Mastitis & Blocked Milk Duct

Blocked duct, or clogged duct, is common in breastfeeding moms. It usually presents as painful lumps in the breast, with or without redness. It is frequently accompanied by reduce in supply.

A clogged duct can be caused by delay in pumping/ latching sessions, sleeping on tummy, tight clothing, or sometimes diet as well.

Mastitis is a systemic inflammatory response that originates from the breast. Patients experience whole-body discomfort, such as fever, chills and body ache. Mastitis can be caused by a severe blocked duct or bacteria infection.

Click here to read more from our blog about common causes of blocked milk duct & mastitis. Also check out our FREE guide "Clogged Duct & Mastitis 101 for Breastfeeding Moms"!

At Physio Edge, we use therapeutic ultrasound and lymphatic massage to treat blocked ducts and mastitis. Our therapist also helps you to identify the cause and advise on ways to minimize recurrence.

Therapeutic ultrasound reduces swelling and inflammation in the breast. We advise our patients to pump or latch immediately after therapeutic ultrasound treatment to achieve best effect. Breast milk will be able to flow more smoothly after the treatment. You will be able to see immediate improvement after pumping or latching. The whole process is PAIN-FREE.

We teach a simple routine of lymphatic massage that can be performed by our patients daily to reduce engorgement and swelling. By doing the self-massage after the treatment session, it ensures that the lump resolves completely.

And it is PAIN-FREE as well!

In fact, you can have a quick peak of our unique lymphatic massage technique HERE!

When milk first kick in after delivery, the breasts may become rock-hard and painful. Some moms experience engorgement at the accessory breasts as well, with painful lumps near the armpits. It can be so difficult to get any milk out of the breasts!

When having engorgement, AVOID forceful massage! It tends to injure the breast rather than reducing symptoms.

Lymphatic massage is of great importance for these situations. Therapeutic ultrasound also helps for more severe situations.

Cracked nipples are painful, and increase the risk of mastitis. We carry Nursicare breast pad for treatment of cracked/ sore/ painful nipples. Nursicare breast pad is a drug-free product that contains wound-dressing material, wound cleanser, soothing moisturizer, and superabsorbent. Each pad can be used for 2-3 days (given minimal leakage of breastmilk). It promotes healing of the nipple, and provides rapid relief of pain.

To purchase Nursicare Breast Pad, visit our shop on Shopee.

• - We visit you at your home for your maximum convenience!
• - We use a PAINLESS treatment approach!
• - We have SAME-DAY slots reserved for urgent cases!
• - We help you to find the root-cause of the problem and prevent recurrence
• - 1-2 sessions is all you need. No expensive packages!
• - Affordable charges - in fact, comparable to a visit to a physio clinic!

Ultrasound treatment does not affect the quality of the breast milk. We encourage direct latching or pumping right after ultrasound treatment.

We recommend that breastfeeding moms who experience symptoms of mastitis and blocked milk duct should try ultrasound treatment before starting on antibiotics. In many cases, symptoms resolve well without the need for antibiotics.

But if fever persists after ultrasound therapy, then antibiotics would be necessary.

Patients who have silicon breast implants are advised not to undergo therapeutic ultrasound treatment. But they will still benefit from lymphatic massage of the breast.

Ultrasound treatment cannot be applied to milk blebs or milk blisters (white dots seen on the nipple). We advise you to seek treatment from a doctor or lactation consultant if you have stubborn milk blebs or milk blisters.

Ultrasound treatment also has minimal effect for cysts in the breast. Cysts usually present as non-painful lumps with well-defined border. A cyst and its content cannot be expressed out through the nipple, as it is not connected to the duct any more. But a cyst can be absorbed by the body over time. Lymphatic massage helps to promote this process.

Ultrasound treatment does not help with breast abscess as well. A breast abscess usually presents with a lump in the breast with prominent redness on the skin, persistent fever, and severe pain. If an abscess is suspected, we would advise you to visit a breast surgeon for an ultrasound scan to confirm the diagnosis. The breast surgeon may then conduct aspiration of the abscess when necessary.

We will arrange an appointment for you as soon as possible. Our physiotherapist will visit you at your home. The therapist will take a detailed history and assess your condition. Treatment including ultrasound and lymphatic massage will be conducted where necessary. The whole treatment session will last around 1-1.5 hours.

After the treatment, we recommend that you breastfeed or pump immediately. Meanwhile the therapist will prepare a detailed instruction sheet for home care to minimize recurrence. If you have other ailments of concern, such as back pain and diastasis, do not hesitate to consult our therapist during the session!

Breastfeeding could be complicated. If you suffer from recurrent blocked duct or mastitis, we encourage you to consult a lactation consultant to work on other factors that is contributing to the recurrence of your condition, such as shallow latch and oversupply.

We recommend Eliza from Tender Loving Milk for her professional service.