Purulent mastitis during breastfeeding. What to do if there is pus from the breast - advice from a mammologist What breast milk looks like with pus

Inflammation in the mammary gland, followed by the formation of pus, is called purulent mastitis. This disease requires immediate medical attention, as untimely treatment can have very serious consequences.

Forms

There are two forms of pathology: non-lactational and lactational mastitis. Purulent mastitis against the background of stagnation of milk and ingestion of pyogenic cocci develops, as a rule, in a nursing mother within a month after childbirth.

The non-lactation form can develop for the following reasons:

  • chronic diseases and pathologies;
  • chest injuries;
  • premenstrual period in a woman;
  • hypothermia;
  • the presence of secondary immunodeficiency.

Note. Purulent mastitis can appear not only in nursing mothers; it is not uncommon for women who have not given birth to suffer from this disease.

Symptoms

Purulent mastitis during breastfeeding is easy to distinguish from milk stagnation. With lactostasis, a woman becomes easier after she expresses milk; the mammary gland does not swell and does not turn red.

In the first stages of mastitis, patients may complain of:

  • headache;
  • swelling, redness of the chest;
  • breast enlargement or swelling;
  • asymmetry of the mammary glands (if an acute process develops only on one side);
  • soreness at the point of contact;
  • fever of the body and mammary gland (you feel warm when you put your hand on the sore chest);
  • feeling unwell, chills;
  • burning sensation during feeding.

Gradually, the situation becomes worse, and the following symptoms of purulent mastitis appear:

  • temperature rise to 39 degrees;
  • enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits;
  • there may be purulent discharge from the nipple;
  • chest pain increases;
  • the sore chest reddens and hardens.

Causes

The causative agents of this disease are staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The infection can enter through cracks or sores in the nipples.

Important! The main provoking factor of mastitis is lactostasis. If it is not treated, then literally in three to four days the process of pus formation can begin.

The causes of purulent lactational mastitis can be:

  • improper attachment of the child to the breast;
  • accumulation of milk in the ducts;
  • improper expression;
  • cracks and sores on the nipples;
  • improper termination of breastfeeding;
  • mastopathy.

Important! In no case should you heat the mammary glands with mastitis and squeeze out the pus on your own.

stages

In its process, purulent lactational mastitis usually goes through the following stages:

  1. Serous (initial) - characterized by a sharp increase in temperature up to 38 degrees. There is also heaviness in the diseased chest, soreness at the site of inflammation. The skin in this place may turn red; pumping milk is difficult.
  2. At the infiltrative stage, a painful seal is formed, which is easily palpable on palpation. The infiltrative stage of purulent mastitis is dangerous because it can turn into an abscess form.

The appearance of a seal indicates the beginning of the development of an abscess, the boundaries of which are clearly defined, and softening is felt in the middle. In the infiltrate, the formation of several small abscesses at once is possible.

If the disease is not treated, it will develop into an acute purulent mastitis. It is characterized by a deterioration in the patient's condition, a sharp increase in temperature. This is the phlegmonous stage of the disease. The chest acquires a bluish color and swells. Because of this, the nipple can be pulled inward.

A neglected disease can develop into gangrene (gangrenous stage). Black spots appear on the skin, epidermal blisters with a bloody fluid inside. The chest may be purple. At this stage, the entire mammary gland is affected. At acute mastitis there may be pus in the milk.

Important! When an infection joins lactostasis, fermentation and clotting of milk begins in the ducts, which is fertile ground for the reproduction of microbes and the appearance of pus.

Diagnostics

At the first suspicion of mastitis, you should immediately contact the clinic. The doctor will conduct an examination and prescribe the necessary examination.

After examining a specialist, a woman is usually prescribed blood tests (general and sugar), urinalysis, ultrasound. Ultrasound examination allows you to determine the place of accumulation of pus, the size of the foci, as well as perform a puncture in order to take material for bacteriological examination.

Treatment

Conservative treatment

This treatment of purulent mastitis is prescribed to the patient in the first stages (lactostasis, serous mastitis). It involves expressing milk every three hours and antibiotic therapy. Antispasmodics may be prescribed for the purpose of pain relief during pumping. The doctor may prescribe UHF therapy, half-alcohol wraps and compresses to the patient.

