Definition
The swollen breasts, red and hot to the touch, may indicate the presence of local inflammation (mastitis). This set of symptoms is generally limited to just one breast and can be caused by bacterial infections, excess hormones, poor personal hygiene and obstruction of the galactophore ducts during lactation. A reddened and painful area can also indicate the presence of a breast abscess.
In other cases, swelling, redness and heat to the touch may indicate a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer: inflammatory carcinoma of the breast. Manifestations associated with the latter condition include: nipple introflection, orange peel skin, breast hypersensitivity, burning, itching and changes in the shape of the breast.
Possible Causes * of swelling, heat to the touch and redness of the breast
- Breast cancer
- Paget's disease of the nipple
