What To Do If The Breast Ducts Are Occluded?
What to do if the breast ducts are blocked is one of the most frequently asked questions of all breastfeeding mothers. This condition, in addition to being quite painful, affects many women, making it a very common problem.
But even though it is a normal condition, when not treated properly, an obstructed breast duct can trigger mastitis. Therefore, proper treatment reduces the risk of suffering complications.
Next, we’ll talk about what the symptoms are when you have blocked breast ducts, why it happens, and finally, what to do to release the flow.
What are the symptoms of blocked breast ducts?
The mammary ducts are responsible for carrying the milk produced in the glands to the nipple. When they are blocked, one or more lumps appear with pain throughout the area or in the nipple.
The particularity of this condition is that it must be treated immediately, as if ignored, it can cause mastitis. Fever, generalized pain in the body would appear and, in extreme cases, pus or blood may leak with the milk.
Why are blocked breast ducts uncomfortable?
We already know what the symptoms of a blocked breast duct are, but why is this? In fact, any mother, in one or more pregnancies, can present this problem. As we said earlier, it is a common condition, but it must be treated immediately.
However, some factors can trigger it. The most frequent ones are the use of wrong size bras that generate inadequate pressure on the breast, very tight clothes, trauma, bad pressure when breastfeeding or poor posture when offering the breast.
What to do if the breast ducts are obstructed?
There are several ways to alleviate this condition. We’ll start with the simplest, and then we’ll talk about medications. It is recommended, first, when you notice inflammation or lumps in the breast, to gently massage the area. This massage should also be done while the baby is nursing to encourage the opening of the duct.
The second option to treat blocked breast ducts is to take hot baths, and massage during the bath. In this case and taking advantage of the heat from the environment, pressure can be applied with more intensity in the region anterior to the bulge in a straight line up to the nipple.
After the bath and stimulation, it is the right time to offer the baby the breast. You can place a warm cloth over the breast to keep the area warm.
If these warm stimuli don’t work, you can go a step further and submerge the breast in a bowl of warm water and add a teaspoon of salt. This action is likely to cause the duct to be released almost immediately.
Another option that serves as a precaution is to extract all the milk that remains in the breast after the baby has been fed. This will prevent excess dairy material in the ducts.
If you do not use the pump to express milk, the baby should be breastfed more regularly than usual, and always suckle from the breast that has the problem.
Some doctors also point out that adequate rest and naps can act positively so that these obstructions do not occur.
Pharmacological options
The most common pharmacological recommendations made by physicians are few :
- Analgesics and anti-inflammatory: The most recommended to relieve pain are ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Both are sold without a prescription, but it is also advisable to consult the doctor in advance.
With these simple practices, you can alleviate the problem of blocked breast ducts. As always, if you find that your condition does not improve with any of these methods and you feel new symptoms appearing, the recommendation is to see a specialist immediately.