Surgical treatment

If conservative treatment of purulent mastitis is ineffective, then an operation is performed. It involves opening and draining the focus of inflammation under general anesthesia. The earlier surgery is performed, the lower the risk of complications.

After surgical treatment of purulent mastitis, a woman is given a course of antibiotic therapy. If the inflammation is stopped, and the milk tests for bacteria are negative, then the woman after the treatment can continue to breastfeed the baby.

Important! Seeing a doctor early can help you avoid possible complications purulent mastitis and increase the chances of doing without surgery.

Breastfeed the baby with purulent mastitis not needed, i.e. do not put the baby to the breast. A nursing mother expresses milk from both mammary glands herself. The baby is given milk from a healthy breast (from a bottle), having previously been pasteurized.

Complications

Complications of purulent mastitis can develop during the disease itself or after surgery. The first is the development acute forms inflammation (gangrene and phlegmon of the mammary gland). They are dangerous because they can provoke the development of sepsis.

It is possible to develop a lactiferous fistula in the period after surgery. This is not a contraindication to breastfeeding. The fistula closes within three months. After the operation, suppuration of the wound and recurrence of the disease are possible. Sometimes a cosmetic defect remains on the chest after an operated purulent mastitis.

Women need to monitor their breasts and contact specialists at the first manifestations of mastitis. This will help solve the problem without surgery.

A disease in which inflammation occurs in mammary glands ah, it's called mastitis. Most mothers whose children were breastfed are familiar with this disease firsthand. Characteristic features diseases are severe pain in the chest, its sharp change in size and redness, discomfort during feeding, fever and others.

Mastitis occurs in several stages. If at the first symptoms of the disease it was not applied effective treatment, it can go into a more dangerous purulent stage, with the threat of complications.

Causes of mastitis

Can a woman's mistaken actions cause mastitis while breastfeeding? The reasons for the development and progression of the disease are very different.

The main culprits disease-causing, are streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria that enter the female body.

Pathogens can enter the mammary glands:

  • through ducts, cracks, wounds on the chest, which are a suitable environment for this;
  • across circulatory system if a woman is sick with other chronic infectious diseases.

In the normal state, a woman's body is able to cope with a small number of bacteria on its own, but after childbirth the immune system weakened and cannot resist pathogenic microbes.

In addition, a woman's disregard for hygiene standards during feeding may be involved in the appearance of this disease. Another reason why mastitis occurs during breastfeeding is lactostasis.

Signs of lactostasis

The disease can develop due to congestion in the ducts with improper breast or long breaks between feedings. Dairy environment is a beneficial environment for the growth of the number of bacilli.
The characteristic signs of lactostasis are:

  • nodular seals in the mammary gland, which resolve after the massage;
  • chest pain;
  • uneven, intermittent flow of milk from the ducts where the disease develops.

It is necessary to eliminate the problem on initial stage, since untreated lactostasis develops into mastitis in a few days.

Indirect causes that may contribute to the development of the disease include:

  • various nipple defects (it can be retracted or divided into lobes), the child cannot properly grasp it during feeding, thereby injuring;
  • mastopathy;
  • pathology of pregnancy, birth trauma and others.

Varieties of mastitis

Mastitis is divided into two main types:

  1. Non-lactational - a disease that develops independently of breastfeeding. The causes of its occurrence are various injuries inflicted on the mammary gland, hormonal problems.
  2. Lactational - arising in the postpartum period.

What are the stages of mastitis in a nursing mother? Signs are characteristic for each stage. There are the following stages of the disease:

  • Serous - initial. It is characterized by an increase in temperature up to 38 degrees, with chills, weakness, headache, breast enlargement and redness, hyperemia, aching pain, which is aggravated by touching and feeding the child.
  • Infiltrative - the second stage, into which serous mastitis develops if it is not treated or treated incorrectly. It is characterized by education and fever.
  • Purulent. This stage is characterized by a critical body temperature of 39-40 degrees, sleep disturbance, severe headache, inflammation in burning pain in the chest from the slightest touch.

