Healing with Homeopathy: the Homeopathic Treatment of mastitis - excerpts from Whole Woman Homeopathy, The Comprehensive Guide to Homeopathic Treatment for PMS, Menopause, Cystitis, and Other Problems

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, June, 2002 by Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Robert Ullman

(Much of the material for this article is drawn from Judyth's book, Whole Woman Homeopathy, The Comprehensive Guide to Homeopathic Treatment for PMS, Menopause, Cystitis, and Other Problems. Prima Publishing, 2000, www.wholewomanhomeopathy.com.)

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast, usually occurring in nursing moms, that is acutely painful, with redness, heat, swelling and engorgement of the breast tissue. Flu-like symptoms, high fever and chills may also be present. Mastitis may be associated with a bacterial infection such as Staphylococcus aureus, causing a pus-like discharge, or in the initial stages, inflammation and swelling may occur without infection, often from a blocked milk duct. Nursing can, in some women, lead to sore breasts and cracked nipples, leading to infection. Nursing, as well as expressing the breast milk, can be extremely uncomfortable, but it is actually preferable to bear the pain and continue nursing. Mastitis is usually a local problem, but systemic infection can occur in rare cases. Abscesses occur in about 10% of women with mastitis. In addition to homeopathic medicine or conventional treatment, surgical drainage or needle aspiration may be needed. Although breast feeding with mastitis is usually safe for the nursi ng baby, it may occasionally transmit infection, requiring medical attention.

The key to avoiding episodes of mastitis is to keep milk flowing through the ducts, preventing engorgement of the breast. Varying positions while breastfeeding may be helpful in preventing blocked ducts. If the infant is not latching on correctly, the milk may back up. Blocked ducts and engorged breasts are fertile ground for infections.

Homeopathy can treat mastitis in many cases without the use of antibiotics. A homeopathic medicine is given that matches the specific symptoms and emotional state of the nursing mother with mastitis. The medicine is given every few hours until relief is obtained, and repeated if the symptoms return after initial improvement. If the correct medicine cannot be found, antibiotics can provide a second line of defense, but undesirable side effects may occur, such as digestive or local yeast infections in mother and baby, or allergic reactions.

In order to determine which homeopathic medicine to give, it is necessary to "take the case." Observation, answering questions, and listening to what the woman has to say are important ways to understand which homeopathic medicine is necessary. We call this process "look, listen and ask."

Look

* Is your breast red or hot?

* Is there hard swelling?

* Is it tender to the touch?

* What does your nipple look like?

* Do you notice any discharge from your nipple? If so, what does it look or smell like?

* Do you have a fever?

Listen (Women may say these things when needing a particular medicine.)

* "Suddenly my breast got beet red and swollen and I got a fever." Belladonna

* "Any time I move even a little, my breast hurts." Bryonia

* "My nipples are very dry, cracked, and sore." Castor equi

* "My breasts hurt in between nursing and the pain goes all the way to my back." Phellandrium

* "My lymph nodes are swollen and my breast pain radiates throughout my whole body." Phytolacca

* "I feel exhausted and I can't sleep because my breast burns." Silica

Ask

* How does your breast feel?

* What makes the discomfort or pain better or worse?

* How does nursing your baby affect your symptoms?

* Have you been through any particular emotional trauma or changes lately?

* Are you unusually hungry or thirsty? For what?

* Do you feel particularly warm or chilly?

Here are some important pointers to medicines that can help mastitis:

* Mastitis that comes on suddenly with a high fever, red face and breast, and is worse on the right side indicates Belladonna.

* If your breast pain is much worse from any movement and you are cranky, think of Bryonia.

* If your breast pain occurs even from going downstairs and your nipples are sore, cracked, Castor equi is a strong possibility.

* If your nipples are very cracked and sore to the touch, consider Castor equi first, then Phytolacca, especially if you have any glandular swelling.

* Hepar sulphuris is useful if you feel chilly, sensitive, and touchy and experience splinterlike pains and a foul, cheesy discharge from your breast.

* For breast pain that radiates to your back and is unbearable between nursing, take Phellandrium.

* For swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, use Phytolacca if your pain radiates to your entire body, and Silica if you have burning pains in the breast at night.

How to take homeopathic medicines for mastitis:

* Take three pellets of 30C every four hours until you see an improvement.

* If you are no better after three doses, change medicines.

* After you first notice you are improving, take another dose only if your symptoms begin to return.

* Lower potencies (6X, 6C, 30X may need to be given more often -- every one to two hours).

* Higher potencies (200X, 200C, lM) usually need to be taken only once, but may need a repetition if the symptoms are severe or return after initial improvement.