Mastitis
(Inflammation of
the breasts).
By Henry N. Guernsey,
M. D.
Presented by Dr. Sayeed Ahmad D. I. Hom. (London)
Inflammation of one or both breasts, with a manifest
tendency to suppuration, is apt to be of frequent occurrence in nursing
women. And in some persons this difficulty, originally arising from
constitutional predisposition, becomes almost a confirmed habit, since
they seldom or never can nurse a child without experiencing the
exceeding distress and annoyance of a gathered breast.The inflammation may be located principally in the
external mamma, affecting particularly the adipose tissue, and partaking
of the nature of erysipelas. Or the inflammation may be seated more
deeply in the substance of the breast. Or again the inflammation may be
developed principally and especially in the mammary gland itself.
Finally, there are cases in which the inflammation seems to involve the
entire substance of the breast and structure of the organ in one
indistinguishable mass. More often, however, the pains scattered through
the breast, and the various diverging painful indurations, lead to the
conclusion that the gland with its ramifications is the particular seat
of the disease.And in thus determining the nature of the affection,
the cause of it, or the manner in which it arises, will often be of
service. For if the breast evidently become inflamed from undue exposure
to cold air, in the delicate state of early lactation, a general
inflammation may be expected to ensue; while difficulties belonging to
the process of the scretion and discharge of the contents of the
lactiferous tubes, may sometimes be seen plainly to precede inflammation
in those tubes and in the gland itself. Much is due also to previous
history and constitutional diathesis; influences which in some would
prove perfectly innocuous, in others rapidly develop inflammation, which
no less rapidly tends to suppuration. In such cases the greatest care,
assisted by a dose or two of the antipsoric which seems most suited to
the patient’s constitution, will go far to prevent the suffering
inseparable from a gathered breast.Where the milk is copiously secreted, and either from
inability on the part of the child,—in its absence,—or from
obstruction of the milk-tubes, or from deficiency of the nipple, the
milk cannot be freely drawn in the natural way, every effort should be
made without loss of time to secure this end by such other means as may
be possible. Sometimes the breast may be drawn by another child, or by a
friend, or by young puppies; the proper remedy in the mean time should
be carefully selected and faithfully administered, in order as rapidly
as possible to remove all difficulty which may be amenable to such
medication, or which may be resulting from the obstruction. In cold
weather the inflamed breasts should be kept warmly protected; and
besides this, the less external application is made to them the better.
If the inflammation is caused and kept up by a tender and ulcerated
state of the nipples, let these be particularly attended to in
accordance with the directions already given. Properly used, the Homœopathic
remedies may be made effectual in resolving the inflammation and
averting suppuration, in a great majority of cases that are attended to
at once.
HOMŒOPATHIC TREATMENT
Aconite.
When a
chill in dry, cold air, has been the exciting cause, and a true,
synochal fever prevails.
Belladonna.
When the
breasts feel heavy; there are red streaks running like radii from a
central point; she is occasionally chilly; a dull and stupid feeling
prevails.
Bryonia.
Her breasts
have a stony heaviness in them; they are hot, hard and painful, but not
very red. She feels sick on first sitting up in bed or in a chair; and
still more sick on standing up. Rough, dry lips, thirst, and
constipation stools dry, looking as if burnt.
Carbo animal.
Darting
in the mamma, arresting the breathing, and aggravated by pressure.
Cistus c.
Particularly
indicated in scrofulous subjects, when there is the greatest sensibility
to cold air. Inflammation and suppuration of the breast, with a sense of
fulness in the chest.
Graphites.
In all
cases where there are so many old cicatrices from former ulcerations
that the milk can scarcely flow. This remedy, high, will now cause the
milk to flow easily, and ward off the impending abscess; it has proved
perfectly efficacious in many such cases. The same success is claimed
for Phytolacca, in similar cases. I have, however, the greatest
confidence in Graphites; this remedy, although many times tried, has
never failed me in a single case.
Hepar.
When
suppuration seems inevitable, and there is no other particularly
characteristic symptom. Give a single dose, high, and await the result,
either in resolution, or in suppuration.
Lachesis
.
When the breast has a bluish or
purplish appearance and she has chills at night and flushes of heat by
day.
Mercurius sol.
Hard
swelling of the breast, with sore and raw sort of pain; the milk is not
good, so the babe refuses it. She has scorbutic gums and other general
symptoms of Mercury.
Phosphorus.
Inflammation
of the mammæ even threatening ulceration, with stitching or cutting
pain. (Hectic fever and night sweats). In fistulous ulcers with blue
appearance.
Phytolacca dec.
Particularly where the hardness is very apparent from the first.
Sensitive, and more or less painful; even after suppuration has taken
place these characteristics continue.
Silicea.
In
fistulous ulcers particularly; the discharge being thin and watery, or
thick and offensive. The substance of the mamma seems to be discharged
in the pus; one lobe after another seems to ulcerate and discharge into
one common ulcer, often with great pain; or there may be several
orifices, one for each lobe.
Sulphur.
Inflammation running in radii from the nipple. Suppuration profuse, with
chilliness in the fore part of the day and heat in the after part. Some
hemorrhoids, in complication.
Verat. viride.
Bids fair to be serviceable in all cases
where these troubles are complicated with great arterial excitement.In some cases the milk seems spoiled. The child
refuses to nurse after tasting the milk; it turns away with disgust, or
with crying. In such cases, administer to the mother, according to the
other circumstances, Borax, Cina, Lachesis, Mercurius, Sulphur, or
Silicea.In case the child vomits the milk soon after nursing,
give the mother Calcarea c., Silicea, or Sulphur.
NOTE:
Any information given above is not intended to be
taken as a replacement for medical advice. Therefore, it is very
important that the patients should avoid self-treatment and rather
consult the most abled and qualified classical homœopath and take the
treatment under his proper guidance and advice.Copyright © Dr. Sayeed Ahmad
2004