Female breasts may indicate changes in the body. Nipples are a very sensitive area that reacts sharply to any hormonal changes. It is not always clear when to worry and in what situations the phenomenon can be considered normal. Burning nipples are one of the common problems among the fair sex. In this article we will look in detail at why nipples burn.
Burning nipples during pregnancy
As mentioned earlier, the cause of pain and burning in the nipples can be an interesting position. During this period, the body experiences enormous hormonal changes, the milk ducts expand, the breasts increase in size, and the production of the hormone prolactin increases. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that nipples hurt and burn during pregnancy, because they were not prepared for sudden changes. Fortunately, painful and unpleasant sensations are temporary, and by the beginning of the second trimester everything usually goes away.
Burning sensation during lactation
During breastfeeding, the nipples undergo changes and their skin becomes rougher. If the baby is not fed correctly, he will have trouble latching on the breast and biting it. This can cause cracks to appear, which are accompanied by pain and burning. To solve the problem, you need to accustom your baby to proper sucking, and after feeding, lubricate painful areas with healing agents. For treatment purposes, you can use lanolin, Bepanten ointment, Solcoseryl or sea buckthorn oil.
If not only the nipples burn after feeding, but also chest pain, redness of the skin and increased body temperature, this may indicate an inflammatory process in the mammary gland - mastitis. Often this disease occurs due to lactostasis and infection.
To treat the initial stage of mastitis, drug therapy is used. In the case of acute purulent mastitis, it is often necessary to perform surgery followed by removal of an abscess with thick pus.
In addition, when breastfeeding, the nipples often suffer from thrush. Moreover, this problem can affect not only the mother, but also the child. The fight against thrush involves regularly washing your hands before and after feeding, keeping your nipples dry and clean, and eliminating foods containing sugar and yeast from your diet. If necessary, doctors prescribe antifungal drugs to treat the disease.
Possible complications
The most dangerous complications when the nipple burns are cancer and mastitis.
The main sign of cancer is a clear lump in the breast, discharge with an unpleasant odor and pus and blood, the papilla sharply retracts and changes shape.
With mastitis, high body temperature rises, acute malaise, drowsiness, and weakness are felt. The breasts turn red, swell, and the nipples burn. In this case, the only cure can be surgery. In all the situations described, you should not delay your visit to the mammologist.
Burning nipple due to menstrual cycle
The condition of the breast directly depends on the monthly cycle. Pain and burning in the mammary gland usually occurs a few days before the start of menstruation. In addition, it is not uncommon for nipples to burn in the middle of the cycle. This discomfort is caused by an increase in the level of progesterone and prolactin in the blood. These hormones tend to retain fluid and electrolytes throughout the body, including the mammary gland, causing discomfort in the breasts and an increase in their volume. With the arrival of menstruation, hormone levels drop and breast tenderness disappears.
Mastopathy
It is not uncommon for nipples to hurt and burn before menstruation when fibrocystic mastopathy occurs. The disease is accompanied by pathological proliferation of connective tissue in the mammary gland.
In addition to pain and burning, other symptoms are present:
1. The presence of one or more lumps is noted in the breast.
2. There is discharge from the nipples (often transparent).
A characteristic feature of mastopathy is that the symptoms appear immediately before the critical days, and with their onset they decrease or disappear altogether. However, after some time, the disease progresses, the symptoms become more pronounced and prolonged: the pain intensifies and worries not only before menstruation, but also after it.
In order to identify fibrocystic mastopathy, you can perform independent breast palpation. But it’s better to trust a specialist and do an ultrasound and mammogram. The disease is treated with hormonal and non-hormonal drugs. In severe cases, surgical methods are used.
Mastopathy can be either acquired or hereditary. Early diagnosis of the disease allows it to be successfully and irreversibly cured.
How are breast pathologies diagnosed?
If a girl feels any discomfort in her chest, then she needs to consult a specialist to make an accurate diagnosis and determine a treatment regimen. A woman should also remember that after the age of 35 she should definitely see a mammologist, as the risk of breast cancer increases. If the doctor has any suspicions when examining the patient, she will be asked to undergo the following examination:
- Ultrasound of the mammary glands.