Diagnostics

If the above symptoms appear, you should immediately seek medical help. A specialist, when examining the breast, probing it, diagnoses the problem. A blood test can confirm whether mastitis has developed and the presence of inflammation in the body. Bacteriological culture of milk will determine which microbes have caused the disease and their resistance to antibiotics. Also, for the diagnosis of the disease can be carried out ultrasound procedure. It will help to more accurately determine at what stage mastitis during breastfeeding, ultrasound photo.

Mastitis and breastfeeding

If the mother has begun the superficial stage of mastitis, there is still no inflammatory process, but only redness, slight pain is observed, and is not applied drug treatment, you can feed your baby with a second, healthy breast. From the problematic gland, milk is expressed, but in no case is it given to the child, so as not to infect him.

In the later stages of the disease, it is urgent to stop feeding, since the pus that can form in the breast can spread to a healthy mammary gland, as well as the bacteria that caused this disease.

Throughout the treatment, milk must be expressed without fail. This, firstly, will help maintain lactation, and secondly, the healing process will go much faster.

Principles of treatment of mastitis

Depending on the form of the disease, as well as on how long mastitis has developed during breastfeeding, different methods of dealing with the disease are used.
The principles of treatment are:

  • Withdrawal pain.
  • Termination of the inflammatory process.
  • Stopping the reproduction of bacteria that caused the disease.

Treatment Methods

In the first stages (serous and infiltrative mastitis in a nursing mother), treatment is carried out by conservative traditional methods. With a purulent stage, surgical intervention is indispensable.

  1. Incoming milk should be expressed approximately every three hours, or as needed, to prevent stagnation and, consequently, the growth of bacteria.
  2. Local anesthesia is used to reduce pain, for example, ice can also be applied.
  3. With prolonged unsuccessful treatment, a serious condition of a woman, the development of various complications and other reasons, it is necessary to reduce the amount of milk secreted or temporarily stop the process with the help of special medicines, which should be used only as prescribed by a doctor.
  4. After the final recovery, feeding can be adjusted again.
  5. To cleanse the mother's body of toxic substances, droppers with saline solutions and glucose are used. They also add drugs to increase immunity in a woman.

Use of antibiotics

If mastitis progresses while breastfeeding, treatment will not do without taking a course of antibiotics. After the milk is cultured to detect sensitivity to antibiotics, a suitable drug will be prescribed. The most commonly used drugs in therapy are the following groups:

  • penicillin;
  • aminoglycoside;
  • cephalosporin.

Treatment can be in the form of intramuscular or intravenous injections, it is also possible to use tablets. The average course is from a week to ten days.

In the treatment of purulent mastitis, one cannot do without breast surgery and antibiotic therapy.

After recovery, discontinuation of medication, repeated bacterial culture of milk is carried out. If the tests do not show the presence of an infection in it, lactation can be resumed.

Folk methods of treatment

Very often, from relatives and friends, you can hear recommendations on the use of alternative methods of treating a disease such as mastitis in nursing. There are many recipes, the use of which, according to the assurances of healers, are a panacea for this ailment. It cannot be categorically stated that the use of bran compresses, applying burdock, coltsfoot leaves, cabbage, onion cakes with honey, psyllium seed ointments and many other means to the inflammation site is ineffective. All these methods can and should be used, but only in combination with drug treatment and always under the supervision of a doctor.

Considering that most often mastitis occurs due to bacteria, herbs and other natural components are not able to kill the infection that has entered the body, antibiotics can do it. But they can alleviate the mother's condition, reduce pain and other unpleasant symptoms, reduce the level of lactation, and improve milk flow.

In addition, any self-medication, if mastitis occurs during breastfeeding, is unacceptable. In order to avoid its more severe purulent form or complications in the form of sepsis, it is necessary to immediately seek help from specialists.

Disease prevention

There is no doubt that it is easier to prevent the onset of a disease than to treat it later. when breastfeeding, in most cases, it will save the mother from the development of the disease. It is enough to follow a few very simple rules, and feeding the baby with breast milk will be hassle-free and will bring only pleasure.

