symptoms

Nipple Inflammation - Causes, Symptoms and Therapy

Nipple Inflammation - Causes, Symptoms and Therapy / symptoms

Inflammation of the nipples

There are some places on the body where a local inflammatory process is particularly annoying. The nipple inflammation is undoubtedly part of this. Especially the female sex suffers sometimes from the concomitant symptoms, since the breast anatomy in women is particularly complex and therefore can evoke a more intense symptoms. Fortunately, there are numerous treatment options, especially in the area of ​​alternative medical and herbal therapy, which offer reliable help with inflammation of the nipples. Useful treatment tips and important details of the condition can be found in the following article.


contents

  • Inflammation of the nipples
  • definition
  • Mastitis as the main cause
  • Mastitis puerperalis
  • Non-puerperal mastitis
  • Periductal mastitis
  • Injuries and infections as a co-factor
  • Nipple inflammation due to tissue abnormalities
  • Hormonal changes and nipple inflammation
  • Allergies and nipple inflammation
  • symptoms
  • diagnosis
  • therapy
  • home remedies
  • Naturopathic approach
  • Medical therapy
  • Operative therapy

definition

The nipple (Mamilla) describes in the area of ​​the breast (breasts) a part of the secondary sexual characteristics that men and women have in common. However, the nipple usually has a functional role only in the female gender. This is known to provide during breastfeeding the infant with breast milk. For this purpose, the mammary glands located inside the breast (Glandula mammaria) after pregnancy, breast milk. These glands are anatomically located in front of the pectoral muscle and are covered by a more or less pronounced fatty tissue, which is significantly reduced only in the area of ​​the nipples. At this point, the milk ducts (Ductus lactiferi) from the mammary glands, which channel the produced breast milk, thus allowing it to escape from the nipples.

The nipple inflammation can have many causes. (Image: Leonid / fotolia.com)

The nipple inflammation now describes an inflammation at this sensitive mouth of the mammary glands or milk ducts. Basically, both men and women can suffer such an inflammation, whereby the risk in the female sex is significantly higher due to the full functioning of the breasts. To make matters worse, there is a much more sensitive network of nerve tracts and lymphs around the female nipples than in men. Irritation from the outside as well as the body's own imbalances in the metabolism or hormone balance of the woman are therefore much easier perceived by the female nipples and therefore lead faster to inflammatory stimuli. Typical accompanying symptoms of such inflammation are redness, swelling and nipple pain.

Relatively often, inflamed nipples in this context are due to an already existing inflammation in the interior of the breast. However, there are also numerous other conceivable reasons for the inflammatory process. Roughly, the origins can be subdivided as follows:

  • Diseases of the breast,
  • Breast injuries,
  • hormonal disorders
  • and allergic reactions.

Mastitis as the main cause

Mastitis is by far the most common cause of nipple inflammation. An initial inflammation, which also spreads to the nipple in the later stages. Already the development of mastitis shows the versatile way an inflammation of the nipples can take its course when it comes to an infection in the area of ​​the breast. Because mastitis (also: mastadenitis) is primarily triggered by an existing bacterial infection. Typical infectious agents are:

  • Escherichiae (Escherichia),
  • Mycobacteria (Mycobacterium),
  • Proteus bacteria (Proteobacteria),
  • Pseudomonies (Pseudomonas),
  • Staphylococci (Staphylococcus)
  • or streptococci (Streptococcus).
Many types of bacteria can be responsible for inflammation of the nipple. (Image: Gerhard Seybert / fotolia.com)

Mastitis puerperalis

In about 90 percent of cases of mastitis can be detected as the causative agent Staphylococci. More precisely, it is here usually the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, which triggers the mastitis. This is especially true for mastitis puerperalis, a special form of mastitis, which occurs exclusively during breastfeeding and wound infections in the chest area is due. Coagulation occurring at the same time (for example due to narrowed milk channels) is considered by the medical community as an additional co-factor.

Non-puerperal mastitis

Of course, mastitis can occur outside of breastfeeding. This is called a non-puerperal mastitis. The most common causes of mastitis and inflammation of the nipple as a sequelae are besides staphylococci also other pathogens, which are notorious as the cause of serious infectious diseases. Two examples of this are the tuberculosis pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the rod-shaped bacterium Escherichia coli. The latter, like other intestinal bacteria, naturally occurs in the human intestine, but may also be responsible for severe infectious diseases such as meningitis, urinary tract infections, and even chronic inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in over-population or carry-over to other body regions. Co-factors in non-puerperal mastitis are also weaknesses and disorders in the immune system, hormone balance and breast tissue due to:

  • Taking psychotropic drugs (for example tranquilizers),
  • Taking hormone supplements (for example pill),
  • an increased blood prolactin level (hyperprolactinemia),
  • a disturbed estrogen and / or progesterone household (for example with mastophatie),
  • strong nicotine consumption
  • or thyroid disorders (for example, hyperthyroidism - hyperthyroidism).

