Diseases of the mammary glands inspire fear in most of the fair sex. There is an opinion that all of them lead to cancer. In fact, this assumption is wrong. Consider, for example, a solitary cyst of the mammary gland. This is a single neoplasm, which is a small capsule. It does not have a pathological nature, but requires constant monitoring by doctors.
Solitary breast cyst - what is it?
This term is commonly understood as a single seal, localized in the mammary gland. It looks like a bag, but it is filled with liquid. Consists mainly of connective tissue. A distinctive feature of the pathology is its location - only one breast suffers. Over time, the cyst can thicken and increase in size (up to 5 cm). It most often develops in nulliparous women.
According to ICD-10, the code for a solitary cyst of the mammary gland is No. 60. This group includes other cystic neoplasms localized in the breast.
Main causes and risk factors
The main cause of a cyst in the mammary glands is considered to be a blockage of the ducts of one of the breasts, which causes the accumulation of fluid. As a result, a neoplasm is formed, the walls of which thicken over time. Doctors associate the occurrence of such a pathology with a hormonal imbalance in a woman's body. Under the influence of certain factors, estrogens begin to exceed the volume of progesterone in quantitative characteristics. In some cases, the process of cyst development is affected by increased production of prolactin.
What factors contribute to the development of the disease?
- Age over 35.
- Hereditary predisposition through the female line.
- Overweight.
- History of endocrine diseases (thyroid pathology, diabetes).
- Neglected breastfeeding.
- Late menopause (after age 55).
- Incorrect use of oral hormonal contraceptives.
- Diseases affecting the organs of the reproductive system (uterine fibroids, endometriosis).
Also, doctors note that frequent stress and nervous strain can cause cysts in the mammary gland.
Clinical picture
In most cases, the pathology is asymptomatic. It is detected only during the passage of a planned mammogram or ultrasound. The first signs usually appear when the tumor reaches 2 cm.at the rate of. In this case, the woman may complain of the following he alth problems:
- The presence of a seal in the chest. On palpation, a small rounded bump is found, characterized by inactivity and elasticity. The procedure itself is accompanied by minor discomfort.
- Pain intensifies in the second phase of the female cycle. It can give to the cervical-collar part or under the shoulder blade. Such discomfort is due to compression of the nerves of the gland and nearby tissues. After the onset of menstruation, the pain subsides and disappears altogether.
- Burning and itching in the affected area.
- Fever, swollen lymph nodes.
If the neoplasm is characterized by rapid growth, deformity of the mammary gland is not excluded.
Diagnostic Methods
A mammologist deals with the study of the causes and treatment of breast cysts. Therefore, if suspicious symptoms appear, you should immediately seek advice from this specialist. The doctor will prescribe an extensive examination, which includes a physical examination and hardware diagnostic methods.
Initially, the specialist studies the patient's history, if necessary, asks a number of clarifying questions about her lifestyle, previous births, etc. The next step is a physical examination. During palpation of the mammary gland and adjacent lymph nodes, the mammologist pays attention to the condition of the skin in the lesion, the presence of seals. After that, they proceed to hardware diagnostic methods:
- Mammography. X-ray examination withoutthe use of a contrast agent is absolutely safe for a woman. However, it can be used to determine the location, size and number of cystic formations.
- Ultrasound. An ultrasound can be used to determine the size and extent of the cyst.
- Pneumocystography. During the procedure, the mammary gland is inflated with air, which leads to increased pressure on its walls. As a result, the picture is better and more informative. The air in the chest resolves on its own within 10 days.
- Puncture biopsy. This study involves the collection of material from the pathological focus for its subsequent study in the laboratory. They resort to his help to exclude oncology.
Based on the results of the examination, the doctor confirms or denies the presence of a solitary breast cyst, prescribes treatment.
Mammologist's advice: when is therapy needed?
With a small size of the neoplasm, specific therapy is not required. It is enough to follow a diet, which will be discussed below, in order to normalize the hormonal background. This approach allows you to stop the growth of the neoplasm.
In other cases, mammologists prescribe drug therapy or surgery.
