Ultrasound lactostasis where you can do. Physiotherapy and nursing positions for lactostasis: benefits and description of procedures

Breastfeeding is a very intimate process between mother and child. However, it does not always bring pleasure and joy. Often this process can be overshadowed by lactostasis, which is accompanied by soreness and the formation of seals in the mammary gland. The number of drugs allowed during breastfeeding is quite limited, and to deal with the problem and terrible pain somehow necessary. In this situation, hardware treatment and exercise therapy come to the aid of young mothers.

Laktostasis: symptoms and causes

Lactostasis is the stagnation of milk in the mammary ducts of the gland. Usually, lactostasis develops during breastfeeding, but sometimes it also occurs in late pregnancy, when a woman begins to produce milk early.

Symptoms of lactostasis:

Reasons for the development of lactostasis during breastfeeding:

tight underwear that pulls the milk ducts;
improper attachment of the child to the breast;
increased viscosity of milk, due to the diet of a young mother;
pinching the milk ducts with your fingers during breastfeeding;
constant pumping of milk when the baby does not empty the breast completely;
stress and nervous tension;
bruises and damage to the chest;
hypothermia of the mammary glands;
sleep on the stomach.

Lactostasis is popularly called a chest cold. This is due to the fact that during hypothermia of the mammary glands, vasoconstriction occurs, which leads to stagnation of milk.

Once, while breastfeeding my baby, I grabbed the nipple like scissors with my index and middle fingers. Seeing this, my grandmother said that the people use the breast lock in this way to prematurely stop lactation: scissors, as it were, “cut” the flow of milk. Later, I learned from scientific sources that it is really impossible to help a child suckle in this way, since you can pinch the milk ducts and earn lactostasis.

Video: why lactostasis occurs and when to see a doctor

Treatment methods for lactostasis

Treatment of lactostasis should begin immediately after the first symptoms of inflammation are detected.

Usually, for the treatment of this disease, doctors prescribe physiotherapy that helps:

remove the seal in the mammary gland;
expand the milk ducts;
activate the movement of blood and lymph;
have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic effects.

In the conditions of inpatient and outpatient treatment, the following methods of combating lactostasis are most popular:

ultrasound therapy;
magnetotherapy;
treatment with the Darsonval device;

Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound therapy is a treatment technique using ultrasound.

When using the ultrasound technique, the milk ducts expand due to the warming effect of the apparatus. The effectiveness of ultrasonic exposure is achieved at 0.2–0.4 W. Relief in the mammary gland is observed after two ultrasound sessions, which last an average of about 15 minutes. The course of treatment usually includes 8-10 sessions and is carried out by a qualified specialist.

The ultrasonic device is completely painless and does not cause discomfort to a nursing mother.

After the ultrasound therapy procedure, it is necessary to express milk on your own, but it is strictly forbidden to feed the child with it.

Magnetotherapy

Magnetotherapy is a treatment method that uses the effect of a magnetic field on the human body. The magnetotherapy procedure can be carried out independently at home using the AMT-01 apparatus. But before starting treatment, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

You can carry out magnetotherapy procedures right at home using a special device.

The magnetic field indicator is placed over the site of compaction, without affecting the areola area. In the first session, the magnetic field induction should be 300–600 mT, and then, with a gradual increase, it should reach 1000 mT. For a complete cure of lactostasis, you may need from 5 to 10 procedures, each of which is performed 1 time per day and lasts for 5 minutes.

In my family, the AMT-01 magnetotherapy apparatus is often used. Mom uses it for high blood pressure, headaches and back pain, and also used it extensively for a dislocated shoulder joint. I used this apparatus to disperse the accumulated liquid in knee joint, which was formed as a result of the impact. This treatment was recommended to me by a surgeon.

Treatment with Darsonval apparatus

The method of treatment with the Darsonval apparatus is based on the dosed supply of electric current to the foci of compaction, the resorption of which occurs due to mechanical, physical and thermal effects. This method helps to cope even with advanced stages of lactostasis.

Treatment with the Darsonval apparatus is possible only after a thorough examination by a gynecologist and an ultrasound scan, which will help to exclude tumor processes and mastopathy.

For the treatment of lactostasis using the Darsonval apparatus, a mushroom nozzle is used.

In the treatment of lactostasis, a special mushroom-shaped nozzle for the Darsonval apparatus is used.

One treatment session with Darsonval at minimum or medium power is 10 minutes. To achieve the maximum result, 10-15 procedures are required. There is no need to stop lactation for the period of treatment with the device.

