Breast abscess
Overview
A breast abscess is a painful build-up of pus in the breast caused by an infection. It mainly affects women who are breastfeeding.It's not usually serious, but it needs treatment in hospital.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a breast abscess may include: a lump or swelling in your breastpain in your breast, it may also feel warm or look red (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)a high temperaturefeeling generally unwell You’re more likely to have a breast abscess if you have recently had a breast infection (mastitis) or if you’ve had a breast abscess before.
Causes
A breast abscess can form if you have a breast infection (calledmastitis) and it's not treated quickly. You're more likely to get mastitis if you are breastfeeding. You can get it if you're not breastfeeding, but this is less common. Getting treatment for mastitis as soon as possible can help reduce the risk of getting an abscess.
Treatment
You’ll need to go to hospital to have treatment for a breast abscess. Treatment involves the pus being drained from the abscess with either: a needle – this might need to be done a few times and you may have to go back to hospital each timea small cut in your skin You'll be given a local anaesthetic before the pus is drained so you do not feel any pain. You can usually go home the same day and may be given antibiotics to take at home. The abscess should heal completely in a few days or weeks.