At Bezzia.com we have talked about breast cysts. If your gynecologist has detected oneDon't be scared.
Breast cysts are small lumps, which can be soft or hard, located beneath the surface of the breast. They can be painful, but they are rarely malignant..
In the case of women who are breastfeeding, the cysts are called milk cysts o galactoceleThese are harmless and contain liquid or thick milk, produced by the dilation of the lactiferous duct. It usually appears after changes in breastfeedingFor example, abrupt weaning. If left untreated, it can become infected and progress to a mastitis.
What is a galactocele or milk cyst?
It is a benign lesion It appears almost exclusively in breastfeeding women (it can also occur during pregnancy and, more frequently, during weaning). It is caused by accumulation of milk fat outside the ductsforming a retained cyst without an outlet through the nipple. It is also known as a lactocele or milk cyst and is frequently located in the retroareolar areaIt is the most common benign breast lump during breastfeeding and, in many cases, it resolves itself.
Why it occurs: causes and risk factors
Several elements are involved. One stands out. hormonal imbalance (changes in prolactin and oxytocin) and the milk stagnation in a duct. The body reabsorbs the aqueous part, leaving the fatty fraction, which block the conduit.
- Weaning or sudden changes in the shot pattern.
- Difficulty breastfeeding (for example, cleft palate) or ineffective sucking.
- Breastfeeding contraindicated or interrupted by maternal illness or medication.
- Previous mastitis or other lesions with scarring in ducts.
- Cracks in the nipple that favor complications.
- Use of hormonal contraceptives in some women.
How to identify it: signs that guide you
- Rounded, mobile lump, soft and uniform to the touch, of variable size.
- Generally it does not hurt (or minimal pain) nor does it change after breastfeeding.
- Something might come out of it milk when pressed, without blood.
- If there infection: fever, intense pain upon palpation and enlarged axillary lymph nodes.
Keys to differentiate it from mastitis: no fever, there is no redness marked cutaneous, There is no general malaise nor chills, and usually it does not hurt.
Does it affect breastfeeding?
It depends on the location. If it is far from the areola-nipple complexIt doesn't usually interfere with milk flow. If it's located in that area, it can hinder ejection and slow down the flow, generating discomfort in the babyApart from this detail, It does not usually affect production nor the continuation of breastfeeding.
Diagnosis: when to consult and safe tests
If you find any lump in your breast, Consult your healthcare professionalConfirmation is usually done with ultrasound (test of choice in pregnancy and breastfeeding). In some cases they are used mammography with shielding, tomography o magnetic resonance If there are any doubts. fine needle puncture It can be diagnostic (and therapeutic) when its contents are aspirated. It is key to differentiate it from simple cysts, fibroadenomas, abscesses o carcinomas.
Galactocele treatment
Initial management is conservative If the cyst is small, doesn't grow, and isn't causing any problems: monitor and check. It usually resolve spontaneouslyespecially after weaning.
- Ultrasound-guided puncture-aspiration: indicated if it is large, bothersome or compromises milk output. Can relapse and require new aspirations.
- Drugs to inhibit milk secretion in selected cases, especially post-weaning.
- Minimally invasive procedures (sclerosis) or open surgery If it grows rapidly, there are diagnostic doubts, or it persists.
If it does not interfere with breastfeeding, it can be maintained. expectant behavior and assess its removal upon completion. The galactocele It's not dangerousalthough it may be uncomfortable.
Other lumps during breastfeeding and how to deal with them
- Ductal obstructionMilk stasis due to suboptimal technique, pressure from bras, ineffective sucking, or infection. Management: frequent emptyinggentle massage, place the baby with the chin oriented to the area, local cold and, if applicable, anti-inflammatory.
- Breast abscessA complication of mastitis. It requires sewer system (ultrasound-guided puncture or incision) and antibioticIt is important to ensure the milk extraction During treatment; if surgery is involved, ensure an incision away from the areola.
- Galactocele: expectant management if it does not interfere; if there is a recurrence or superinfection, individualize the management.
Prevention and self-care
- Feed the baby using the proper technique It already demands to avoid milk stasis.
- Avoid pressure continuous over the chest (rings or very tight straps).
- Review and treat nipple cracks to reduce infectious complications.
- In case of interruptions in filming, express milk to empty pipes.
When to seek immediate help
- Fever, marked redness or general discomfort.
- Intense pain or lump that it grows fast.
- Secretion with blood or changes in the leather (orange peel, retraction).
- Lump that It doesn't disappear in 72 hours despite the initial measures.
Although most breast changes occur during pregnancy and breastfeeding they are benign, it suits Report any unusual symptomsUltrasound is safe and useful for differentiating between Cysts y solid nodulesA cyst can aspirate And, if there are solid parts, a needle biopsy allows other pathologies to be ruled out.
Galactocele is a benign milk cyst and common in breastfeeding that, with proper diagnosis and follow-up, rarely involves risksIdentifying risk factors, maintaining effective breastfeeding technique, and seeking medical advice if warning signs appear helps to prevent complications such as mastitis and continuing breastfeeding comfortably.