Before the darsonvalization procedure, it is necessary to protect the area of the nipples and areolas from the effects of electric current impulses. To do this, it is necessary to fold a piece of gauze 15 × 15 cm in size four times and attach it to the most sensitive area of \u200b\u200bthe mammary gland. You can also use a cotton pad for this purpose.

exercise therapy

Therapeutic physical culture (LFK) is medical method, at which physical exercise used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases.

A lactating woman needs exercise therapy for both prevention and treatment of lactostasis. The main condition for performing exercises is the absence of pain and discomfort. You need to perform exercises 1-2 times a day before feeding.

Exercise for the prevention of lactostasis

To prevent the appearance of seals in the chest, it is necessary to regularly perform an exercise aimed at maintaining the muscles of the mammary gland in good shape.

Technique for performing exercises for the prevention of lactostasis:

Perform springy movements towards the jamb, while tensing the pectoral muscles as much as possible.

Perform the exercise 1-2 times a day before breastfeeding your baby. The intensity and strength of movements, as well as the angle of bend and the height of the position of the hand relative to the joint must be constantly changed.

Exercises for the treatment of lactostasis

Technique for performing exercise No. 1 for the treatment of lactostasis:

Raise your arm up and bend at the elbow. In this case, the forearm should be placed parallel to the floor.
Rest the base of your forearm on the door frame.
Slightly bend the leg of the same hand at the knee joint and place it as close as possible to the door jamb.
Grab the lump in the breast with the fingers of the opposite hand.
Perform springy movements towards the jamb, while tensing the pectoral muscles as much as possible and pulling down the place of compaction.
If your fingers slip off the seal, grasp it again.

It is necessary to perform the exercise 3-4 times a day. The intensity and strength of movements, as well as the angle of bend and the height of the position of the hand relative to the joint must be constantly changed.

Technique for performing exercise No. 2 for the treatment of lactostasis:

Clench both hands into a fist and place them at your shoulders.
Spread your elbows out to the sides.
Lean your elbows on the doorposts, put your feet shoulder-width apart.
With springy movements, press your hands on the joint for 5 seconds.
Sag in the doorway, stretching the muscles that run from the chest to the elbows.

Repeat the exercise 3-4 times, then move your elbows first higher and then lower along the jamb and repeat the exercise.

As a result of the exercises described above, the seal in the mammary glands should become much softer and decrease in size.

If no improvement is observed within two days after performing exercise therapy exercises, you should seek help from a gynecologist, mammologist or osteopath. The latter, as a rule, helps to cope with the disease in one session.

Contraindications to hardware procedures and exercise therapy for lactostasis

Carrying out physiotherapy with lactostasis should be monitored by a specialist in order to prevent the development of complications. There are also contraindications to hardware massage and exercise therapy:

violation of the central nervous system;
mastitis;
malignant neoplasms in the mammary gland;
breast fibroadenoma - cyst formation.

Hardware treatment is contraindicated in fibroadenoma and malignant neoplasms, since exposure to ultrasound, electric current and magnetic field on the affected areas of the mammary gland can accelerate their growth and worsen the lactation process.

Physiotherapy, and in particular ultrasound therapy, is used to treat many diseases of the mammary glands. Ultrasound allows you to eliminate seals in the human body, which is why it is so effective in lactostasis. This is a disease in which milk accumulates in the milk ducts and leads to stagnant processes.

Ultrasound allows you to quickly get rid of seals in the chest and avoid the development of mastitis, which is accompanied by severe pain, an increase in body temperature and a sharp deterioration in well-being. Mastitis can lead to tissue necrosis and sepsis. That is why it is very important to start the treatment of lactostasis on time.

What a woman should do at the first symptoms of the disease is, first of all, to consult a gynecologist or mammologist.

The essence of the procedure

With lactostasis, stagnation of milk occurs, which causes unpleasant and painful sensations. This leads to tissue swelling and can cause inflammation.

This can happen if:

A young mother, due to lack of experience, cannot properly attach her baby to her breast.
There are long breaks between feedings, and the baby does not suck out all the milk.
A woman wears tight underwear, which injures her chest or sleeps on her stomach, which causes compression of the milk ducts.
The child cannot breastfeed.

Physiotherapy allows you to quickly get rid of pain and is completely safe for a nursing mother.

Ultrasound works like this:

Milk is liquefied in the mammary glands.
Its outflow improves.
Blood circulation improves.
It has an anti-inflammatory effect, which helps prevent mastitis.
Fights cracks and microtraumas in the nipple area.

Treatment of the mammary glands is the use of a special apparatus that emits an ultra-high frequency of up to 3000 kHz. The procedure must be carried out by an experienced professional.

