Mastitis

Diagnosis of Mastitis:

Mastitis is an acute infection of the breast (abscess). The general symptoms of mastitis are distended breasts, painful, swollen w/lumps.

If this is caught early can be massaged out, treated with warm moist herbal washes and compresses.

If left untreated or unnoticed may manifest with flu like symptoms (toxic Heat). As it grows and fills with pus it can get very painful and lead to forming an abscess. This is when it will get red and hot.

Internal blockages are deeper and generally can’t be seen on the surface, grow slower, are harder to detect, and are tougher to move or break-up.

The major cause is during breastfeeding the milk stagnates (from irregular feeding, not enough stimulation, etc.), this results in blocked duct(s) and creates the infection.

Etiology (causes) of Mastitis: 2 types late pregnancy and postpartum Postpartum

1. LR Qi stagnation w/ Stomach Heat – emotional stagnation, eat too rich/hot food Stomach Heat Qi stagnation and Heat turns milk into blockage infection.

2. Toxic Heat invasion – at beginning of breastfeeding nipple is not tough, it cracks and milk stagnates in the crack leading to infection. If nipple is too small the baby will suck with great force and may injure the nipple, it then gets invaded from the exterior.

3. All 10 fingertips go to Heart and nipple, sores on fingers cause pain mother breastfeeds less milk stagnates and toxic Heat invades (forms).

4. When it is time to stop feeding, or too much milk is being produces this may lead to retention stagnation Heat infection.

Late Pregnancy 1. Internal – all Essence goes to low Jiao for fetal growth, then anything that may cause Heat (woman is already Fire at this time) the Heat follows the Chong Mai and goes into breast creating the infection. i.e. Yangming Heat

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment of Mastitis:

Postpartum Early stage remove blockage, open Jing, dissolve.

Liver Qi stagnation with Stomach  Heat milk secretion is not smooth, emotional stress, diet, start w/ hard lump breast engorgement, may get flu like symptoms Liver Stomach Heat

Principle of Treatment: – soothe LR, clear Stomach Heat, promote milk secretion and dissolve hardness

Herbal Medicine Formula: Gua Lou Niu Bang Zi Tang + clear Heat herbs (Pu Gong Ying, Zao Jiao Cao) External treatment – massage (from base to nipple) - Heat w/ moist herbal compresses (Pu Gong YIng) Late stage

Toxic Heat hard lump, red with Heat on skin, high-fever, may feel pulse on lump, lump may also have a soft center (pus) Plus – Heat symptoms (see Appendix 1)

Principle of Treatment: – strengthen Wei Qi to discharge pus

Herbal Medicine Formula: Tou Li Xiao Du San or Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin Late Pregnancy (7,8,9 months)

Internal Treatment: 

starts with feel deep hard lump(s) skin gets red hot and painful, fever and flu symptoms may appear, takes longer to manifest i.e. 1 month.

Principle of Treatment: – soothe LR, clear Stomach Heat, calm fetus

Herbal Medicine Formula: Xiao Yao San + Pu Gong Ying and Gua Lou, Su Geng