Mastitis treatment usually involves:
- Antibiotics. Treating mastitis usually requires a 10- to 14-day course of antibiotics. You may feel well again 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotics, but it's important to take all the pills to minimize your chance of recurrence.
- Pain relievers. Your doctor may recommend a mild pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).
- Adjustments to your breast-feeding technique. Make sure that you fully empty your breasts during breast-feeding and that your infant latches on correctly. Your doctor may review your breast-feeding technique with you or may refer you to a lactation consultant for help and ongoing support.
- Self-care. Rest, continue breast-feeding and drink extra fluids to help your body fight the breast infection.
If your mastitis doesn't clear up after taking antibiotics, it is important to follow up with your doctor so he or she can decide if you need further testing.
June 12, 2015
- Dixon JM. Lactational mastitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 23, 2015.
- FAQ on mastitis. La Leche League International. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/mastitis.html. Accessed April 23, 2015.
- Mastitis: Causes and management. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/documents/fch_cah_00_13/en/. Accessed April 23, 2015.
- AskMayoExpert. Mastitis. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2014.
- Ferri FF. Mastitis. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2015: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 28, 2015.
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