Learn How to Detect for Mastitis at Home

While many mothers have either experienced mastitis or have heard of it, the actual definition is often fuzzy. Most people think it's a painful, red infection around the breast due to improper milk expression, but there's more to this story. It’s important to have a way of knowing whether you are experiencing actual mastitis or not because different treatments are required depending on your diagnosis. 

Mastitis isn’t just inflammation. It’s an infection. Far too many times women experience breast discomfort and get prescribed 10-14 days of an antibiotic course when in fact it could simply be inflammation and not infection.

Subclinical and clinical, (asymptomatic and symptomatic) mastitis involves actual tissue damage. This can be caused by milk stasis (meaning milk stays in the breast and is not removed) which can lead to inflammation and in some cases infection. When there is cell damage the enzyme LDH is released. Fortunately, we now have a way to test for mastitis with and without symptoms. We designed Mastitis Test Strips that look for elevated levels of LDH in breast milk to take the guesswork out and give you the answers you need. 

Our test strips are simple to use. And with the Emily’s Care app, you can read your strips and get your results in two minutes. They are not meant to diagnose mastitis, but to tell you if you are at risk for it based on your LDH levels. If your result is high levels of LDH, there may be ongoing tissue damage. If you’re experiencing inflammation and are at moderate risk for mastitis, the virtual lactation consultant feature of the app will recommend next steps, including things like applying warm compresses for breast inflammation and properly emptying your breast milk before retesting 4 to 6 hours later. 

While it can be scary if you think you have mastitis, our test strips and virtual consultant are here to help. They are quick, reliable, and easy-to-use so you know with the power of data what to do next. They will help you take the first steps in advocating for your health.