  1. In the first weeks, it is necessary to express correctly and regularly after feedings, since much more milk comes in than a very small eater needs, and its residues can cause stagnation and inflammation.
  2. During attachment to the breast, it is necessary to monitor how the baby grasps the nipple and change its position during feeding so that milk is sucked out of the farthest ducts.
  3. Monitor the appearance of wounds, microcracks on the nipples, treat them in a timely manner with various ointments. It is in this case that they will be good folk methods For example, carrot juice has wonderful healing properties.
  4. Cleanliness is the main factor in disease prevention. A clean body, underwear, a washed and ironed bra are the minimum necessary measures to protect against the penetration of the disease from the outside. In this matter, the main thing is not to overdo it. It is also not necessary to wash the breast with soap after each application, so as not to overdry the skin around the nipple and cause irritation. A normal daily shower and occasional rinsing of the glands before feeding will suffice.

Summing up, I would like to once again draw attention to the fact that one should not take lightly such an ailment as mastitis during breastfeeding. Its treatment must be started immediately, after the first signs appear, which only at first glance cannot carry something serious.

Self-treatment without seeking medical help is unacceptable, because only after a blood test and milk culture, it will be possible to prescribe the correct and effective treatment, which will soon be able to return you to nursing mothers.

Nursing women will understand: last night you felt great, but this morning your condition has deteriorated sharply. The temperature rose, both or one of the mammary glands swelled, reddened, became dense and hot, and even a light touch on it is accompanied by an attack of terrible pain. or stagnation of milk in the chest, if no measures are taken to eliminate it, it can develop into a very dangerous condition - acute purulent mastitis. The site for moms will tell you what to do in this situation in order to protect your health during breastfeeding, and not only.

Purulent mastitis is an inflammatory process in the tissues and ducts of the mammary gland, accompanied by the formation of one or more cavities with purulent contents inside or an abscess. If the pathology is not treated, very soon it can lead to serious complications, which can not always be eliminated with the help of conservative methods and often have to resort to the help of surgeons.

Forms of purulent mastitis

Purulent mastitis has two forms: lactational purulent mastitis during breastfeeding and non-lactational, which develops against the background of other pathologies in the body.

The first form is much more common.

Mastitis is diagnosed in the second or third week after delivery in the form of an infiltrate. The acute purulent stage is recorded mainly in nulliparous women. Their lack of experience and breastfeeding leaves its mark on the statistics. Sometimes mastitis can develop decades after childbirth.

Stages and symptoms of the disease

A harbinger of purulent mastitis is mild discomfort in the mammary gland. After feeding the baby and expressing the rest of the milk, the woman may notice that the pain has receded for a while. But only to return soon with a vengeance. Over time, the pain becomes permanent, and their intensity continues to grow.

Lactational purulent mastitis has several stages, each of which has its own characteristics:

  1. Serous. The chest increases in size and becomes heavier, the skin becomes red and hot. The inflamed area hurts, there are difficulties with expressing milk. There is an increase in body temperature up to 38º C and chills.
  2. Infiltrative. Against the background of previous symptoms, a new sign appears: when palpation of the affected area, you can feel a painful, dense area that does not have clear boundaries.
  3. Purulent. The woman's condition is rapidly deteriorating and is accompanied by a violation of sleep and appetite. The temperature continues to rise. The pain in the seal, which at this stage is already characterized by clear boundaries, continues to intensify. It is now felt not only in the affected part of the mammary gland, but also throughout the chest and shoulders from the side of inflammation. Lymph nodes under the armpits are enlarged. A blood test may show an increase in the number of leukocytes and an ESR.
  4. Abscessing. An isolated purulent cavity is formed inside the seal, which has no outlet to the ducts. When probing, it is softer than the inflamed tissues surrounding it. Several such purulent foci can form at once, and the only option to eliminate them is an operation to remove purulent mastitis.
  5. Phlegmonous. This stage is characterized by severe intoxication and a rise in body temperature above 39º C. The skin of the mammary gland becomes cyanotic, the tissues swell, sometimes so much that the nipple is drawn inward.
  6. Gangrenous. In the advanced stage, the affected tissues acquire a bluish-purple hue, then black necrotic areas appear. The process of dying affects the affected gland completely. Sometimes blisters form on the skin, which are typical for thermal burns, filled with a cloudy liquid mixed with blood.

Without treatment, milk stasis deteriorates rapidly, and inflammation can develop to an abscessing stage.

The site site advises at the first manifestations of malaise, which often develops against the background of postpartum complications, to consult a doctor.

