My nipples are hard and painful

Many people find that their nipples are hard and painful. This problem is most likely caused by the symptom of mastitis. In order to ensure the health of your nipples and the entire breast, you must go to the hospital for examination in time after symptoms of mastitis appear, and receive treatment according to the specific symptoms. Next, I will introduce you to some relevant knowledge about mastitis!

1. Introduction to the disease

Mastitis is an acute suppurative disease characterized by redness, swelling and pain in the breast, poor milk discharge, and the formation of pus and carbuncle. It is more common in postpartum breastfeeding women, especially primiparas. Commonly known as milk sores. Depending on the period of onset, it has several names: those occurring during lactation are called external mastitis; those occurring during pregnancy are called internal mastitis; those occurring during non-lactation and non-pregnancy periods are called non-lactation mastitis. In modern medicine, acute suppurative mastitis belongs to the category of mastitis.

2. Etiology and pathogenesis

1. Liver depression and qi stagnation

The nipple belongs to the foot Jueyin liver meridian. The liver is responsible for regulating the secretion of milk. If the emotions are hurt internally, the liver qi is not comfortable, and the qi of the Jueyin meridian fails to be released, the milk will become stagnant and form lumps; if the stagnation lasts for a long time, it will turn into heat, and the heat will overcome the flesh and cause rot, forming pus.

2. Stomach heat stagnation

The breast belongs to the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming, and milk is produced by Qi and blood. Eating excessive amounts of fatty and sweet foods after childbirth can cause Yangming heat accumulation, excessive stomach heat, Qi and blood stagnation, and milk channel blockage, leading to carbuncle.

3. Milk stasis

Damaged or sunken nipples affect breastfeeding, causing poor milk discharge, or there is too much milk and the baby cannot suck it all out, causing excess milk to accumulate, resulting in blockage of the milk vessels and milk stagnation. Over time, the milk accumulates and turns into heat, causing carbuncles.

3. Treatment based on syndrome differentiation

(1) Qi stagnation and heat accumulation ① Symptoms: Breast swelling and pain, with or without lumps, unchanged or slightly red skin color, and poor milk secretion; accompanied by aversion to cold and fever, headache, thirst, and constipation; pale red or red tongue, thin yellow tongue coating, and floating or stringy pulse. ②The treatment principle is to soothe the liver and clear the stomach, promote lactation and reduce swelling. ③Prescription: Trichosanthes and Burdock Decoction with modifications. If the milk stagnation is too severe, add milkwort, smilax glabra, and rhubarb to promote lactation; if the mother has milk stagnation after weaning, add raw burdock, hawthorn, and raw malt to stimulate lactation; if the lochia has not been completely discharged after delivery, add angelica, chuanxiong, and motherwort to remove blood stasis; if the breast lumps are obvious, add angelica, red peony root, peach kernel, etc. to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis; if the stool is constipated, add raw rhubarb and hemp seed to relieve constipation.

(2) Intense heat and toxicity ① Symptoms: The lump gradually increases in size, the skin becomes red, burning, and painful like being pecked by a chicken. The center of the lump gradually becomes soft and responsive to the finger. It may be accompanied by high fever, thirst for cold drinks, flushed face and eyes, irritability, constipation, and short and dark urine. The tongue is red, the tongue coating is yellow and dry, and the pulse is rapid or slippery. ②The treatment principle is to clear away heat, resolve toxic substances, and drain pus. ③Prescription: Tounongsan with added ingredients. If the heat is severe, add gypsum, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, honeysuckle and dandelion to clear away heat and detoxify.

(3) Deficiency of the body and retention of pathogens ① Symptoms: Breast pain and swelling are relieved after the ulcer breaks, but pus continues to flow out of the ulcer, the pus is clear and thin, and the healing is slow, or milk leaks out of the ulcer to form milk leakage; pale complexion, general fatigue, dizziness, or low-grade fever, loss of appetite; pale tongue, thin coating, weak pulse. ②The treatment principle is to replenish Qi and blood, astringe and relieve pain. ③Prescription: Toli Xiaodu Powder with modifications.