Periductal mastitis

A third variant of mastitis and thus another conceivable reason for nipple inflammation is the periductal mastitis. It is the only form of mastitis in which infectious agents tend to play less of a role. Rather, this mastitis is triggered by a congestion in nursing mothers. As a result, the milk secretion can no longer or only insufficiently drain over the nipples and therefore seeks alternative options through the entry into the surrounding breast tissue. Of course, this leads to tissue irritation, which inevitably sets in motion extensive inflammatory reactions, laying the foundation for a mammary gland as well as for a nipple inflammation.

Regardless of the causes, the nipple infection is a painful experience. (Image: Studio Romantic / fotolia.com)

Injuries and infections as a co-factor

Mammary and nipple infections caused by bacterial infections are usually always when the responsible pathogens penetrate into the nipple tissue via micro-injuries. This can happen, for example, during breastfeeding, when the baby sucks too much on the nipples of the mother. But other injuries in the nipple area favor a bacterial infection of the breast. If, for example, there is an infection of the surgical wound within the scope of a breast surgery, a nipple inflammation can not be ruled out. The infection background here is in most cases a lack of sterility of the wound. The situation is similar with cuts and abrasions on the nipple. These are relatively rarely involved in the development of a nipple inflammation, but in principle quite possible as a possible cause.

Injuries to the nipple thus provide potential infection germs with direct access to the breast tissue with corresponding tissue irritation and inflammatory processes as a result. In addition, there are existing infectious diseases, which, if not properly cured, can lead to subsequent infections, if the pathogens via the bloodstream or the lymphatic flow into the chest. Just the mastitis takes on such a way only too easily their beginning. Depending on the path of development, three main forms of mastitis will be distinguished.

Nipple inflammation due to tissue abnormalities

Infections are often associated with pus formation in the affected tissue. Of course, breast infections are not excluded from this scenario. It may therefore come in the course of pus cysts or abscesses to the inflammation of the nipples.

Also, pimples and edema, so water retention in the chest, for example, by dropsy, are far from being the cause as far as it may initially seem. Especially when patients spend a lot of time on the tissue anomalies and thus provoke a migration of fluid or secretion collections into the surrounding tissue, an inflammatory reaction is all the more likely.

Breast cancer is certainly the most dangerous form of tissue proliferation, however, with regard to breast inflammation. Any malignancy, carcinoma or even a large tumor can cause nodular indurations in the area of ​​the nipple, which in addition to nipple inflammation also promote itching, discharge and encrustation on the nipples. Inflammation associated with the lymphatic system is very common.

Often the inflammation of the nipple occurs in nursing mothers. (Image: Tomsickova / fotolia.com)

Nipple inflammation due to breast malformation

Although mastitis is by far the most common cause of nipple inflammation, it is not the only one. It is possible, among other things, that malformations of the breast cause the inflamed nipples. For example, some women suffer from breast malformations, which, in addition to changes in the shape of the breast, also favor narrowed or insufficiently developed mammary glands. For example, if there is an excessively large breast, more commonly known as large breasts (macromastia), patients may not only suffer from severe physical complaints such as back pain or poor posture due to the extra weight. Likewise, greatly enlarged mammary glands are conceivable, which represents an enormous burden on the breast tissue and, if appropriate, can also promote irritation-related inflammatory processes.

The opposite of macromastia is the underdevelopment of the breast or small breasts (micromastia). Here there is the risk of a simultaneous underdevelopment of the mammary glands, which are consequently too small or not fully formed. Especially in special hormone phases of the female body (for example, during the cycle or pregnancy), when the mammary glands are stimulated by an altered hormone position increasingly, it can also lead to irritative inflammation.

Between macromastia and micromastia, there are some other form abnormalities of the female breast, which are associated with more or less severe complications. For example, a tube or funnel chest can cause problems with breastfeeding and massively affect a woman's self-esteem if she judges too much of the valid, but also highly variable ideals of our society. It should be emphasized at this point that in terms of breast shape and breast size not every deviation from the norm automatically brings with it an increased risk of inflammation. Especially when it comes to the breast shape, most deviations are rather harmless. Significantly more complicated here may be the expression of the nipple itself. In particular, the nipple (also: hollow warts) here in addition to problems with breastfeeding also carries the risk of triggering increased nipple inflammation. They are due to shortened milk ducts and can, for example, with altered hormone status, increasingly prone to inflammation just this.