Purulent mastitis does not always begin with a sharp jump in temperature: it can range from normal to 37.5º C.

With non-lactational mastitis, the disease often originates from a boil or carbuncle.

Why does purulent mastitis develop?

The most common causative agent of purulent mastitis is Staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are less common. They enter the mammary glands through. A favorable environment for their reproduction is milk, which stagnates in the chest, gradually fermenting and curdling.

It's getting harder and harder to express. As a result, the curdled substance clogs the ducts of the mammary glands and can cause the formation of purulent processes. Laktostasis, left unattended, in combination with infection, becomes the main provoking factor.

Purulent mastitis is formed during breastfeeding for a number of the following reasons:

  1. Failure to comply with an adequate feeding regimen.
  2. Irregular pumping, due to which milk stagnates in the lobules and ducts of the mammary glands.
  3. Closed chest injury due to rough or improper pumping.
  4. Cracks in the nipples.
  5. Individual features of the anatomy of the mammary glands (too thin or intertwining ducts).
  6. Surgical interventions before pregnancy and childbirth.
  7. Abrupt weaning of the baby from the breast.
  8. Mastopathy.
  9. Reduced immunity in a nursing woman.

Non-lactational form of purulent mastitis may develop due to:

  1. Chest injury.
  2. The introduction of foreign bodies (piercing) into the tissue of the breast or nipple.
  3. Implants.
  4. Purulent diseases of the superficial skin and subcutaneous tissue, as well as allergies.
  5. Mastopathy.
  6. Tuberculosis, syphilis and other infectious diseases.
  7. Festering benign tumors or breast cancer.
  8. Inflammatory processes in the sebaceous and sweat glands.
  9. Chronic diseases of ENT organs, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system and SARS.
  10. Hormonal disorders.

Sometimes the focus of suppuration breaks through, and in this case, in order to protect yourself from a new infection of the wound, you must urgently contact a medical facility.

How to treat purulent mastitis?

With lactostasis and serous mastitis, doctors advise the use of conservative methods of treatment:

  1. Continue to express milk, both from a healthy breast and from an affected one.
  2. Antispasmodics in the form of intramuscular injections to relieve spasm in the ducts.
  3. Antihistamines to reduce the hypersensitivity of the body.
  4. Broad spectrum antibiotics to kill pathogens.
  5. Compresses and wraps.
  6. Therapy with ultrasound and UHF.

We repeat that drug treatment is applicable only to the serous stage. If the disease proceeds rapidly, with the formation of one or more infiltrates, purulent mastitis is diagnosed, non-surgical treatment is useless and can aggravate the situation.

If the infiltrate is single, then the purulent exudate is removed through a puncture small size under local anesthesia. For these purposes, a solution of novocaine is used. The pus is sucked off, and solutions of penicillin and novocaine are injected into the vacant cavity. The effectiveness of penicillin therapy can be assessed as early as 2-3 days: the temperature decreases and the intensity of pain decreases markedly. With each subsequent drainage, the amount of purulent masses decreases. Suction is carried out until the purulent exudate is replaced by transparent serous-bloody discharge.

This method, unlike surgery, does not leave noticeable cosmetic defects on the skin and minimally injures the mammary glands. But its use is not advisable if purulent mastitis has already developed into the stage of a phlegmonous form or gangrene. In this case, only the opening of abscesses can stop the process of tissue decomposition.

Surgical treatment of purulent mastitis

Opening of foci with purulent contents is carried out under general anesthesia. With numerous purulent lesions, a cavity dissection is necessary towards the nipple to ensure free outflow of pus. The surgeon makes several incisions, installs a drainage-flushing system and stitches. This approach allows you to enter penicillin and novocaine directly into the infected cavity.

After 5-10 days, the system is removed, the sutures are removed 7-10 days after the operation.

The postoperative period is accompanied antibiotic therapy and rinsing the cavity antiseptics. After the inflammation is completely stopped, and the analysis of milk for the presence of bacterial flora is negative, breastfeeding can be resumed with the permission of the doctor.

If the doctor forbids putting the baby to the breast, it is forbidden to feed him with milk and from a healthy gland. Milk expressed from a diseased breast is unsuitable for feeding. From a healthy gland, milk is also first expressed, pasteurized and given to the baby from a bottle. Sometimes breastfeeding cannot be continued, in which case the woman is prescribed drugs to stop lactation.

