Mastitis
Overview
Mastitis is when your breast becomes swollen, hot and painful.
Symptoms
Mastitis usually only affects 1 breast, and symptoms often come on quickly. They include: a swollen area on your breast that may feel hot and painful to touch – the area may become red but this can be harder to see if you have black or brown skina wedge-shapedbreast lumpor a hard area on your breasta burning pain in your breast that might be constant or only when you breastfeednipple discharge, which may be white or contain streaks of blood You may also getflu-like symptoms, such as aches, a high temperature (or feeling hot, cold or shivery) and tiredness.
Causes
Mastitis is common in breastfeeding women as it can be caused by a build-up of milk. Women who are not breastfeeding can also get mastitis, as can men. This can be caused by: smoking – toxins found in tobacco can damage breast tissuedamage to the nipple, such as a piercing or skin condition such as eczemahaving a breast implanthaving a weakened immune system due to a health condition such as diabetesshaving or plucking hairs from around your nipples
Treatment
A GP will usually prescribe antibiotics if you have mastitis and your symptoms are not getting better. If you're breastfeeding a very small amount of the antibiotic may go into your breast milk. There is no risk to your baby, but it might make them irritable and restless.