Hormonal changes and nipple inflammation

Hormonal disorders are known to cause many diseases. The nipple inflammation is a conceivable scenario here. Especially with existing cycle disturbances due to an unbalanced progesterone or estrogen balance, many women complain about painful and inflamed nipples. And even during pregnancy and menopause, the female body is subject to particular hormone fluctuations, which result in a tissue repair in the chest and may sometimes promote nipple inflammation by tissue irritation.

Hormone changes in older people often cause nipple infections in men. Here an increase in the female hormone estrogen plays an important role, which leads to extensive remodeling processes in the male breast and so can set off inflammatory processes. The same applies to a decrease in the estrogen level in menopausal women. Here, too, the breast tissue changes sustainably, which can lead to temporary inflammation until the completion of the conversion phase.

Cotton underwear ensures gentle skin contact. (Image: mozhjeralena / fotolia.com)

Allergies and nipple inflammation

Intolerance to certain allergens may also show up in a nipple inflammation. This is the case, for example, when there is a textile allergy and the moms are permanently irritated by the fabric when wearing appropriate clothing. The allergic reaction can of course also be caused by detergents used in the textiles. In this regard, sore and inflamed nipples can also occur in men. For women, when it comes to textiles, it is usually irritation caused by poor-fitting brassiere or improper textile bra that causes the inflammation.

symptoms

A nipple infection can occur on one or both sides and shows up with the classic signs of inflammation. Mostly it begins with a slight pressure and friction sensitivity in the area of ​​the nipple. Manipulation of the nipple, be it breastfeeding or rubbing clothes, suddenly feels painful. This sensation can quickly spread to very severe pains that affect the entire breast and radiate to the axilla. Often it comes then even with isolated movements of the arm to complaints.

In addition to the pain, local redness may occur. However, since the nipple usually has a darker color, this symptom is often not recognized or only late. Only on closer inspection, or if the nipple is also swollen and overheated, affected will be aware that the nipple looks different than usual. Also, the redness, overheating and swelling of the nipple can spread and ultimately spread to the entire breast tissue. In this case, the blood vessels shimmering through the skin are clearly oversubscribed, and the entire breast or larger portions may be very red, hot and swollen. Now local rashes over the entire chest up to the neck are not uncommon. In addition, bloody-purulent secretions often emerge from the nipple or encrustations on the surface of the nipple can be recognized. If a nipple infection occurs while breastfeeding, the breast milk may also be colored and contain blood.

Blood testing is one of the diagnostic measures for nipple inflammation. (Image: StudioLaMagica / fotolia.com)

In general, every nipple inflammation carries the risk of mastitis, which means that the local inflammation spreads to the mammary gland. A transfer of the pathogens into the blood is possible, then one speaks of a sepsis. Both conditions are serious complications of a nipple inflammation and, in addition to the symptoms limited to the affected breast, are further marked by further nonspecific signs of the disease. These include:

  • Fatigue and general malaise,
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit and neck area
  • or fever and chills.

diagnosis

The doctor is usually the diagnosis of a nipple infection by the typical symptoms and a physical examination, which must necessarily include the palpation of both breasts. Since many causes can hide behind a nipple inflammation, this is often followed by further investigations.

Laboratory chemical investigations

In the blood of those affected the inflammatory values ​​can be determined. If inflammation of the nipple or other parts of the breast occurs far away from pregnancy and lactation, it is advisable to determine the prolactin level in the blood. This is then often increased and can give an indication of a hormonal cause. If secretion escapes from the nipple, it can be examined for pathogens by means of a microbiological smear.

Imaging procedures:

The breast can be assessed very well by sonographic examination. Abscesses or other mass demands can be identified in this way. Since an inflammation in the area of ​​the breast always has to be thought of as a cancer, in case of doubt a mammography, as well as a CT and MRI examination are possible.

The mammographic examination helps to rule out serious illness. (Image: curlymary / fotolia.com)

therapy

The therapy is aimed at nipple inflammation according to the underlying cause. Often it is sufficient to counteract the inflammation with home remedies or medicinal herbs until the body's immune system has taken the inflammatory pathogens or external stimuli (in this case mainly breastfeeding the baby) come to an end. Overall, the options set out below are available for the treatment of inflammation.

home remedies

Simple inflammations of the nipple and also mastitis in the early stage respond very well to various home remedies. Affected persons should learn and evaluate accordingly, whether a local cooling therapy or rather a heat therapy provides relief. For cooling, cooling elements can be used, which are placed in the time frame of a maximum of ten minutes at a time on the affected area. However, the breast should be protected by a cloth from the direct cooling effect. Even moist envelopes, for example with peppermint as an additive, can counteract the inflammation.