Be careful, self-treatment of purulent mastitis can lead to a worsening of the overall clinical picture.

Under the supervision of a physician, in conjunction with the main therapy can be used and folk remedies, but, as a rule, they are not capable of affecting the growth of the number of bacteria.

The discharge of pus from the nipple is not only extremely unpleasant, but also very dangerous symptom, which should alert and force you to immediately consult a doctor. And to know what to expect, find out possible reasons of this phenomenon.

First, it is worth noting that pus is an exudate resulting from purulent or serous inflammation of tissues. Such a liquid has a viscous consistency, a yellowish or grayish tint, and often an unpleasant odor. It consists of leukocytes, cholesterol, globulins, fats, albumins, particles of skin and soft tissues, DNA impurities, as well as enzymes and waste products of inflammatory pathogens - pathogenic microorganisms.

Given the above, we can conclude that pus does not form in the chest just like that, its accumulation and release is preceded by an inflammatory process. And in most cases pathological changes flowing in the tissues of the mammary glands do not go unnoticed and provoke a number of other symptoms:

  • puffiness
  • hyperemia
  • bursting
  • discomfort
  • soreness
  • redness
  • engorgement
  • burning

Pus can be released from the nipples only when exposed to them (for example, when pressed) or flow freely if its amount is significant.

Non-purulent discharge that may cause anxiety

Far from always, the discharge is purulent, although sometimes in consistency and shade they really resemble pathological exudate. But if the leakage of fluid from the nipples is not accompanied by severe and obvious inflammation, and there are no other symptoms, then most likely it is not pus.

Possible situations in which a liquid similar to pus may be released from the nipples:

  • Pregnancy. In the second half, colostrum begins to form in the breast, which future mom can be seen on underwear. Its release does not cause concern, and the liquid itself has a rather thick consistency and a yellowish-transparent color.
  • Lactation. Milk leakage between feedings is quite normal and should not be a cause for concern.
  • If the discharge is very scarce and extremely rare, almost transparent or slightly yellowish, does not have any smell and is released when the nipples are pressed, then this can also be considered a variant of the norm. In the mammary glands, even outside the lactation period, a small amount of a special secret is secreted, which can go out through the milky tubules. The volume of discharge can increase with overheating, with intense physical activity, as a result of stimulation of the mammary glands or after certain procedures.
  • Galactorrhea is the spontaneous secretion of milk outside the period of breastfeeding. Normally, it can be released for some time after the end of lactation, but, as a rule, no longer than 6-12 months (in some cases, 1.5-2 years). If a woman has not been breastfeeding for a long time, and even more so she has never fed, then galactorrhea is caused by hormonal disorders, namely, an increase in the level of prolactin responsible for lactation. An increase in its amount in the body may be the result of an abortion or miscarriage, taking oral contraceptives and other hormonal drugs, diseases thyroid gland, adrenal glands or pituitary gland, liver failure (this organ provides the utilization of hormones), certain gynecological or oncological diseases.
  • Mastopathy. With such a common disease, discharge from the nipples can also be observed, but in most cases they are not purulent in nature.
  • Ectasia of the milk ducts is their pathological expansion, most often developing in women over forty-five years old. With such a pathology, the resulting secret does not dissolve in the chest, as in the normal state of the ducts, but rushes along them to the tubules located in the nipples and goes out. In some cases, the deviation requires medical intervention.

Possible causes of purulent discharge

Suppuration of the nipples may be due to the following conditions, pathologies and diseases:

