Blocked milk ducts are a common occurrence for breastfeeding moms and can be incredibly painful. If left unchecked, it can lead to infections and mastitis.
If you’re having trouble breastfeeding, and experiencing pain and inflammation in your breasts, ultrasound therapy can help bring relief and get your milk flowing again.
What is Ultrasound Therapy?
Ultrasound therapy has been used for decades to help athletes cope with injuries. It’s a quick and effective way to bring down inflammation, by using sound waves to move interstitial fluid in the body.
When something is inflamed, fluid quickly begins moves into that area as part of the healing process. If you’re breastfeeding, all this extra fluid around your milk ducts can cause blockages, making it hard and discouraging to try and feed your baby.
How does Ultrasound therapy ease inflammation?
Ultrasound produces sound waves that technicians use to bounce off an area of the body. Sometimes this is done to produce a photo, like when you get your checkups during pregnancy. But when used on an area like the breast during breastfeeding these sound waves produce enough stimulus to move excess liquid and restore your milk flow. In other words, ultrasound can go deep into spaces where our hands can’t and acts on the inflammation process by using sound waves to move the liquid.
If caught early, and when combined with massage therapy, mothers almost always leave their first treatment relieved and able to successfully feed their baby right away. Depending on the severity you may be invited back for a second appointment.
What to expect at your treatment?
When working on blocked milk ducts, every situation is different. Your practitioner will begin with a full assessment of the breast tissue and posture. Typically, the ultrasound therapy is conducted for 7 minutes on each breast, and then repeated. If massage therapy is added, your treatment will be a little longer.
Dealing with blocked ducts can be very painful and stressful so we’ve focused on creating a peaceful and calming environment to ease tension and help mothers relax during their treatment.
Things you can do right now to relieve pain caused by blocked milk ducts
If you’re in pain, or know someone who is you can try a few of these at home remedies:
- Regular, consistent breastfeeding or pumping is the quickest way to resolve a blocked duct.
- Massage the blocked duct both before and during a feeding. This can be done towards the armpits or towards the nipple.
- Apply a warm compress for 20 minutes at a time.
- Soak the breasts in a warm Epsom salt bath.
- Point baby’s chin or nose toward the clogged duct when breastfeeding.
- Use gravity to help drain the breast by breastfeeding on all fours.
Need help now?
In-clinic ultrasound therapy appointments are available 7 days a weeks. Call us today or click below: 416-406-0116
Susan is a Registered Massage Therapist who graduated from a comprehensive three-year program at Centennial College. She has been supporting prenatal and postnatal clients for over 20 years.
In addition to massage therapy, Susan is trained in ultrasound therapy and regularly works with breastfeeding mothers to help relieve blocked milk ducts. She is deeply passionate about the healing benefits of ultrasound and advocates for greater awareness of its ability to ease pain and restore milk flow.
