What are the symptoms of milk knots?

For breastfeeding women, the impact and harm of milk lumps on them are relatively serious. Many women feel unbearable pain when their breasts are touched, and they also show symptoms of milk congestion, forming lumps and causing swelling and hardening of the breasts.

1. Milk lumps are mainly concentrated near the areola . When the breast is full, the milk is not discharged in time, causing milk to accumulate and block the lactiferous sinus, forming lumps. In addition, new mothers will feel pain when touching the milk knot, or feel a small lump when pressing lightly. This is a mild symptom, while others may include large-area redness, or large strip-shaped or round lumps. The general statement is that the breasts swell, become hard, and hurt when touched. Milk stasis blocks the lactiferous sinuses. Chinese medicine says "if it is blocked, there will be pain, if it is unblocked, there will be no pain". The key to resolving the problem is to dredge the mammary glands and lactiferous sinuses.

2. The reason for milk knots: When the human pituitary gland is suppressed, it will lead to a decrease in milk secretion;

Mastitis caused by breast engorgement reduces milk supply. In addition, the number of working mothers is increasing, and they leave home early and come back late every day. The baby does not suck enough, which makes the breasts unable to secrete milk normally.

Some mothers have short and inverted nipples. Because of nipple injuries caused by breastfeeding, they have to reduce the number of times their baby sucks, which causes a decrease in milk supply and insufficient milk, a condition called milk knots.

3. Methods for clearing milk lumps 1. Hot compress: mainly to promote blood circulation in the painful area, soften the accumulated milk lumps, and relieve the symptoms of congestion and pain.

2. Massage: First, start from the back of the painful point, support the affected breast with the left hand, and use the four fingers of the right hand (from the index finger to the little finger) to push, knead, and press to clear the lumps and lumps in the affected breast. Then use the five fingertips of your right hand to gently rub and grab along the radial direction of the milk ducts from the base of the nipple to the areola to clear the milk stasis. Finally, use the index finger and middle finger of your right hand to pinch the areola and nipple on the affected side, and gently lift them outwards. If you are afraid of pain, you can ask your husband or family for help.

3. Breast combing: This can be done while massaging and pumping milk. (Before combing, remember to apply a layer of moisturizer to prevent skin redness and damage.) Comb along the direction of the milk duct, that is, from the armpit to the nipple.

4. Sucking: Sucking is still essential for babies. You can do this after completing the above steps, which will help the milk to be discharged and emptied.

If you have milk lumps, you must pay attention to using some methods to help clear them. Massage is a relatively effective method, but you need to pay attention to mastering the correct massage techniques so that it can be effective without affecting our breast health.