Homeopathy for inflammation of the breast
The homeopathic remedies used are used in mastitis in order to have a positive influence on the inflammatory process. Only a limited selection of possible remedies is described below. Belladonna or Acidum nitricum can help in the early stages of the inflammation.
The latter is particularly useful for skin injuries in the form of small cracks. Bryonia is a good remedy for swollen breasts that cause severe and stabbing pain when shaken. Phytolacca or Pulsatilla are remedies that can be used to treat mastitis during lactation with pain radiating into the shoulder and neck.
If the inflammation is already in an advanced stage with the formation of pus, hepar sulfuris can be used. Synonym: Mastadenitis puerperalis, English: puerperal mastitis Puerperal mastitis, which affects nursing mothers, is an acute inflammation of the breast that occurs two to four weeks after birth (post partum) in the postpartum period. It used to be considered the most common inflammation of the female breast.In recent years, however, their share in the total number of inflammations has decreased, whereas mastitis non-puerperalis has increased.
or Mastitis puerperalis Mastitis puerperalis is an acute bacterial inflammation, which is in most cases caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a germ that is also found on healthy skin. Streptococci, E. coli, Klebsiellae, Pneumococci and Proteus can also be involved, but this is less common. The germs can also be passed on to the mouth, nose and throat of the newborn during breastfeeding.
The nipples are exposed to high mechanical stress during breastfeeding. This causes the formation of very fine cracks (rhagades), through which the germs enter the lymphatic clefts of the connective tissue of the breast. There the germs spread and accumulate.
The symptoms include the classic signs of inflammation. The breast is reddened (Rubor), overheated (Calor), swollen (tumor), limited in its breastfeeding function (Functio laesa) and hurts more or less strongly (Dolor). The inflammation is usually limited to a restricted area, very often this is the upper, outer area of the breast (upper, outer quadrant).
In addition, those affected feel generally weakened and have a fever. The lymph nodes in the armpits may also be painful. While the inflammation is initially diffusely distributed in the breast, a completed abscess may result if treatment is not carried out.
Therapy is therefore unavoidable. The clinical picture of mastitis is quite clear. With an additional sonography an abscess can be visualized very well and localized exactly.
The therapy varies depending on the stage of the inflammation. In the initial stage it is treated conservatively. Women should continue to breastfeed, even if it was previously advised not to do so.
There is practically no danger for the child. In addition, the breast is cooled with alcohol and quark compresses. This has a decongestant and analgesic effect.
However, alcohol compresses can dry out the skin. The breast is massaged and finally treated with antibiotics to kill the germs. The antibiotics that are used are cephalosporins and broad-spectrum antibiotics.
In the advanced stages, the therapy is done slightly differently: if an abscess has already formed, the milk is pumped out and any further milk production is inhibited. So-called prolactin inhibitors are used for this purpose. Lisuride, bromocriptine and cabergoline belong to this group of drugs.
Prolactin inhibitors prevent the release of the hormone prolactin, which promotes milk secretion. A heat therapy and finally an abscess splitting is performed. Splitting an abscess is a surgical procedure to remove the abscess.
Since splitting an abscess always causes scarring, mastitis should be treated early to prevent this. Synonym: Mastadenitis non-puerperalis, MNP; English: non-puerperal mastitis; Mastitis non-puerperalis can be caused by both bacteria and non-bacteria. It is an acute inflammation of the female mammary gland that is not associated with childbirth, pregnancy or the puerperium.
In the past, MNP was considered a rather rare disease. It accounted for only about 5-10% of all mastitis cases. Nowadays, however, it accounts for about 50% of the mastitis in sexually mature women.
The reasons for this are not yet fully understood. There are diseases that are considered risk factors for the development of MNP. These include inverted nipples, galactorrhea, macromastia, mastodynia and a proliferative or fibrocystic mastopathy.
In addition, the following factors increase the likelihood of developing mastitis non-puerperalis Smoking, breast injuries, expired breastfeeding period, medications (tranquilizers, sexual steroid depot preparations, ovulation inhibitors). The most common pathogens causing bacterial mastitis non-puerperalis are Staphylococcus aureus (40%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (40%). E. coli, Fusobacteria, Streptococci and Proteus may also be involved.
However, this is less frequently the case. Bacterial MNP is favored by galactorrhea. This is the spontaneous leakage of breast milk (outside the postnatal period).
The MNP spreads in the milk ducts. It is rather rare for the germs to spread into the blood. In addition, cysts can become inflamed, e.g. as part of a mastopathy.
Non-bacterial mastitis non-puerperalis is caused by increased secretion and thus milk congestion. This increased secretion is usually due to stress-related, hormonal or drug-induced hyperprolactinemia. The hormone prolactin promotes milk secretion.Hyperprolactinaemia is an excessive release of this hormone, resulting in excessive milk secretion.
As a result, the milk ducts dilate and the milk pours into the surrounding tissue (periductal tissue). This leads to an inflammation in the sense of a foreign body reaction. The inflammatory secretion can be rich in plasma cells (cells of the immune system), so that one speaks of plasma cell mastitis.
The symptoms are similar to mastitis puerperalis. However, an important difference is that in mastitis non-puerperalis, the body temperature is not usually elevated. The lymph nodes in the armpit are swollen on the side of the inflamed breast in 50% of cases.
- The bacterial MNP:
- The abacterial MNP:
Again, the clinical picture (the totality of symptoms) is clear. During the examination it can be determined so quickly that it is mastitis. A sonography can be performed for a reliable diagnosis.
In the case of mastitis non-puerperalis, it is important to clarify by differential diagnosis whether it could be a malignant tumor. If the patient’s condition does not improve despite therapy, a mammography or biopsy of the breast tissue should be performed. The therapy is basically similar to the one used for mastitis puerperalis.
It is also treated with antibiotics (cephalosporins, oxacillin etc.). Primarily, however, prolactin inhibitors are used, especially for abacterial MNP. The prolactin inhibitors prevent further milk secretion, so that patients are usually free of symptoms after two to four days.
If an abscess has formed, it must be operated on. The breast should be cooled and it is recommended to wear a well holding bra. The periductal mastitis is the abacterial non-puerperial mastitis.
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