A proven remedy, especially among lactating women, is the cabbage roll. To do this, take a cleaned cabbage leaf from the refrigerator and place it on the affected breast. The pre-cooled cabbage not only has a cooling effect, it also contains phytochemicals that can inhibit local inflammation.

An old method of pain relief is an envelope from a cabbage leaf. (Image: pioneer111 / fotolia.com)

Tend inflammation-prone patients rather to a heat treatment, damp-warm envelopes, for example, with camomile additions, but also a short-term, maximum ten-minute irradiation with an infrared lamp bring improvement. Likewise, milking fat is used again and again to soothe reddened and irritated nipples during pregnancy.

Very important for nursing mothers is a good and above all anti-inflammatory breastfeeding culture. For this it is advisable to follow the following advice:

  • Especially at the beginning of breastfeeding for a relaxed atmosphere,
  • breastfeed with rehearsed nursing practice even in less relaxed situations,
  • try to reduce the mental pressure (for example, "I have to breastfeed"),
  • wearing a supportive but not restricting bra (initially also at night),
  • under the warm shower, brush both breasts towards the nipple,
  • at the onset of pain sensitivity, do not unnecessarily prolong the nursing breaks,
  • apply anti-inflammatory ointments (for example, with zinc or camomile) during breastfeeding breaks
  • and breastfeeding aids (for example nursing hats) as directed by the midwife.
The right strategy for breastfeeding can protect against nipple inflammation. (Image: Alik Mulikov / fotolia.com)

Naturopathic approach

Also in the naturopathic area you will quickly find in slight inflammation of the nipple or mammary gland. For external use on the nipple can be envelopes with tinctures of:

  • chamomile,
  • peppermint,
  • marigold,
  • Black tea
  • or black cohosh

inhibit the inflammatory reactions and provide for cooling. For internal use, for example, as globules, tablets or tinctures are suitable:

  • belladonna,
  • Bryona,
  • Phytolacca,
  • Hepar sulph
  • or magnesium phosphoricum (Schüßler salt no. 7)

To reduce the inflammatory response, relieve pain and stimulate a dehydrated milk flow.

Medical therapy

The drug treatment of a nipple inflammation or mastitis is very much based on the cause of the inflammation. Sometimes they can also occur as a side effect of a hormone or psychotropic treatment. Then it is advisable to discuss with the doctor, to what extent the initiated treatment makes sense in terms of alleviation of the actual symptoms to be treated and the occurrence of side effects. A reduction or discontinuation of the medication should definitely be discussed.

Medicinal herbs such as mint can help to cool the inflammation. (Image: janaph / fotolia.com)

The drug of choice for nipple and over-spreading mastitis is usually an adapted antibiotic therapy. Breastfeeding mothers - the main risk group for this disease - often shy away from this. However, these women do not have to be scared. The antibiotic agents do not endanger the child to be nursed. Also, only in very few exceptional cases, a weaning should be considered, as this procedure often fueled the inflammation and the symptoms even more. In most cases, as a complication in the child under antibiotic therapy of nursing mother only an infection with oral thrush is to be expected.

To alleviate the general symptoms of illness, it is advisable to use antipyretic and analgesic drugs. These medications usually also have an anti-inflammatory component and help the body fight inflammation. Since breastfeeding women are not allowed to take all of these so-called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, this group of patients should definitely seek medical advice in advance.

Operative therapy

Only in very rare cases an operative care is actually necessary. However, if an abscess in the mammary gland has formed during the course of a nipple inflammation, it may be necessary to surgically remove it and surgically treat the wound cavity. For example, if the inflammation does not respond to antibiotic therapy or the inflammation is already very advanced.

Even if the inflammation is caused by a cancer or a special malformation of the mammary glands or milk ducts, it is necessary for a surgeon to treat the affected breast. With nipples, many patients also resort to the attachment of a nipple piercings. This can permanently pull the warts outwards and thus eliminate the risk of inflammation.

Diseases and Malformations of Nipple Inflammation:

  • mastitis,
  • abscesses,
  • cysts,
  • pimple,
  • edema,
  • breast cancer,
  • macromastia,
  • Mikromastie,
  • Inverted nipple,
  • hormonal disorders,
  • allergies.

(Ma)