Breast Cysts Natural Treatment Options!

Several women experience the formation of breast cysts.

These are benign and most common in pre-menopausal women. Some women experience pain with these cysts.

Proper diagnosis can help in treating the breast cysts.

Breast cysts can develop in one or both the breasts.

Various causes can result in the formation of breast cysts, among those fibrocystic breast diseases or cystic mastitis is the most common one.

The formation of breast cyst is also linked to the onset of premenstrual syndrome. The most common period to develop breast cysts is between 30’s and 50’s.

Fluctuations in hormone levels and consequent hormone fluctuations within the body occur one to two weeks before menstruation. This can cause breast glands to fill with fluid and increase or decrease in size based on the hormone levels. As the breast tissues are very sensitive to the hormone changes, all these changes can result in the formation of breast cysts. During this period your breasts become swollen and inflamed and resulting in varying degrees of pain.

Usually, fluids form your breast tissues are collected and transported out of the breasts through the lymphatic system, if the amount of fluid is greater than the lymphatic system can handle then various places of the breast are occupied with this fluid resulting in the formation of breast cysts. If you think that you have breast cysts, then you should get checked with your doctor.

Also, researchers said that an increase in estrogen and decrease in progesterone hormones and also lactating hormones oxytocin or prolactin can trigger the formation of breast cysts.

In order to detect the breast cysts medically, a needle is inserted into the cyst to take out the fluid for evaluation. Most often, doctors recommend draining of the cyst in order to prevent the reoccurrence of the cyst in future. Apart from medical treatments which are very dangerous, you can consider some alternative and natural treatments. They include:

Herbs to treat breast cysts:

• Vitex: This herb can also be called as chaste berry, which helps to increase the levels of progesterone hormone and corrects the balance between estrogen and progesterone. You are not recommended to use this herb during pregnancy or while getting hormone therapy.


• Black Cohosh: Usually this herb is used as general health booster. You can take the herb in capsule form, drops of tincture, or in the form of tea.


• Evening primrose oil: This oil is a great source of essential fatty acids that have natural antiprostaglandin properties, which help to reduce breast cysts. Prostaglandins are chemicals that your body develops and can cause breast inflammation and lead to breast cysts.


• Butcher’s Broom: This herb contains chemicals that are related to diosgenin, which is a hormone like element of wild yam. It helps to reduce the inflammatory process of the breasts, which can cause the formation of cysts.


• Saw Palmetto: It has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce breast inflammation. It reduces the effect of estrogen on your breasts.


• Gotu Kola: Also known as Centella asiatica acts as a tonic or health booster.
  

Diet tips to treat breast cysts:

• Stop drinking coffee and black tea, which are higher in Methylxanthines. Methylxanthines can lead to the formation of breast cysts. Methylxanthines can also be found in some chocolates and colas. Also, avoid drinking alcohol. Decrease the consumption of animal meats, dairy products.


• Lack of iodine in your diet can also lead to the formation of cysts. Lack of iodine makes your thyroid gland inactive and lead to the formation breast lumps and cysts.


• Wearing brass that can restrict the circulation of lymph in the lymphatic vessels. Tight brass can block or slow the removal of wastes through the lymphatic system. Women who wear constricting types of brassieres such as under wire and throughout the night, are the most susceptible to breast cyst formation in middle age.


• Consume soy based foods, which are having higher isoflavones. These helps to reduce the effect of excess estrogen. Vegetables like Brussels, broccoli and cabbage contain chemicals called indoles, which help to protect your breasts from excess estrogen.
  

Supplements to treat breast cysts:

• Vitamin A: Helps your breast ducts functioning properly.


• Indoles: Indoles are chemicals that fight against cysts and tumors. They found in cabbage-family vegetables. You can also find these chemicals in capsule form.


• Vitamin E: This is a skin boosting vitamin, which helps to protect your breast tissues. This vitamin has good antioxidant properties and maintains hormonal balance. Regular intake of vitamin E helps to reduce breast tenderness and cysts formation.


• Isoflavones: These compounds are found in soy and tofu. They reduce the formation of breast tumors.
  

Before taking any of these herbs and supplements, you should consult your doctor about the specific dosage.

Is It Breast Infection Or Mastitis?

Mastitis or breast infection is the infection of breast tissues that occurs more frequently at the time of breast feeding.

Breast infection is usually caused by a bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, which is found on normal skin.

Breast infection occurs in the fatty tissues of your breasts and leads to swelling and this swelling pushes on milk ducts, which finally causes pain and lumps in the infected breast.

If you are not breast feeding and you got breast infection, then it might be a rare form of breast cancer.

Menopausal women can also get breast infection.

What causes breast infection?

