{"id":1280,"date":"2021-10-13T08:05:57","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T08:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/?p=1280"},"modified":"2025-11-18T15:07:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T15:07:10","slug":"mastitis-is-non-cancerous-but-what-is-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/blog\/mastitis-is-non-cancerous-but-what-is-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastitis Is Non-Cancerous, But What Is it?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mastitis is a non-cancerous infectious condition that causes inflammation in the breasts when the patient has clogged milk ducts or breaks in the skin of the nipples. It occurs mostly in women who are breastfeeding, and it can lead to swelling and pain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Let\u2019s explore mastitis in more detail and discuss the <\/span><a href=\"\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/breast-evaluation-and-treatment-miami-florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>signs of clogged milk ducts<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and other symptoms that this infection can cause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Causes of Mastitis\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mastitis is an infection that occurs when the bacteria enters your breasts through the milk ducts or nipple cracks. These are then found on your skin or baby&#8217;s mouth, and in most cases, it only affects one breast.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You&#8217;re more likely to develop the condition if there&#8217;s milk trapped in your breasts due to poor breastfeeding positions, as this can allow bacteria to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition, mastitis can also affect men and women who don\u2019t breastfeed, and this can happen if they:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have a breast implant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Smoke, tobacco toxins can damage the breast tissue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have nipple piercings or eczema.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have a weak immune system if they have diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Shave or pluck hairs around the nipples.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Mastitis Symptoms and Diagnosis<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1282 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis.jpg\" alt=\"Ill Pregnant Young Woman With Pill on Grey Background\" width=\"1000\" height=\"668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis-200x134.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mastitis-Symptoms-and-Diagnosis.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">During your appointment, your OB-GYN performs a breast exam to check for any symptoms that you might be experiencing:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Swelling that feels painful or hot, and the skin may also become red, which can be difficult to see on dark skins.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A burning pain that is persistent while breastfeeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nipple discharge that may be white or contain blood streaks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A wedge-shaped breast lump.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other flu-like mastitis symptoms that can develop include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Aches.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">High temperature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Chills.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiredness.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, below are some common clogged milk duct symptoms that patients experience when they have mastitis:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pain or swelling near the lump.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Discomfort that goes away after you stop breastfeeding.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Milk blister that forms near the opening of your nipples.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Movement of the lump over time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Other Diagnostic Tests<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Women who aren\u2019t breastfeeding or don\u2019t see any improvement with treatment may opt for a mammogram or a breast biopsy. This is because some breast cancers can cause similar symptoms to those of mastitis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is what happens during these exams:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Mammogram: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is an X-ray test that produces an image of your breast tissue, and it can help doctors identify any abnormal structures that you might have, including cysts and tumors. These exams can also detect early breast cancer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Biopsy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you come in for a breast biopsy, we remove parts of a suspicious area for examination. This test helps us determine whether you have a lump, lesion, or tumor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Risk Factors of Mastitis\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some factors can increase your risk of mastitis or clogged ducts, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Previous history of mastitis while breastfeeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sore or cracked nipples.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Smoking.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Improper breastfeeding positions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stressful events.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Poor nutrition.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tight-fitting bras. They put more pressure on your breasts and can reduce milk flow.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How to Prepare For Your Appointment<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Women with mastitis should visit an OB-GYN&#8217;s office to evaluate their problem and receive a diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here&#8217;s what you can do to prepare for your appointment:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Create a list of any symptoms that you may be experiencing, such as swelling, blocked milk ducts, or nipple discharge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Write down all the medications that you\u2019re taking, including vitamins and supplements.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Write down any recent changes that you\u2019ve gone through, such as stress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Furthermore, there are also questions that you can ask your doctor to learn more about your treatment, home remedies, and whether the condition will affect your breastfeeding journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most of our patients with mastitis or clogged ducts ask us the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do I need treatment, or do mastitis symptoms clear on their own?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Are there any home remedies that can relieve my clogged milk duct symptoms?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Will mastitis affect my baby?