  • Mastitis is an inflammatory disease. In most cases, it develops during the lactation period due to damage to the skin as a result of improper attachment or insufficient emptying of the breast. With such a disease, the discharge is accompanied by pain, hyperemia, severe swelling, bursting, an increase in the size of the mammary gland, as well as an increase in body temperature and clearly palpable lumps.
  • Intraductal papillomas. These are neoplasms resembling warts, located on the walls of the ducts and, accordingly, deforming them. In some cases, with papillomas, purulent discharge from the nipples is observed. And when probing, seals can be detected.
  • Malignant or benign neoplasms, especially those located inside the milk ducts and deforming them. Pus can be released with a significant size of the tumors, therefore, during examination, they will certainly be clearly palpable.
  • Damage and further infection of the tissues of the nipple. This area can be damaged as a result of rough stimulation, invasive procedures (including piercing), non-compliance with pumping techniques (especially manual), and injuries.
  • Cracks in the nipples occur when improperly applied during lactation and become a kind of entrance gate for various pathogenic microorganisms, such as streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria. Their activity causes inflammation and, as a result, the release of pus.
  • Mastopathy can lead to the formation of pus if the tissues that grow pathologically in the breast irritate and deform the milk ducts, damaging their walls. With this disease, a number of other symptoms are observed: engorgement of the mammary glands, seals in them, discomfort, changes in shape and size, soreness.
  • Recent breast surgery. If tissue infection occurs during or after them, this can provoke suppuration.
  • Furuncles or carbuncles. If they are located on the nipples, which, although rare, happens, then pus from the cavity can exit through the lactiferous tubules if it does not find another way out. Such neoplasms look like red abscesses rising above the skin, very painful under mechanical influences.

What to do

If you notice the discharge of pus from mammary gland, then this is clearly an alarming sign that requires immediate medical attention. A specialist mammologist will conduct a thorough examination and prescribe a number of diagnostic procedures: ductography, X-ray, mammography, ultrasound, blood tests. Based on the results obtained, a diagnosis will be made.

Treatment depends on the causes of suppuration. To stop inflammation, antiseptics and anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended. Antibiotics are prescribed for bacterial infections. Sometimes admission is required hormonal drugs. And to open the abscesses and remove the neoplasms localized in the chest, surgical intervention will be required.

The discharge of pus from the nipples is an unpleasant symptom that should alert any woman who cares about her health and make her visit a doctor.

The appearance of discharge from the nipples should alert the woman. Discharge from the mammary glands may appear as a result of natural physiological processes, but may be a sign various diseases. It is of great importance what color and consistency they are, whether there are any additional complaints, the age of the woman. Early detection of breast disease is important for cure. Therefore, the appearance of secretions cannot be ignored, especially if there is a change in the shape or size of the glands. Only a doctor can determine whether there is cause for concern in this case.

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Causes of discharge from the chest

In some cases, the appearance of clear discharge from the mammary glands is considered normal. The formation of milk occurs in the alveoli located in the lobules of the mammary gland. Through the milk ducts, it is brought from the lobules to the nipple. In the absence of lactation, the ducts are filled with fluid, which can be released outside only in isolated cases, for example, before menstruation, when the gland is tense and swells, during intercourse, or in case of strong pressure on the chest.

The appearance of colostrum (a clear yellowish liquid) occurs during pregnancy when the mammary gland swells before milk production begins.

Unusual is the appearance of milky discharge, not associated with breastfeeding, a change in color and an increase in the intensity of fluid formation. Attention should also be drawn to the occurrence in one or both glands of pain simultaneously with discharge from the nipples, an increase in body temperature.

The reasons for unusual discharge may be:

  1. hormonal disorders associated with diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, ovaries, brain tumors;
  2. taking hormonal contraceptives;
  3. treatment of any diseases with the use of hormonal drugs;
  4. taking some other medicines eg antidepressants;
  5. benign or malignant tumors of the mammary glands;
  6. squeezing with tight linen;
  7. chest injury.

Types of secretions

The color of the discharge can suggest what the cause of the anomaly is. The diagnosis is clarified by additional examination.

White

Volume and shades (from white to light brown) may vary. In the form of a few drops, they appear as a result of strong squeezing of the mammary gland, since there is always a liquid in the ducts that prevents the walls from sticking together and blocking the ducts.

After stopping breastfeeding, milk discharge continues for several more months with a gradually decreasing intensity. This is a natural process. If the volume does not decrease, the discharge is observed for more than six months, then it is necessary to consult a doctor, as this may be a symptom of a pathology.

White discharge from the glands also occurs in the presence of diseases associated with hormonal disorders, increased levels of prolactin. Milky-white liquid is discharged from the nipples after an artificial termination of pregnancy. It is also associated with hormonal changes in the body.

