspect an infection then it is always best to seek medical advice.
No, it’s a myth that a fever equals infection when it comes to mastitis. Both inflammatory mastitis and infectious mastitis have fever, but an infection usually has a much higher fever. If you suspect an infection, antibiotics are a valuable part of your treatment so seek medical advice.
If you are wanting advice and treatment for your mastitis, give us a call or book in online.
Our niche skill at the Melbourne Mastitis Clinic is feeling the tissue and determining the best techniques to not only treat the symptoms of mastitis but also work through prevention strategies to assist the mother in her breastfeeding journey. This also involves tongue-tie considerations for mother’s with recurrent mastitis episodes, as well and considering postural effects on the breast and the structural foundation and attachment of the breast to the chest wall.
Unfortunately, that poor little breast of your is not well understood in many medical circles, and often seen as an appendage on the front of your body that is just a milk-maker. That huge job of making milk exposes underlying issues in tension and compression of the beast tissues. This is a common finding in our clinic and forms the basis for our practitioners to decipher what strategy is needed for the tissue to become supple and pliable. Yes, that’s right, breast tissue is not designed to be firm and when it is firm, mastitis and blocked ducts can be the consequence.
Due to such a shortage of quality breast advice, education and massage demonstration on a globally, we have produced breast massage tutorial courses that are available online. This means that geography is less of an obstacle for women to access accurate advice and learning. If you want to know how to massage your breast tissue for mastitis, jump over to our website where you will see our courses called:
Mastitis Rescue – for acute mastitis
Boobology – includes prevention strategies and acute mastitis massage treatment
You are not alone in your experience. There are health professionals, like us, that have very clear ideas and education when it comes to breastfeeding breast tissue. If you find it difficult to find someone in your local area, consider our Your Two Jugs courses for quality and clear instruction on how to treat your mastitis symptoms.
