28.03.2024

Inflammation of the nipple: causes, symptoms, treatment

Inflammation of the nipple is an inflammatory infectious process that covers his tissue. It can be bacterial, fungal or viral origin.

As the affected surface tissue pathology causes a lot of discomfort associated with friction of the affected nipple about clothes and appearance quite notable pain syndrome.

In addition, women inflammation of the nipple affects negatively lactation: a more pronounced syndrome provoked by mechanical action, the mother suffers from the inability to properly breastfeed the child.

Basically, the pathology manifests itself by the catarrhal symptoms – swelling and redness of the nipple. But it is possible (especially in neglected cases) rapidly progressive deterioration in the form of purulent secretions, generalization (spreading) of the pathological process in the surrounding tissue and significant deterioration of the General condition.

In this case, a little anatomical education, the nipple can cause a big problem and lead the treatment will be delayed for a significant period of time.

The medical term for inflammation of the nipple – calves.

General data

Inflammation of the nipple to the maximum the majority of cases occur in women. Low incidence of men connected with the absence of mechanical action, as it happens in women during breast-feeding, and rubbing the nipple – men rarely wear tight shirts, don’t use bras. Therefore, this article will focus on the calves in women – given the importance of the problem among nursing mothers.

Inflammation of the nipple is rarely observed in isolation. In most cases it is combined with areolatum (inflammation of the areola) or mastitis (inflammatory lesions of the breast tissue).

The main category of cases is women who breastfeed. Rarely sick, except for adult males, babies (both girls and boys), as well as relaksiruyushaya women.

The nipple is not a sterile environment, so it is inflammatory lesion of a priori is infectious. Typically, infectious agent joins a second time, against the background of other pathologies – diseases of dairy (in women) breast (men) glands, hormonal or immune disorders.

The frequency of unilateral and bilateral lesions of approximately the same.

Though, it seemed, uncritical type of this disease, there is the urgency of the problem. It stems from the fact that under the form of inflammation of the nipple may develop cancer Paget – malignant lesions of the nipple. Therefore, timely access to a doctor and confirmation of the inflammatory and not the nature of cancer lesions is extremely important.

Reasons

The immediate cause of the disease is a pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms. It is able to penetrate the tissue of the nipple of different ways:

  • through mechanical defects in the surface tissues;
  • hematogenous route – through the blood of chronic foci of infection in the body.

About hematogenous route of infection in the nipple should not be forgotten. Often to the doctor treat women surprised about the fact that they are carefully carried out hygienic measures, not wearing the wrong underwear, nipple was not injured – however, it marked inflammation appeared literally “out of the blue”.

Most often tissue of the nipple become infected with nonspecific infection (that can cause infectious inflammation of various kinds, in various organs and tissues). Mostly such pathogens as:

and some others.

Somewhat less often provoke inflammation of the nipple:

Often when inflammation of the nipple in its tissues detected mixed infection.

In addition to the direct causes telita, the factors that contribute to its occurrence, or their background has already started calves occurs more pronounced. Most often it is:

At lactose creates favorable conditions for propagation of the infectious agent in stagnant milk, this provokes an inflammatory process in the milky ducts. Bacteria by contact (through the ducts) penetrate into the tissue of the nipple and cause banal inflammation. Especially calves often occurs against a background of lactose with flat or inverted nipples – in this case, difficulties arise with feeding, breast is not completely emptied, this factor exacerbates the lactose thus increases the risk of developing telita.

Cracked nipple in all cases accompanied by infection of tissues, which provokes an inflammatory process in it. Such pinholes often occur in women in the postpartum period, and in patients with increased skin dryness, the appearance of which, in turn, can be triggered not only skin lesions, but also in some pathological processes in your body that lead to dehydration.

Eczema of the nipple very often there is itching. Woman combing this place, which leads to the formation of microdamage, which become infected and inflamed – there calves.

A major factor in the pathology of the ducts, which leads to the formation of telica are the different discharges – mucous, purulent or bloody. They provide a great breeding ground for microorganisms – such conditions contribute to their more rapid growth and development that leads to inflammation of the nipple.

Of all the pathologies ducts often the background for the emergence of inflammation of the nipple are:

  • galactophore – inflammation of the ducts;
  • intraductal papilloma – small benign growths in their lumen;
  • ectasia (expansion) ducts.

The development of inflammation contribute to nipple trauma breast (in women) or breast (males), prostate, accompanied by the formation of a hematoma (a limited blood clot), which then festered and become a source of infection, penetrating further into the tissue of the nipple. In addition, the role can play microtrauma – insect bites, scratches, scrapes from improperly sewn (with strong joints) or synthetic underwear.

