Search HowStuffWorks and the web:
 




Home Remedy Treatments for Breast Infections

Cracked and bleeding nipples brought on by those first few days of breast-feeding can leave you vulnerable to infection of the breast, called mastitis. While it is rarely serious, mastitis can be quite painful and cannot be cured without the use of an antibiotic.

Signs that you may have mastitis include:
  • a reddened area on the fleshy part of the breast that is painful to the touch and ranges from the size of a quarter to the whole side of the breast

  • a fever of up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit

  • general achiness

  • chills
The symptoms tend to come on rapidly, and you may experience only one or two of them or all of them at once.

While you will need to see a doctor if you suspect you have mastitis or any other breast infection, there are a few home remedies you should try on your own as your infection is being treated:

Continue nursing, starting with the infected breast each time. This may sound like sheer lunacy when you are in so much pain, but it helps clear the infection. And don't be worried that you'll hurt the baby; it's the area around the milk duct, not the milk itself, that is infected. Try nursing at least every two to three hours, and more frequently if the baby is willing.

Prior to nursing, pack the breast in heat. Use a warm towel with a plastic bag over it to better retain the heat. Once the breast is warm, massage it from the fleshy part where it attaches to the chest down to the nipple. Spend extra time gently massaging the sore spot.

Get in bed. You need to go on full bed rest while you fight the infection. This is your time to take care of yourself and let everyone else nurture you. Usually, it takes only about 24 to 36 hours for the pain to pass. Be sure to continue taking the antibiotics as directed for the full time prescribed, however, even if you feel better before then.

Relieve clogged milk ducts. Another problem that can cause breast discomfort is a clogged milk duct. It is characterized by a hard, uncomfortable lump in the fleshy part of the breast that can be very tender to the touch. It isn't usually accompanied by a fever. To relieve the pain of a clogged duct, pack the breast in heat before feedings, get the baby to nurse on the infected breast first, and massage the hard spot the whole time the baby is nursing to loosen up the milk and unclog the duct. A clogged duct usually resolves itself within 24 hours. If the pain and other symptoms of a clogged duct don't clear up in that time, contact your doctor. Milk that remains locked in a duct for more than a day raises the risk of infection, because the fluid may leak into the breast tissue, where it creates a moist environment for bacteria to reproduce.

It's important to keep in mind that a pattern of problems can occur when a minor problem with breast-feeding is not addressed properly. This pattern often begins with sore nipples. Unless adjustments are made to the breast-feeding technique and other care taken to ease the discomfort, the nipple soreness may prompt the mother to limit breast-feeding, which in turn can lead to engorgement. Engorgement may promote clogged ducts that, if slow to resolve, can lead to breast infection. On the other hand, paying prompt attention to sore nipples and engorgement can often prevent the clogged ducts and infection from ever developing.

Now that we have you breast-feeding like a natural, it's time to look at how to stop. Our final section will offer some home remedies on how to wean your baby off of the breast.


For more information about breast-feeding, try the following links:
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

 



Share This Article: (what's this?)



More Options:



ADVERTISEMENT
Browse Browse Videos Browse Videos
 
  •  
    VIDEO SELECTIONS
     
Multi Media Productions
Affects of the U.S. Nursing Shortage

 
Reuters
Breast Feeding Education in the Phillipines

 
Mommy.TV
Medela Shows Moms How To Pump

 
Discovery Health
Deliver Me: Breastfeeding

 
Discovery Health
Baby Tips: Feeding Babies 2

 
Discovery Health
Baby Tips: Feeding Babies 1

 
SYMPTOM CHECKER:
  Abdominal Bloating  Abdominal Fullness Prematurely Afte...  Abdominal Lumps  Abdominal Mass  Abdominal Pain  Abdominal Rigidity  Abdominal Sounds  Abdominal Swelling  Abnormal Posturing  Abnormal Tooth Shape  Abnormally Dark Or Light Skin  Absent Menstruation  Absent Thirst  Agitation  Ambiguous Genitalia  Ankle Pain  Appetite Decrease  Appetite Increase  Apraxia  Arachnodactyly  Armpit Lump  Autistic Behavior  Babinski's Reflex  Bed Wetting  Belching  Binge Eating  Blackheads  Bleeding Gums  Bleeding Into The Skin  Blindness  Blockage Of Leg Arteries  Blood In The Semen  Blood in Urine  Bloody Or Tarry Stools  Bone Pain Or Tenderness  Bounding Pulse  Bowel Incontinence  Breast Lump  Breast Pain  Breath Odor  Breath Sounds  Breathing - Slowed Or Stopped  Breathing Difficulty  Breathing Difficulty When Lying Dow...  Breathing That Sounds Abnormal  Broad Nasal Bridge  Bulging Fontanelles  Bullae  Chemosis  Chest Pain  Chills  Clammy Skin  Claw Foot  Claw Hand  Cloudy Cornea  Clubbing Of The Fingers Or Toes  Cold Intolerance  Coloboma Of The Iris  Comedones  Confusion  Constipation  Contracture Deformity  Coughing  Coughing Up Blood  Crying Excessively in Infants  Cyst  Decerebrate Posture  Decorticate Posture  Decreased Consciousness  Decreased Urine Output  Delayed Growth  Delayed or Absent Tooth Formation  Depression  Diarrhea  Difficulty with Urination  Dizziness  Drooling  Drowsiness  Dry Eyes  Dry Hair  Dry Skin  Ear Discharge  Earache  Earlobe Creases  Elbow Pain  Epicanthal Folds  Erection Problems  Erosion  Excessive Or Unwanted Hair In Women  Excessive Thirst  Excessive Urination  Excessive Urination at Night  Excessively Large Fontanelles  Eye Burning, Itching and Discharge  Eye Pain  Eye Redness  Eye Slant  Eyelid Drooping  Eyes That Bulge  Face Pain  Facial Paralysis  Facial Swelling  Fainting  Fatigue  Female Sexual Dysfunction  Fever  Finger Pain  Fingers That Change Color  Flank Pain  Floating Stools  Focal Neurological Deficits  Foot Pain  Foot, Leg, And Ankle Swelling  Foul Smelling Stools  Frequent Or Urgent Urination  Frontal Bossing  Gas (Flatulence)  Gastrointestinal Bleeding  Genital Sores (Female)  Genital Sores (Male)  Groin Lumps  Groin Pain  Gynecomastia  Hair Loss  Hallucinations  Hand Or Foot Spasms  Hand Tremors  Headache  Hearing Loss  Heart Murmurs And Other Sounds  Heart Palpitations  Heartburn  Heat Intolerance  Heavy, Prolonged, or Irregular Mens...  Heel Pain  Hemolytic Crisis  Hepatomegaly  Heterochromia  Hiccups  Hip Pain  Hoarseness Or Changing Voice  Hump Behind The Shoulders  Hyperactivity  Hyperelastic Skin  Hypermobile Joints  Hyperventilation  Hypotonia  Impaired Smell  Increased Head Circumference  Indigestion  Infantile Reflexes  Intercostal Retractions  Intertrigo  Irritability  Itching  Jaundice (Yellow Skin)  Joint Pain  Joint Swelling  Knee Pain  Leg Pain  Lichenified  Limited Range Of Motion  Lordosis  Low Nasal Bridge  Lower Back Pain  Macule  Malaise  Memory Loss  Metopic Ridge  Microcephaly  Micrognathia  Morbid Obesity  Morning Sickness  Moro Reflex  Motormental Retardation  Mouth Sores  Muscle Aches  Muscle Atrophy  Muscle Cramps  Muscle Function Loss  Muscle Twitching  Nail Abnormalities  Nasal Congestion  Nasal Discharge  Nasal Flaring  Natal Teeth  Nausea And Vomiting  Neck Lumps  Neck Pain  Night Blindness  Nightmares  Nikolsky’s Sign  Nipple Discharge  Nodules  Nosebleed  Numbness And Tingling  Obesity  Opisthotonos  Pain During Sexual Intercourse  Painful Menstrual Periods  Painful Urination  Pale or Clay-Colored Stools  Paleness  Papule  Patches  Patchy Skin Color  Pectus Carinatum  Pectus Excavatum  Penis Pain  Photophobia  Pilonidal Dimple  Pinna Abnormalities And Low-set Ear...  Point Tenderness  Polydactyly  Polyhydramnios  Poor Feeding In Infants  Preauricular Tag Or Pit  Premenstrual Breast Tenderness and ...  Prognathism  Pupils That Are Different Sizes  Purpura  Pustules  Rapid Shallow Breathing  Rash in a Child Under 2 Years  Rashes  Rib Cage Pain  Ridged Sutures  Scales  Scrotal Swelling  Seizures  Sensorineural Deafness  Separated Sutures  Shin Splints  Short Philtrum  Short Stature  Shoulder Pain  Simian Crease  Skeletal Limb Abnormalities  Skin Blushing/flushing  Skin Discoloration  Skin Lumps  Skin Turgor  Sleeping Difficulty  Sneezing  Snoring  Sore Throat  Spasticity  Speech Impairment (adult)  Splenomegaly  Splinter Hemorrhages  Strange Behavior  Stress And Anxiety  Striae  Subcutaneous Emphysema  Sunburn  Sunken Fontanelles  Supernumerary Nipples  Swallowing Difficulty  Swallowing Pain Or Burning  Sweating  Sweating Decrease  Swelling  Swollen Glands  Swollen Gums  Taste Impairment  Telangiectasia  Tenesmus  Testicle Lump  Testicle Pain  Tinnitus  Tongue Problems  Tooth Discoloration  Toothaches  Ulcers  Uncontrollable Eye Movements  Uncontrollable Movement  Uncontrolled Or Slow Movement  Uncoordinated Movement  Unpredictable Or Jerky Movement  Urinary Incontinence  Urine Discoloration  Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods  Vaginal Bleeding In Pregnancy  Vaginal Discharge  Vaginal Itching  Vesicles  Vision Problems  Vomiting Blood  Walking Abnormalities  Watery Eyes  Weak or Absent Pulse  Weakness  Webbing Of The Fingers Or Toes  Weight Gain  Weight Loss  Wheezing  White Spots in the Pupil  Whitehead  Widely Spaced Teeth  Wrinkles  Wrist Pain  Yawning