Can I use heat to treat breast pain?

Women often encounter a lot of pain in life. For example, during their monthly menstruation, some women will experience dysmenorrhea. This feeling is different from severe abdominal pain. To describe it in one word, it is even worse than the previous one. In addition, chest pain is one of the most common pains in daily life, and most of the time it is bloating and pain. So, can I use heat to treat breast pain?

One mother reported that when her breasts were swollen, the nurse told her to apply cold compresses, saying that the pain would be relieved, and also said not to apply hot compresses, as hot compresses would make the breasts swell more easily and cause more pain... But the lactation consultant suggested that she apply hot compresses and never cold compresses. The mother was very hesitant. On the one hand, the swelling and pain were severe, and the cold compress did make her feel better. So who should she listen to?

I suggested that she listen to the lactation consultant, who had been doing lactation work for many years and had some experience in this regard. Although cold compresses are comfortable, the capillaries will contract and the mammary ducts will contract even more, making it difficult for milk to be discharged. So don't seek temporary relief and risk developing lumps in the future.

Is it right to choose hot compress instead of cold compress?

Not necessarily. There are some things to pay attention to when applying hot compress. If you feel that you have less milk, or have lumps during breastfeeding, you can apply more hot compresses, which will help with milk production and the dispersion of milk lumps. Applying hot compresses to swollen breasts can make things worse.

Why do I say so? Because during the milk production stage after childbirth, the mammary glands are slightly swollen and there is a slight pain. If you apply hot compresses at this time (heat expands and cold contracts), it will undoubtedly make the milk come out faster. That's why some new mothers say that the more they apply hot compresses, the more the breasts swell. This is the reason. But the problem is not dead end here. If you have rich experience in milk expression, you can express the milk quickly after hot compress, and the situation of swelling will not occur as the hot compress is applied more.

Therefore, it is not appropriate to choose cold compress for breast pain during lactation. If you apply hot compress, you must express milk in time, because excluding mastitis, most of the swelling and pain are caused by milk blockage.