Often cancer develops in the breast in women – and therefore to the sore nipples are more vulnerable than women who are patients of an oncologist-mammologist. In this case, a role is also played by infection discharge, which often appear in malignant breast lesion with subsequent spread of infectious-inflammatory process in the nipple.

Of all endocrine pathologies, the occurrence of inflammation of the nipple usually promote:

  • hypothyroidism – reduced thyroid hormones;
  • diabetes – a metabolic disorder (metabolism) of carbohydrates, caused by the scarcity of insulin.

Of all the pathologies sharing a background of inflammation of the nipple is often obesity – accumulation of fat in the body, which leads to overweight.

The presence of infectious and inflammatory foci in the organism causes infection of them with a current blood or lymph can enter tissues of the nipple, causing the development of inflammation.

Most often it is foci of infection in the presence of such diseases and pathological conditions, such as:

  • tooth decay – the gradual destruction of the hard tissues of the tooth (enamel and dentin), which is accompanied by accumulation of infectious agent in the affected areas;
  • chronic tonsillitis – inflammation of tonsils (mainly palatal);
  • pyoderma – pustular lesion of the superficial layers of the skin

and others.

The weakened immune system the infection to spread from different foci in the organism in the tissue of the nipple and its more expressed development.

It can occur in the form of diseases of the immune system (innate and acquired), and transient impairment of the immune response of the body due to short-term depletion of the immune system that is able to develop:

  • due to infectious diseases;
  • on the background of hypothermia;
  • in chronic stress.

Inflammation of the nipple while taking anabolic drugs is most often diagnosed in men. Also calves in men may develop in gynecomastia – development of Breasts on the female type, which is triggered by hormonal disorders.

The development of the disease

There are two ways of ingress of pathogenic microorganisms into the tissue of the nipple:

  • exogenous – through the damaged epithelium;
  • endogenous – with a current blood or lymph of foci of chronic infection. The microorganisms penetrate into the intercellular cleft is embedded in the blood and lymph vessels and first distributed in the breast tissue, then the nipple.

The body reacts in this typical inflammatory reaction. It can be:

  • local;
  • common.

Local manifestations of the inflammatory response consist of changes in blood flow in the nipple. They are as follows (in order of appearance):

  • occurs arterial plethora;
  • joins venous stasis (stagnation of blood);
  • against the background of stasis developed edema and blood clots (blood clots in the lumen of blood vessels);
  • increases local tissue temperature;
  • formed sukrovichnye or purulent discharge.

The formation of precipitates caused by the exudation of the liquid, its release into the intercellular space of the milky passages of the cells, as well as from small vessels, as in inflammation increased vascular permeability.

Common inflammatory reaction develops with the progression of the disease and its associated spread of infectious agent on the breast tissue and into the blood stream. The overall reaction depends on such factors as:

  • the virulence of pathogens (degree of boleznennostew, the severity of the ability to cause disease);
  • the amount allocated to them of toxins, waste products and decomposition of dead microorganisms);
  • the severity of the immune system.
Symptoms

The clinical picture of inflammation of the nipple may be different – it depends on the cause of the disease and immune status.

Often develop features such as:

  • increase nipple;
  • his seal;
  • soreness of the nipple;
  • violation of the color of his skin;
  • discharge from the nipple;
  • swelling of the breast;
  • violation of the General condition of the body.

Increase and seal the nipple develop due to inflammatory infiltration (“soak”) of its tissue by lymphocytes (immune system cells).

Pain as a typical symptom of inflammation.

Their characteristics:

  • localization in the area of the nipple and areola;
  • distribution in severe inflammation and reducing the pain threshold may experience soreness around the nipple and areola;
  • in nature – a burning;
  • on severity – medium severity, bearable, but annoying;
  • the appearance – develop almost immediately upon the occurrence of an inflammatory process. Can be constant or occur only when squeezing the nipple. In nursing mothers, the pain in the process of breastfeeding.

The nipple has a characteristic red color.

Characteristics of secretions from ducts:

  • nature – sukrovichnye (serous-bloody), bloody or purulent;
  • color dirty yellowish or red;
  • the consistency is a liquid;
  • the number is not large, there may be spotting;
  • the appearance can be continuously, regularly, or only when squeezing the nipple.

Swelling of the mammary gland is observed as a reactive symptom.

If the disease is herpetic in origin, in addition to the described symptoms are observed:

  • vesicles on the nipple and around the blisters with clear fluid inside;
  • intense itching.

Signs of violation of the General condition of the body occur because of contact with blood of toxins, waste products and decay of microorganisms.

Manifestation of the following:

  • hyperthermia (increased body temperature). Hyperthermia is often observed at the level of febrile digits is 37.5-37.9 degrees Celsius;
  • weakness;
  • fatigue;
  • malaise;
  • the decline in health – both physical and intellectual;
  • deterioration of appetite.