Purulent

Such discharge can be a symptom of an abscess, a purulent process inside the ducts. An abscess requires urgent treatment with antibiotics, special compresses. In some cases, an opening of the focus of inflammation is required to clean it from pus.

Bloody

The appearance of such secretions from the mammary glands may indicate a benign or malignant neoplasm, which involves small vessels located in the glandular tissue.

dark green

They appear as a result of inflammation of the milk ducts, which are filled with a thick black-green liquid.

Discharge from the nipples during pregnancy

During pregnancy, changes in the ratio of hormones occur in the woman's body, prolactin begins to predominate, which stimulates milk production. The chest swells, the milk ducts expand. Even slight stimulation of the nipples increases the release of fluid. Gradually, it thickens, and by the end of pregnancy it turns into colostrum, a thick yellowish mass, sweetish in taste and nutritionally superior to breast milk. For some women, colostrum appears immediately after childbirth, for others - in late pregnancy. The time of appearance of colostrum does not affect subsequent lactation.

Recommendation: There is an opinion that if you express colostrum, then there will be more milk later. In fact, this has no effect on lactation, but stimulation of the nipples can cause uterine contractions. A miscarriage may occur.

Diseases in which there is discharge from the chest

Most breast diseases in women occur against the background of hormonal abnormalities that occur as a result of age-related changes or dysfunction of other organs.

Galactorrhea

The intensity and duration of lactation is regulated by the hormone prolactin, which is produced in the pituitary gland. Galactorrhea is an abnormal milk production that does not stop 5-6 months after the baby is weaned and is associated with an excess level of this hormone in the body. An increased content of prolactin is typical for women aged 45-50 years. The cause of an abnormal increase in the level of the hormone can be head injuries, brain tumors, diseases of the ovaries, adrenal glands or thyroid gland, liver.

Galactorrhea can occur due to stress experienced by a woman. There is the concept of "idiopathic galactorrhea", that is, the release of milk for no apparent reason. As a rule, this disease is accompanied by a violation menstrual cycle, decreased libido. Facial hair growth is also a sign of elevated prolactin.

Video: Causes and manifestations of hyperprolactinemia

Milk duct ectasia

This inflammatory disease lactiferous ducts, which is characterized by the appearance of black-green discharge from the mammary glands. Usually the cause is hormonal changes that occur at the beginning menopause. This disease is treated with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. Sometimes the affected area is surgically removed.

Video: What is milk duct ectasia

Intraductal papilloma

A benign disease associated with the appearance of growths on the walls of the ducts, extending to the nipple area. It is dangerous that degeneration of cells of damaged glandular tissue and the occurrence of cancer is possible. The discharge from the nipples is thick, with an admixture of blood. It is more common in women over 35 years of age.

Mastitis

Abscess, a purulent inflammation that most often occurs in lactating women. The reason is the cracks that appear on the nipples due to damage to the delicate tissue when the baby sucks milk. In this case, an infection enters the milk ducts. Suppuration of the ducts is accompanied by an increase in the size of the gland, redness, fever, and the appearance of pus in the milk. In this case, breastfeeding is completely stopped, antibiotic treatment is performed or the milk duct is opened to remove pus.

Mastopathy

A benign disease that occurs due to the growth of breast tissue (glandular and connective). yellowish or transparent bloody issues with mastopathy appear in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. At the onset of menstruation, they disappear. The appearance of fluid from the nipples is accompanied by pain in the mammary glands. For treatment, drugs are prescribed that restore the normal ratio of hormones in the blood. Large nodes formed during mastopathy are removed surgically.

breast cancer

The discharge may be bloody, clear, or thick. In this case, the nipple is retracted due to the tumor. In the chest, dense areas with uneven edges are groped. They grow together with the skin, which takes on the appearance of a lemon peel. More often, discharge appears in one breast affected by a tumor.

Examination for unusual discharge from the nipples

When any unusual discharge from the mammary glands appears, an examination by a gynecologist, mammologist, endocrinologist, oncologist is necessary to determine their cause and timely diagnosis of the disease.

The examination usually consists of external examination and palpation of the breast, mammography, ultrasound, blood tests. The examination is carried out in order to detect tumors and determine their nature, as well as to determine the level of hormones in the blood.