Experts believe that several stages of the impact of ultrasound on the body can be distinguished:

The first stage is the impact itself, during which a microscopic restructuring of cellular structures is observed.
The second stage begins a few hours after the procedure. An increase in the protective functions of leukocytes can be observed.
The third stage is characterized by increased metabolism in tissues.
At the last stage, the metabolism of carbohydrates increases, blood circulation improves.

Based on this reaction of the body to ultrasound, we can assume that its use in lactostasis is more than appropriate.

How many procedures will have to be done depends on the degree of development of the disease. Treatment must be done every day. Usually a woman needs to do 5-8 procedures. One session lasts only 15 minutes. After its completion, the woman must express breast milk. This will be very easy, as the ultrasound clears the milk ducts. This milk should not be used to feed a baby.

The treatment does not cause any discomfort. A special device allows you to gently act on the chest, creating the effect of a pleasant massage, in which the woman feels only a relaxing, pleasant warmth.

It can be painful when pumping after the procedure. But its intensity is much lower. It cannot be compared with what a woman feels when trying to clear her hair at home without resorting to treatment.

Ultrasound in lactostasis is actively used throughout the world. It allows you to quickly improve the condition of the mammary glands. You do not need to do many procedures for the endowment to come. Feeling better after two or three sessions.

What to do at the first signs of lactostasis?

Physiotherapy is prescribed in advanced cases, when there is a threat of developing mastitis.

To avoid such a condition of the mammary glands, it is necessary:

Follow the feeding technique: the child must properly grasp the breast, it must be applied to the sore breast more often.
In the process of feeding, it is necessary to massage the breast in order to completely free it from milk.
You can’t express too often, otherwise more milk will come, and the condition of the mammary glands will worsen even more.
Before feeding, put a warm diaper on your chest. This must be done in order to improve the outflow of milk.
When expressing, you should try to free the areas of compaction of the mammary glands from milk as much as possible.

If it was not possible to correct the situation on your own, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible. The hospital will prescribe the necessary medicines, physiotherapy and help to express the sore breast.

Who is not suitable for treatment

Despite the undoubtedly positive effect on the body, ultrasound can not be used by everyone.

This treatment is contraindicated in those who:

Suffering various diseases nervous system.
At malignant tumors.
With mastopathy. Ultrasound treatment in this case can lead to the formation cancer cells.
Suffering from fibroadenoma of the mammary glands.

If there are no such health problems, ultrasound will be a real salvation in case of milk stagnation.

Experts have proven that the use of ultrasound is absolutely safe, so no matter how many procedures a woman has to undergo, she may not be afraid that this will negatively affect her further condition.

Ultrasonic waves turn stagnant milk masses into an emulsion, which improves outflow. This allows you to get rid of the symptoms of lactostasis in a short period of time. That is why ultrasound treatment is the best solution to this problem.

Lactostasis is called the stagnation of breast milk in the ducts of the mammary gland of a nursing mother. This condition can occur at any stage of breastfeeding - both immediately after the birth of the baby, and a year later; may occur once, and may periodically recur at least every month. Lactostasis not only causes significant discomfort to a woman, but can also pose a threat breastfeeding, and becoming more complicated, and the health of a young mother. Part complex treatment lactostasis includes physiotherapy techniques. About why there is a stagnation of milk in the breast, what are clinical manifestations this condition, as well as methods of its treatment, including physiotherapy, and will be discussed in our article.

Why lactostasis occurs, the mechanisms of its development

There are a number of reasons why this condition occurs.

First of all, this is the wrong attachment of the child to the breast. Normally, the baby is facing the mother's mammary gland, his head and torso are located in the same plane, his mouth covers most of the areola, the lower lip is turned inside out. Mom during proper attachment does not feel pain (except for the first stages of feeding) and notices how the baby swallows milk rhythmically. With improper attachment, the breast is not completely emptied, but only partially - some parts are better, and some are worse or not emptied at all. Milk in the ducts of these lobes stagnates - lactostasis is formed.

The second reason for the stagnation of milk is feeding the child by the hour, and not on demand, long breaks between feedings, especially at the stage of lactation. Again, milk arrives, but the child does not suckle it, the breast does not empty, and new milk arrives - lactostasis.

Other causes of this condition are:

hyperlactation (increased amount of milk) due to frequent irrational pumping;
chest injury (the tissue in the area of the injury site swells, the duct contracts, milk does not come out, but new milk arrives);
infectious diseases respiratory tract mothers (just like in the previous case, the breast tissue swells, well, and further in order ...);
anatomical features of the mammary gland (narrow, excessively tortuous ducts);
wearing the wrong underwear (squeezing the chest with a bone or seams of a bra, swelling of its tissues, spasm of the duct with all the consequences);
sagging breasts;
sleeping on the stomach or on the side with squeezing the chest;
psycho-emotional stress;
physical stress.