If calves combined with areolatum (inflammatory lesion of the areola), then the inflammation attacks the glands (or tubercles) of Montgomery are modified sebaceous glands located under the skin around the nipple. Thus observed:

  • swelling of one or more bumps;
  • pain in them;
  • secretions, which may be colorless or brownish in color.
Diagnosis

Diagnosis is by the characteristic complaints, details of anamnesis (history of disease), the results of additional methods of examination (physical, instrumental, laboratory). Instrumental and laboratory methods used to identify diseases which could lead to the development of telita, differential diagnosis and details of pathology.

Data examination the following:

  • on examination – nipple swollen, red, traces of discharge;
  • palpation (feeling) is marked soreness of the nipple, swelling of the breast tissue around it, and increase in the axillary, subclavian and the cervical lymph nodes.

Instrumental methods used in the diagnosis of inflammation of the nipple, is:

  • mammography – comprehensive breast screening, which allows us to determine the reasons for the development telica, and also to carry out differential diagnostics with other diseases. It includes such instrumental diagnosis as radiographic, ultrasonic, magnetic resonance and optical mammography, comosites;
  • ductography – the study of the ducts. They injected the contrast, and then make x-ray picture. The method allows to identify tumors (intraductal papilloma) or expansion of the ducts that could lead to the development of inflammation of the nipple;
  • biopsy are sampling the tissue of the nipple with subsequent study under a microscope.

The laboratory techniques involved in the diagnosis of inflammation of the nipple, the following:

  • General analysis of blood – about the inflammation evidenced by the increased number of leukocytes (leukocytosis), erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
  • biochemical analysis of blood – determined by the presence of C-reactive protein, which indicates inflammation;
  • determine the number of hormones is carried out to establish the cause telita. At the same time determine the level of sex hormones, thyroid hormones and adrenal glands;
  • determination of tumor markers are compounds that appear in blood during the development of the malignant cancer process;
  • direct microscopic examination under a microscope to examine a swab of the nipple or discharge, identificeret of the pathogen, which led to the development of the inflammatory process;
  • bacteriological examination – make a sowing of nipple discharge on nutrient media, growing colonies of the pathogen is determined, also determine its sensitivity to antibiotics;
  • cytological examination under a microscope study of nipple smear for the presence of atypical cells.

To identify pathology that could trigger the development telita, you may want to consult an endocrinologist and a dermatologist.

Differential diagnosis of

Differential diagnosis of inflammation of the nipple often carried out with Paget’s cancer – malignant lesion of the nipple and areola.

Complications

Inflammation of the nipple may be accompanied by the following complications:

  • mastitis – inflammation of breast tissue;
  • phlegmon – diffuse purulent lesions of the breast;
  • gangrene – necrosis of its tissues, which is accompanied by decay;
  • malignancy – malignant degeneration of soft tissues due to the constant irritation of the skin a nipple discharge;
  • the formation of rough scars and deformation of the nipple (purulent processes), in advanced cases, the entire breast (with widespread purulent processes).

If the nipple inflammation is fungal in nature, then the child is breastfeeding diseased woman, it may be thrush mouth.

Treatment

Treatment of inflammation of the nipple – conservative. It can be:

  • local;
  • common.

Local treatment with the development of uncomplicated pathology. It is based on the following assignments:

  • nipple treatment antibiotic solutions and ointments (in case of candidiasis lesions – antimycotic, herpes – antiviral);
  • cold lotions – eliminate signs of inflammation (especially pain).

General treatment is indicated for severe symptoms. In this case, requires the appointment of:

  • antimicrobials;
  • anti-inflammatory drugs.

Medications are prescribed in pill form. In severe progression of disease and occurrence of complications can be administered injections.

If the nipple-areola area has formed a purulent focus, breastfeeding should be suspended, but regular pumping. In this case, the treatment is carried out with the help of surgical intervention – an abscess is opened, drained. Conservative therapy continued.

Prevention

Are the following preventive measures:

  • proper care of the Breasts;
  • to prevent the development of cracked nipples;
  • the correct attachment of baby to the breast;
  • regular preventive examination by a mammologist even in the absence of complaints;
  • prevention of diseases that can cause inflammation of the nipple, and in case of their availability – timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment;
  • if you use a properly sewn linen from natural materials.

Forecast

The prognosis of inflammation of the nipple generally favorable. Any serious complications occur in advanced cases.

2 thoughts on “Inflammation of the nipple: causes, symptoms, treatment

  1. Thanks for this entry, it is pretty helpful to me! Way better written than other bloggers out there.

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