- Mammography. With its help, it is possible to determine the presence of a malignant tumor in the breast and its size.
- MRI.
- Biopsy.
- Laboratory examination of a smear.
- A blood test is also taken from the woman. It can be used to determine whether cancer cells are present in the body.
Paget's disease
Determining on your own why your nipples hurt and burn is not easy. The reason can be either completely harmless or extremely serious. Thus, a painful burning sensation in the nipple area can be a signal of such a terrible disease as nipple cancer. In medicine, it is called Paget's disease.
The insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that at the initial stage its symptoms are so mild that a woman may not attach importance to them. At an early stage, redness appears and a crust forms, so the disease is often confused with eczema. Later stages are accompanied by increased sensitivity, itching, burning, tingling and pain in the nipples. Droplets of blood may also be released from them.
It is almost impossible to diagnose Paget's disease during examination. If suspected, the doctor prescribes a biopsy, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, surgery is performed. Radiation therapy is prescribed as an auxiliary treatment.
What symptoms should you pay attention to for pain and burning in the nipples?
• The appearance of bloody, bloody or purulent discharge.
• Changes in size, shape and color of the nipple and areola.
• Formation of ulcers, erosions, cracks on the nipples and areolas.
• Soreness and swelling of the breast and around the nipple.
• Constant and increasing pain.
• Pain in the armpit area.
If these symptoms are detected, you should urgently visit a gynecologist or mammologist, as they may indicate breast cancer.
Methods for treating papillary pain
Therapy of the inflammatory process in the nipple is carried out using a conservative method. It can be local or general. Local treatment is carried out for simple forms of the disease. General therapy is carried out for severe symptoms of the pathology.
In this case, drugs with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects are used. Vitamin therapy is indicated. In severe cases of pathology, injections are used. If a purulent focus develops, surgical intervention is indicated. Physiotherapeutic procedures and traditional medicine are also used.
Medications
| Antifungal ointments | Candide, Nystatin, Syntamicin, Kentoconazole, Miconazole. |
| Antifungal drugs | Diflucan, Fluconazole, Nystatin. |
| Anti-eczema medications | Loratadine, Bepanten, Fenistil 24. |
| Hormonal drugs | Tamoxifen, Zitazonium, Nolvadex. |
| Hormonal ointments | Parlodel, Orgametril, Silest, Mercilon, Femoden, Marvelon, Celestoderm B, Triderm, Sinaflan, Dermovate. |
| Non-hormonal drugs | Wobenzym, Mulimen, Remens, Mastodinon. |
| Antibacterial agents | Gramicidin S, Vinilin, Imanin. |
| Antibiotics | Ceftriaxone, Zinnat, Amoxiclav, Dostinex. |
| Vitamins | Vitamin A, Galascorbine, Citral. |
Candide cream is applied to the nipple 3-4 times a day. The duration of therapy is 14 days. For severe symptoms, the cream is applied up to 6-8 times a day. The cost of the drug 1% is 72 rubles. 25 g in tube.
Miconazole cream is applied 3-4 times a day. The ointment is rubbed in until absorbed. The course is 10-14 days. It should be washed off the mammary gland before feeding. The cost of the drug 2% is 133 rubles. 15 g in tube.
To avoid the development of a chronic form of candidiasis, a single dose of Flucanozole 150 mg is recommended. Repeated therapy is carried out after 4-5 days. The cost of one 150 mg capsule is 31 rubles.
Loratadine is used to relieve eczema. Prescribed in a daily dose of 10 mg. The duration of the course is determined by a specialist. The cost of the drug 10 mg is 20 rubles. There are 10 tablets in a package.
Fenistil 24 is prescribed 1 capsule 1 time per day. The duration of treatment should not exceed 25 days. The cost of the drug 1 mg is 299 rubles. There are 20 tablets in a package.
Hormonal pills are used to treat cancer. The duration of treatment with Tamoxifen, as well as the dosage, is determined by the doctor. The price of the drug 20 mg is 58 rubles. There are 30 tablets in a package.
The drug Zitazonium is taken 20 mg 2 times a day. The course of treatment varies in duration and is determined by the doctor. The price of 1 tablet 20 mg is 80 rubles.
