What Is Mastitis?

Answer:
Mastitis is defined as the inflammation of tissues in one or both mammary glands

inside the breast especially within the first six months of nursing.

Mastitis is usually caused by infection and often affects women who are breastfeeding or those are having a crack in the skin around the nipples to allow the bacteria from skin surface to enter the breast duct. Mastitis is characterized by the presence of inflammation, swelling, redness, pain, flu-like symptoms and tenderness of breast. Mastitis affects about 10% of all breastfeeding mothers.

Mastitis is classified in to two types: (1) Non-infectious Mastitis and (2) Infectious Mastitis. Non-infectious mastitis is usually caused by staying of the breast milk within the breast tissues because of blocked milk duct. Whereas infectious mastitis is caused by bacterial infection and must be treated immediately in order to prevent complications like abscess in the breast. Mastitis can be diagnosed by mammography involving either x-rays or a special type of ultrasound examination. A small biopsy can be performed in order to remove a sample of tissue.