The following symptoms and complaints may indicate mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands):
Leading symptoms
- Rubor (redness) of the breast
- Calor (overheating) of the breast
- Tumor (swelling) of the breast
- Dolor (painfulness) of the breast
- Functio laesa (here: limited breastfeeding function).
As a rule, pain and usually unilateral local redness and swelling of the breast are evident.
Accompanying symptoms
- Purulent nipple secretion (fluid discharge from the nipple).
- Fever and marked feeling of illness (chills) in mastitis puerperalis (inflammation of the mammary glands outside of pregnancy or the postpartum period)
- Axillary lymphadenopathy (enlargement of lymph nodes in the axilla).
Other indications
- The maximum incidence of mastitis puerperalis is 2-3 weeks after delivery.
- The area of inflammation is preferably found perimammary (“around the nipple“) in the upper outer quadrant of the breast.
- The classic form of mastitis is Mondor’s disease. Here, a superficial thrombophlebitis with up to 30 centimeters long dermal, sometimes painful subcutaneous strands shows which can thereby also exceed the submammary fold (“underbust fold”).
- As a secondary condition of mastitis can occur due to lack or failure of therapy a mammary abscess (breast abscess; formation of a pus cavity). Symptoms or complaints of a mammary abscess:
- Tumor (swelling), rubor (redness), peau d’orange (orange peel; orange-like fissured skin profile), pathologic secretion.
- Fluctuation, calor (hyperthermia), marked dolor (painfulness), ipsilateral axillary lymphadenopathy (on the same side lymph node enlargement in the axilla of).
- Fever (late in the course of the disease).
