Warning: soapbox underfoot!

I picked up a great new breastfeeding book and was disappointed that mastitis was defined as a bacterial infection of the breast.  We have been using "mastitis" as the word for breast infection for years- and I say we have been incorrect!  

Any "itis" is inflammation!  In *Mosby's Dictionary*, mastitis is defined as " an inflammatory condition of the breast, usually caused by streptococcal or staphylococcal infection."  

But, not *all* mastitis is infection.  My goal of this post to wake us up to call a breast infection an infection and use "mastitis" as the inflammation that it is.  Therefore, we can use heat on a breast with an infection as long as there is no mastitis.  When there is mastitis of any cause, we should be using cold.  Get the picture?  

Off soapbox, any takers? 

Terriann Shell

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