Mastitis? Are there varying levels of it??

[Butterfly Dawn]

There are varying degrees I think and blocked ducts can def turn into Mastitis. If you have glands working over time to nab any infection that probably isnt helping.
I was told to start feeding from the side that was blocked (so you can be fully emptied) and to massage the lump/s while feeding- it can be sore but it really helps, and lots of water Hope it clears up for you fast. Full on mastitis is fever, shaking, cant think, cant do much at all. its awful.

[AndiE]

LOL, Butterfly Dawn ... I've been at the "can't think" stage for years now let alone it accompanying mastitis Thanks though, I do wonder if I get the very beginning stages of it but as I do the massage/draining BFs from the minute I recognise the soreness I get "it" before "it" gets "me". It's just that until tonight, I had only ever thought of the soreness and lumps as being blocked ducts (... which of course, it could still just be). Hmmmm.

[Liz]

I've had blocked ducts over the years, to the point of shivering with a temp, but managed to feed/massage my way out of it. But then recently I got hit with full blown mastitis.. VERY different in my experience. This hit really really quickly. only a few hours from 'hmm... my boob feels sore' to shaking so hard with a temperature and vomiting. OMG I've never felt so sick in my life. I couldn't feed my way out of this one... she was so fussy on it (looking back I realise she couldn't get anything out!) I saw the dr and got antibiotics, jumped in the shower and hand expressed. Took ages to get anything at all out.. then finally I got all the gunk/pus out. Was so gross I nearly freaked out LOL. BUt I finally got milk flowing again and DD fed properly after that and it cleared up really quickly.

So yeah, there probably is varying degrees of it. What you're describing sounds to me like blocked ducts and you're managing to clear them before any inflammation/infection sets in.