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Is the medication safe for breastfeeding?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Can the condition come back?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How It Can Cause Complications<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It&#8217;s best to seek medical help if you notice any mastitis symptoms or signs of clogged milk ducts. If you don&#8217;t get the proper treatment, abscess, or pus, can accumulate in your breasts, and you&#8217;ll have to undergo surgery so that the doctor can remove this abscess.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Our Breast Care Center Miami team also recommends calling your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Infection in both breasts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pus or blood in your breast milk.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A painful lump.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sudden severe symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Treatment For Mastitis and Blocked Milk Ducts Symptoms<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Both medications and home remedies can be effective in relieving mastitis or clogged milk duct symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Medications and Surgery<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you have mastitis without an abscess, doctors may prescribe antibiotics such as cephalexin and dicloxacillin. Other antibiotics are available, but it depends on your condition, doctor&#8217;s preferences, and whether you&#8217;re allergic to any drugs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can use these medications while breastfeeding as they won&#8217;t harm your baby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you have recurrent episodes, antibiotics may not be effective, and you may require a close follow-up with your doctor.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, if you don&#8217;t see any improvement with your mastitis or clogged ducts, you may need IV antibiotics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, if there&#8217;s an abscess in your breast tissue, you may have to undergo surgery, so the doctor can drain the pus using a needle and syringe or a small incision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, if the abscess is deep in your breasts, a surgical drainage procedure may be the best option. We perform this under general anesthesia to relieve pain and drain the abscess.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Home Remedies<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can implement some strategies to relieve any blocked milk ducts symptoms, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid trying to pop the clog.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Massaging the clog.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wearing loose-fitting clothes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid wearing bras that come with underwires.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Applying a heating pad or a warm cloth to your breasts for 20 minutes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Follow-Up Care After a Breast Infection<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is common for health clinics to recommend that their patients do the following if they have a breast infection and any signs of clogged milk ducts:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Completing the whole antibiotics course as prescribed.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Taking the temperature three times per day for the first two days after starting the treatment plan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">See a doctor if high fever, vomiting, or increased redness develops.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Revisiting the doctor\u2019s clinic after two weeks to check that the infection has disappeared.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What To Do If The Infection Comes Back<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1283 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back.jpg\" alt=\"A Female Doctor Sits at Her Desk and Talks to a Female Patient While Looking at Her Mammogram. Brest Cancer Prevention\" width=\"1000\" height=\"668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back-200x134.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/What-To-Do-If-The-Infection-Comes-Back.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We recommend seeing a doctor if your mastitis symptoms don&#8217;t disappear or your milk ducts are still clogged 48 hours after taking medications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It&#8217;s also important to seek medical help if you develop the condition, but you&#8217;re not breastfeeding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition, mastitis can come back, especially if you&#8217;re breastfeeding, as this can occur when you&#8217;re not using the correct breastfeeding positions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A nurse or midwife can provide more tips to help you find the right position for you and your body and ensure that your child is properly latched.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Tips For Preventing Mastitis\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Women who breastfeed have an increased risk of developing the infection more than others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, you can apply these habits to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uofmhealth.org\/health-library\/tn8011\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">prevent mastitis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or reduce the risk of blocked milk ducts symptoms from coming back:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Drinking fluids.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Washing hands and cleaning the nipples.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allowing cracked nipples to air dry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ensuring that both breasts are empty, so the milk ducts don\u2019t get clogged.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Book Your Appointment Today<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mastitis is a non-cancerous infectious condition, but it can lead to complications if you don\u2019t get treated right away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At Breast Care Center Miami, we specialize in treating various breast conditions, and we also offer different tests to help us with diagnosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Call our reception desk to set up an appointment with us. Our clinic is open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mastitis is a non-cancerous infectious condition that causes inflammation in the breasts when the patient has clogged milk ducts or<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1281,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[14,216],"tags":[246,244,247,243,248,245],"class_list":["post-1280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-breast-health","tag-blocked-milk-ducts-symptoms","tag-clogged-milk-duct-symptoms","tag-mastitis-or-clogged-ducts","tag-mastitis-symptoms","tag-milk-ducts","tag-signs-of-clogged-milk-ducts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1280"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1280\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}