Hormonal ointments are used to eliminate inflammation and itching. Dermovate is applied in a thin layer 1-2 times a day. Rub in with careful movements. The course of therapy is 1 month. The price of the drug 0.05% is 519 rubles. 25 g in tube.
Triderm is applied in a thin layer 2 times a day. The duration of treatment is 1 month. The cost of the drug is 660 rubles. 15 g in tube.
The drug Wobenzym is used to eliminate mastopathy. It is usually taken from 3 to 10 tablets per day, depending on the severity of the disease. The course of treatment is 3-6 months.
The price of Wobenzym is 480 rubles. There are 40 tablets in a package.
The drug Mulimen is prescribed 15-20 drops 3-5 times a day. one hour after eating. The cost of the drug is 1480 rubles. In a bottle of 50 ml.
The drug Gramicidin C is used after meals, without chewing 2 tablets one after another for half an hour. The cost of the drug 1.5 mg is 290 rubles. There are 18 tablets in a package.
Vinyl is applied externally in the form of lotions. A single dose is 1.4 mg. It is recommended to use 3-5 times a day. The cost of the product is 179 rubles. The bottle contains 100 g of product.
If the nipple becomes infected, antibiotics are prescribed. Amoxiclav is taken 2 times a day for 7 days. The cost of the drug is 333 rubles. There are 15 tablets in a package.
Zinnat is prescribed 2 times a day, 250 mg. Duration of therapy is 5-7 days. The cost of the drug is 214 rubles. There are 10 tablets in a package.
The drug Galascorbin is prescribed 1 hour before meals, 500-1000 mg 3 times a day for 1 month. The course is repeated 2-4 times a year. The cost of the drug 500 mg is 766 rubles.
Traditional methods
Along with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents, traditional medicine is used. Their use should be agreed with the attending physician.
To eliminate cracked nipples, the following recipes are offered:
- Take equal quantities of dry yarrow, St. John's wort, horsetail and marsh cudweed. Grind the ingredients and mix. Pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Strain. Use when treating areolas.
- Take 3 tbsp. l. aloe juice, onion and fish oil. Mix everything and add flour, knead the dough. Apply the cakes as applications on the nipples. After removal, wipe the nipples with a decoction of chamomile, calendula, sage, oak or plantain.
The following recipes are offered for the treatment of mastitis:
- Take ½ cup of dry sweet clover. Pour boiling water over it and leave for 5-10 minutes. Moisten a towel with the infusion, wrap it around your chest, and wrap it with a wool scarf on top. Repeat the procedure after 2 hours. By continuously changing the compress every 2 hours, followed by applying propolis-based ointment to the chest, mastitis can be eliminated in 2 days.
- Take a peeled daffodil bulb, chop it and mix it with thick rice porridge. Apply to the affected mammary gland 3 times a day, washing off the hardened crust with warm water.
- Take 50 g of tangerine peel and 10 g of licorice roots. Pour 500 ml of boiling water. Divide into 2 servings and take 2 times a day. Use the same infusion to make lotions.
Other methods
Physiotherapeutic procedures are used to eliminate the inflammatory process in the nipples. They act as complementary therapy.
Among the methods it is worth highlighting:
- Laser therapy. The influence of the magnetic field is carried out through a special device that produces infrared radiation in a pulsed continuous mode. The impact is carried out by 2 fields. In this case, the area near the juice is protected by a special screen made of medical film. The duration of exposure is 3 minutes. The course of therapy includes 10 procedures.
- Exposure to ultraviolet light using a tube. Usually 2 biodoses are taken. Irradiation is carried out every other day. The course of therapy includes 5-6 procedures.
- Darsonvalization. The duration of exposure is 5 minutes for each nipple. Therapy includes 10 procedures.
The left papilla hurts in women with an abscess. In this case, surgical intervention is indicated. Pus that collects in the mammary gland can cause a number of complications. A small incision is made in the area of suppuration. The pus is removed, after which the wound is disinfected.
If the purulent sac is large, then a drainage is installed that removes purulent residues and ichor. Next, sutures are applied. After 2-3 days, the drainage is removed. The surgical site is treated with antibiotics.
