What is comedonal mastitis?

Comedonal mastitis, we may not be able to foresee the best treatment for this disease, because everyone's body is different, so we must have the courage to deal with this disease for a long time. The treatment time is long, we must understand it clearly, so let's take a look at the relevant knowledge in this regard to understand the situation!

1. Overview

Comedonal mastitis is a chronic non-bacterial inflammation of the breast. Due to the complex and changeable pathological characteristics, it has many names, such as "occlusive mastitis", "lactation mastitis", "chronic mastitis", "mammary duct ectasia", "acne-like mastitis", etc. Plasma cell mastitis mostly occurs in middle-aged and elderly women, with the peak age being 50 to 60 years old. Most patients have inverted nipple deformity. Serous milk is different from general suppurative mastitis during lactation. Many people are not familiar with this disease and mistake it for a common bacterial infection or breast tuberculosis. The most frightening thing is that it is misdiagnosed as breast cancer and the breast is removed.

Second, the disease alias

Comedonal mastitis is a relatively complex breast inflammation, which is named because there are a large number of plasma cell infiltrations in the surrounding tissues of the inflammation. In addition, it has many different names, the most common of which are called "mammary duct ectasia syndrome", "occlusive mastitis", "non-lactation mastitis" and "chronic mastitis". The disease is caused by irregular proliferation of the mammary duct epithelium, secretory dysfunction, and accumulation of lipid secretions in the large milk ducts under the nipple and areola, which causes the ducts to dilate. Later, the accumulation of substances decomposes and the chemical substances produced continuously stimulate the surrounding tissues, causing inflammation. Sometimes inflammation will attack acutely and become an abscess, so the pus often contains tofu-like substances or powder-like substances, so it is also called "plasma cell mastitis" and Chinese medicine calls it "acne mastitis".

3. Etiology and Pathology

The inverted nipple becomes a breeding ground for dirt and filth, often with acne-like substances and sometimes a foul odor. Nipple deformity will inevitably cause the duct to twist and deform. The catheter is easily blocked because the contents of the catheter are fatty substances that corrode the tube wall and cause overflow, causing chemical inflammation. A large number of lymphocytes and plasma cells react to form small inflammatory masses.

The lesions are mostly near the areola, with local redness, swelling and pain. Usually no fever. It may subside on its own after a few days, but will recur when the body's resistance is low due to fatigue, cold, etc., but each time it will be more severe than the last, and the lump will gradually become larger and more red and swollen. Doctors generally believe that it is a small abscess, or use antibiotic injections or infusions, and finally perform an incision and drainage, thus forming a fistula that is difficult to heal. Sometimes the redness and swelling will burst on their own and will not heal for a long time.

Sclerocystitis that occurs in middle-aged and elderly women is caused by duct dilatation and degenerative changes in the duct wall.

The lesions may also occur in multiple locations, forming multiple fistulas, which may even communicate with each other, leaving the breast riddled with holes. It's very similar to breast tuberculosis.

If the lump is far away from the nipple and adheres to the skin, it looks like breast cancer.

Therefore, we should understand mastitis, do not delay diagnosis, and strive for a one-time cure.

Don't worry too much about these diseases. As long as you have a persistent attitude, everything can be solved. We don't have to worry too much. What kind of attitude towards the disease is the most important. Life will give us hope. Here I hope that the patients can recover as soon as possible. I know this is very important to you. I hope your health will recover soon!