An opening on your breast or passage of bacteria through milk-secreting ducts can lead to breast infection. The risk of getting breast infection is more when there is restricted or blocked milk flow. Here are some causes that increase your risk of developing breast infection:

• Restriction or blockage in the milk ducts


• Usage of nipple shields


• Irregular breastfeeding


• Smoking cigarettes


• Irregularities in your breast


• Undergoing breast surgery


• Injury to the breasts


• Overuse of upper part of your arm


• Using items which exert pressure on the breasts


• Longer gap in between the feedings


• Incorrect placement of the baby while breastfeeding


• Medical conditions such as diabetes, stress and anemia which reduce your body’s immunity


• Missing the feeding session


• Wearing restricted cloths or usage of underwire bra
  

What are the symptoms of breast infection?

• Fever and presence of flu like symptoms


• Swelling and redness in the area of the breast


• Breast soreness that is associated with ache


• Feeling warmness in the breasts


• Nipple discharge
  

When you consult your doctor, he/she will perform a physical exam by considering your past medical history. Surface of the skin or breast milk culture could be performed to find out the bacteria. If there is blurred result, then your doctor will recommend to under a mammogram or biopsy of your breast.

What are the treatments for breast infection?

• Your doctor will suggest you a course of antibiotics to reduce the breast infection. Sometimes they can cause stomach disturbances and allergic flare ups.


• Wear a good nursing bra, which can help to reduce the unwanted swelling. Apply warm compress over the inflamed area.


• If it is bearable pain, you can continue breast feeding or use a breast pump to draw out the milk.
  

Are there any possible complications of breast infection?

If you have chronic breast infection, immediately consult your doctor because it can cause pus formation in the breasts. You need to undergo surgery to remove the pus from breasts. During these cases, discontinue breast feeding.

Are there any tips to reduce the chances of developing breast infection?

• Use both the breast while feeding


• Keep hydrated


• Maintain regular feeding sessions


• Wash your hands before breastfeeding


• Place your baby correctly while breastfeeding


• Resolve any medical conditions like anemia


• Avoid wearing tight cloths that put pressure over the breast area


• Avoid overexertion of upper arms
  

10 Steps To Do Self Breast Exam!

Every woman should know about the benefits and limitations of breast self-examination.

It is essential to know how your breasts normally look and feel.

Don’t forget to report to your health care professions, if you observe any new breast changes.

Identifying a breast changes doesn’t necessarily mean there is a cancer.

You can easily recognize changes of your breasts:

• If you know how your breasts normally look and feel


• If you have proper breast awareness


• If you make a step-by-step approach for breast self-exam


• If you use a specific schedule for examining your breasts
  

It is best to exam your breasts if they are not tender or swollen. Women who want to do breast self-examination should know the technique during the periodic health exams by your health care provider.

Women who had breast implantation can also do breast self examination. With the help of your practitioner, identify the edges of implants so that you can easily identify what you are feeling. Pregnant or breast-feeding women can also choose self examination of breasts.
Step-by-step approach for breast self-examination:

1. Breast examination can be performed while you are lying down. Lie down on your back by placing your right arm behind the head. While lying down, your breast tissues spread evenly across the chest area and is very thin thus making it easy to feel all the breast tissues.


2. Use left hand to test your right breast. With the helps of finger pads of your three middle fingers, feel for any lumps in your breast. Moving the fingers in circular motion can make it easy to fell all the breast tissues.


3. You need to apply pressure of three different levels. Apply light pressure in order to feel the tissues closer to your skin. Use medium pressure to feel the tissues little deeper and rigid pressure to feel the tissues very closer to ribs and chest.


4. At the lower curve of each breast, you may feel a firm ridge. But, no need to worry, it is normal. Apart from this, if you find anything else, make sure that you tell your doctor.


5. If you can not apply the pressure properly and unable to check your breast, ask your doctor or nurse for suggestions. Make sure that you apply each pressure level properly.


6. Move the hand around your breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone. Make sure that you check total breast region until you identify only ribs and up to the neck or collarbone.


7. Research proved that up-and-down pattern can be the most popular choice to test your entire breast and to not to miss any tissue.


8. Use the same procedure to test your left breast with right hand finger pads and keeping left hand behind your head.


9. You can also test your breast while standing. Stand in front of the mirror by pressing your hands hardly down on the hips. Then observe the shape, size, dimpling or contour, scaliness, or redness of the nipples or breast skin.


10. Also, you can exam your underarms when you are sitting up or standing. Raise the arm slightly so that you can easily feel the area. If you raise your arm straight, the tissues of the region become tight and it is harder to examine.
    

These steps can greatly help you for breast self examination. Applying the properly and regularly can increase your ability to detect the abnormal areas of the breast. Early detection breast abnormalities can reduce the risk of breast cancer.