Mastitis & Blocked Ducts
We offer therapeutic ultrasound to effectively address the pain and discomfort associated with breast engorgement, blocked milk ducts, and mastitis. This treatment can help alleviate symptoms and promote healing, supporting you during this challenging time.
Mastitis is an inflammatory condition of the breast that can be caused by engorgement or blocked ducks. It can cause redness, pain, fever, chills and a feeling of being unwell. There may or may not an infection associated with this inflammation.
Physiotherapy can be helpful in addressing mastitis through:
Ultrasound
Advice regarding feeding
Lymphatic massage education
Lifestyle advice
Unfortunately mastitis has a high recurrence rate. After mastitis resolves we strongly encourage you to work alongside a lactation consultant to help address any potential risk factors that may have led to you developing mastitis initially.
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Typically three sessions close together.
Most women see improvement after two sessions. However, we would always recommend a third to ensure we are on top of things as best we can.
If you haven’t found a benefit after your second session, we wouldn’t recommend a third. As this is the time we would have expected to see ultrasound be helpful for you if it was going to be.
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Therapeutic ultrasound works by sending sound waves into breast to vibrate the tissues and hopefully help promote fluid movement and remove any blockages or inflammatory fluid.
It may have a gentle warming effect which can also help to relax the tissues to promote fluid movement.
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We would always recommend reviewing with a lactation consultant if you have experienced mastitis.
Unfortunately there is a very high rate of mastitis recurring. One of the reasons you may have developed this initially is due to missing feeds, poor latch etc. By working with a lactation consultant they can give you advice regarding this and hopefully decrease the risk of it happening again.