Breast Abscess / Mastitis

Breast Abscess

A breast abscess is a painful collection of pus that forms in the breast. Most abscesses develop just under the skin and are caused by a bacterial infection. The signs are painful, swollen lumps beneath the skin, skin redness and overlying skin feeling hot. Occasionally patients may develop a fever.

Breast abscesses are often linked to mastitis, a condition that causes breast pain and inflammation, and usually affects women who are breastfeeding.
During breastfeeding, infections can occur if bacteria enter your breast tissue, or if the milk ducts (tiny tubes that carry milk) become blocked. This can cause mastitis which, left untreated, can result in an abscess forming.

Mastitis

Lactation mastitis (puerperal mastitis) is an inflammatory condition of the interlobular connective tissue of the breast that affects up to 10% of breastfeeding women within the first 12 weeks of giving birth. The primary cause is milk stasis caused by overproduction or insufficient removal.

Symptoms of mastitis include a painful breast; fever and general malaise; and a tender, red, swollen and hard area of the breast, usually in a wedge-shaped distribution. Mastitis may be infectious if symptoms do not improve or are worsening after 12–24 hours despite effective milk removal, the woman has a nipple fissure that is infected, or bacterial culture is positive.