Both my sister and I have experienced a self-erupted abscess (maybe women who suffer frequent mastitis and abscesses have a genetic disposition or "unique breast-duct wiring").
My abscess developed rapidly and although it was swollen, red and painful, I thought it was just an angry, plugged duct. I was determined to unplug the duct before it turned into mastitis, so I began working to unplug it by using the following regimen: heating pad and/or warm wash-cloth then massaging, break, then repeat. I worked at it for about a day and a half without relief, when finally, at about 2am I had a very painful "popping sensation" followed immediately with a lot of yucky green ooze. The relief was immediate, although the pain, swelling and redness lingered for several days, along with a small, continual drainage of the yucky ooze.
I called my doctor in the morning and was in the office by the early afternoon. A sample of the ooze, sent to the lab, confirmed a typical staph infection, so I did a course of antibiotics as well.
Luckily, it has never happened again, because it was so gross!
My sister, who is nursing 10 month-old twins has experienced this twice. She nurses and pumps day and night, then works occasional evenings selling "adult relationship enhancing" products at home-shows. Naturally she can't bring the babies with her to her shows, so will go four to five hours without nursing or pumping. She often struggles with engorgement, plugged ducts and an occasional bout of mastitis. If she begins to feel like she is getting sore or has a plug, she works the sore spot until she can unplug the duct. Twice she has felt a popping sensation, followed by the yucky green ooze.
It is worth mentioning also, that both my sister and I struggle with over-supply issues.
Ugh...! I can't believe my first post to this awesome list is about yucky green ooze!
I enjoy reading and learning from all of you wise women daily...thanks!
WarmLLLy,
Michelle Swanson, LLLL
windy Wyoming, USA
--- [log in to unmask] wrote:
From: Karen Palmer <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: breast abscess
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:54:58 +1300
I too, would recommend the baby start feeding back on the affected side,
or the mother start pumping. I think milk running through the incision
site is wonderful treatment for a breast abscess! It keeps the incision
clean, open and everything flowing out, instead of tracking in. The key
is to change the dressings often and the sooner the mother is
independant with this, the better.
I am not familiar with drains being kept in for so long, especially
drains that impede on normal daily living activities. Usually we keep
them in for a matter of days, not weeks. I would be recommending
seeking another opinion.
On another note, I have seen several self erupted abscesses recently.
Some with several eruptions on the one breast. Talk about dramatic!
This has been with mothers who have been reluctant to seek medical
advice for one reason or another and when they do present, the whole
breast in a mess! Often these breasts are not producing anyway as the
inflammation has been too long and persistent, and shutting down that
side has been appropriate. I cannot imagine how painful it must of
been.
Karen Palmer
IBCLC, New Zealand
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