Drugs for treatment
After identifying a cystic formation, it is important for a woman to reconsider her lifestyle. First of all, you need to try to avoid stressful situations. To normalize the psycho-emotional background, the doctor may additionally prescribesedative preparations based on natural ingredients (motherwort tincture, valerian tablets, Tenoten). A positive result is given by the homeopathic remedy Mastodinon. The following medications are used to strengthen immunity: Retinol, Tocopherol, B vitamins.
In especially serious cases, when there is severe pain or disruption of the endocrine system, therapy requires a different approach. A woman is prescribed hormonal drugs, NSAIDs, iodine-containing drugs. All medicines and their dosage are selected strictly individually.
Non-drug therapy
To eliminate a large solitary cyst, a puncture is recommended. During the procedure, the doctor removes the contents from the neoplasm cavity with a needle, and then directly injects the sclerosing agent. In most cases air, ozone or alcohol is used. However, the use of the latter is highly undesirable. Alcohol carries the risk of tissue necrosis and scarring.
After the puncture, the woman is prescribed a diet, a course of multivitamins. In addition, she needs to be periodically examined by a mammologist.
According to reviews, a breast cyst responds well to therapy through puncture. Only in 1% of cases the procedure is ineffective. In such a situation, the neoplasm is removed promptly. A sectoral resection of the breast is performed, followed by a biopsy of the neoplasm.
Features of food
The entire period of treatment of a cyst in the mammary gland, a woman must adhere to a strict diet. It is required to completely eliminate caffeinated drinks, chocolate, alcohol and fatty dairy products from the diet. After the puncture, it is important to enrich the diet with foods high in fiber. Compliance with the diet allows you to quickly normalize the hormonal background during therapy.
Help of traditional medicine
Treatment of a solitary breast cyst can be supplemented with prescriptions from alternative medicine. However, this approach is possible only after consultation with a specialist. For example, it is good to use motherwort to relieve pain. A teaspoon of raw materials should be poured with two cups of boiling water, left for 5 minutes over low heat. It is recommended to take the product in half a glass before meals.
An infusion of several herbs helps to restore metabolic processes. To prepare it, you need to take 3 tablespoons of chamomile, fennel and linden flowers, add 4 tablespoons of mint and elderberry. A tablespoon of the resulting mixture should be poured with 2 cups of boiling water, insist. It is recommended to drink the entire portion of the broth during the day. The course of treatment should not exceed 3 months.
Black cumin helps to normalize the hormonal background. It is consumed in a teaspoon before each meal. It is advisable to use the oil at the same time as taking hormonal drugs.
Also, alternative medicine suggests using St. John's wort to relieve pain in women with cystic formations. To prepare the infusion dining rooma spoonful of grass will need to pour a glass of boiling water, leave to infuse for about 30 minutes. Then gauze can be moistened in a decoction and applied to the affected breast for 15 minutes. It is recommended to repeat this procedure several times a day until the condition is relieved.
Inflammation of the cyst
In rare cases, a solitary breast cyst is accompanied by an inflammatory process. The reason for this is the penetration of infection into the body, a decrease in general immunity and a number of other factors. Inflammation is easy to identify by the following symptoms:
- A sharp increase in temperature, and not only in the affected area.
- Pulsating chest pain.
- Redden tissue of the gland.
- Isolation of purulent secretion from the nipple.
When these signs appear, you should immediately call a team of medical workers. In the clinic, a puncture biopsy is necessarily performed, followed by a histological analysis. Then appropriate therapy is prescribed. Usually it includes taking antibiotics, immunomodulators and vitamin complexes.
Prevention Methods
The mammary gland is a rather vulnerable organ that reacts to all changes in the female body. That is why he is in the zone of constant risk. To avoid problems, doctors recommend that every woman after 30 years of age periodically undergo mammography and ultrasound. After 40 years, such an examination should be done once a year. With special attention to the condition of the mammary glandsshould be treated by ladies with unfavorable heredity.
General methods for the prevention of solitary breast cysts are reduced to maintaining a he althy lifestyle. It is important to give up bad habits and devote more time to sports. You should not start gynecological diseases, take hormonal drugs uncontrollably. Only by following the above recommendations can the risk of developing pathology be minimized.
