A breast abscess is a painful collection of pus that forms in the breast. Most abscesses form just under the skin and are the result of a bacterial infection.
Symptoms of a breast abscess
A breast abscess is a painful, swollen lump in the breast. It may also:
- be red
- feel hot
- cause the skin over it to swell
- cause a high temperature (fever)
How common are breast abscesses?
Breast abscesses can affect women who are between 18 and 50 years of age, but they are very uncommon in women who are not producing milk.
When a woman is breastfeeding, an infection may occur as a result of bacteria entering the breast tissue, or because of a blocked milk duct. Milk ducts are the tiny tubes that carry the milk. This can cause a condition called mastitis (inflammation of the breast). If it is not treated, a breast infection can lead to the development of an abscess.
Mastitis affects around 1 woman in 10 who are breastfeeding. One study found that, of the women with mastitis who were treated with antibiotic medicines, around 3 in 100 developed a breast abscess.
Outlook
A breast abscess can be treated by draining the collection of pus, either by using a needle and a syringe or by making an incision (cut) in the abscess to let the pus escape (see Breast abscess - treatment).
A breast abscess may cause some long-term complications. After a breast abscess, about 1 woman in 10 may not be able to breastfeed again. If an abscess is very large and requires more extensive surgery, for example, to remove part of the breast, it could result in the breast being disfigured.
