What class of drugs is commonly used to treat mastitis?

Mastitis, which is an inflammation of breast tissue that can lead to infection, is primarily treated with antibiotics. This is because the condition is often caused by bacterial infections, especially in breastfeeding women where bacteria from the skin or baby’s mouth can enter the breast tissue. Antibiotics are effective in targeting and eliminating the bacterial infection, thus helping to reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms.

Other options do serve important roles in medical treatment but do not address the root cause of mastitis. Analgesics can help relieve pain associated with mastitis, but they do not treat the infection itself. Antipyretics are used to reduce fever, which may occur with infections like mastitis, but again, they do not address the infection. Antihistamines are mainly used for allergic reactions and would not be pertinent in the treatment of mastitis, which is not an allergic condition. Therefore, antibiotics are the primary treatment to effectively resolve the infection leading to mastitis.