Milk stagnant in the duct causes an increase in pressure in it and in the entire lobule, the breast tissue swells, resulting in a seal and pain. Having no outflow path, milk is partially absorbed into the blood, which leads to an increase in the woman's body temperature. Due to prolonged hypertension (increased pressure) in the lobules, their milk production decreases until the complete cessation of lactation (with total lactostasis).

What are the symptoms of lactostasis

It is easy to recognize this condition. At one “wonderful” moment, a woman pays attention to pain in a certain area of \u200b\u200bthe mammary gland, a feeling of fullness, heaviness in it. When probing the affected area, a very painful seal is found. Some women have an increase in body temperature to subfebrile (37-38 ° C) and febrile (38-39 ° C) values, accompanied by chills or without it. Sometimes a young mother first notices weakness, weakness, then she discovers an elevated temperature, and only then, trying to find its cause, she examines herself and still palpates that very painful seal in the depths of the mammary gland.

It is worth noting that not every mother finds this seal herself - sometimes it is discovered by a doctor who was called home to a nursing mother complaining of a high temperature.

In some women, by the way, the body temperature in this condition does not rise.

Feeding with lactostasis is often accompanied by intense pain. The seal becomes larger over time, the skin over it may turn red. If a woman is not helped at this stage, an infection penetrates into stagnant milk and mastitis develops, which, if left untreated, will lead to accumulation of pus in the mammary gland, necrosis of the affected tissues and sepsis.

How to treat lactostasis

To eliminate lactostasis, milk must be expressed, for this a breast pump can be used.

First of all, it should be said that in most cases of milk stagnation, especially at an early stage of the process, a woman can easily cope with it on her own, or rather, with the help of a child. Main Method in the treatment of milk stagnation - frequent (at the slightest opportunity, at least every 10 minutes) applying the child to the affected breast. Attachments must be correct, and they will be more effective if the baby is positioned so as to direct his chin towards the seal (then, during sucking, an additional massage of the seal with the baby’s chin will be carried out). If stagnation occurs in one of the upper segments, the child should be applied “upside down” (the child lies, and the mother hangs over him) - that is, the mother and the baby will have to turn around well, but the result will not be long in coming.

Before feeding, the mother needs to take a warm (but not hot!) Shower, directing the jets of the shower head to the seal area and to the interscapular region. Warm jets carry out a massage, as a result of which spasmodic muscles and ducts relax. Instead of a shower, you can use a warm compress, which is applied to the affected area 15-20 minutes before feeding.

Some experts recommend the use of compresses with camphor alcohol. Mom should know that this drug helps to reduce lactation in the area of its application, which can subsequently be quite difficult to restore. This method is justified and should be used only in the case when lactostasis has arisen due to hyperlactation - camphor will reduce the amount of milk secreted by the gland, the process of its secretion is normalized.

Also, before feeding, and after it (and sometimes in the process), the mother should have a gentle breast massage. I want to focus on the word “softly” ... Previously, it was believed that with lactostasis, milk stagnation should be “broken”. They did it quite rudely, causing excruciating pain to my mother and leaving a lot of bruises after such a “massage”. By no means should this be done! Rough mechanical influences, even if they help to restore the flow of milk today, tomorrow will cause swelling of the delicate glandular tissue, which will provoke a whole series of new lactostasis. Yes, massage is necessary and very important in the fight against congestion, but the massaging movements should be soft, not traumatic for the breast tissue, and they should be carried out in the direction from the periphery to the center. It is worth noting that a specially trained midwife will make such a massage more correctly and teach it to a young mother.

Simultaneously with the massage, milk should be expressed. But it is important not to express it “to the last drop”, but to stimulate the segment with stagnation as much as possible in order to release it. The mother should learn pumping techniques while still in the hospital, and if this did not happen, you can also contact a midwife or use an effective breast pump.

It happens that after feeding, standing in the bathroom under a warm shower, massaging the area of induration and decanting, a woman practically does not observe milk, but suddenly the stream intensifies sharply, and the milk has a rich white-yellowish color, it is relatively thick and quite warm. This just means that my mother's actions were crowned with success and lactostasis is defeated.

Often, after the milk flow has been restored, a woman immediately notices an improvement in her condition, even if it happens in the process of feeding a baby, even during a breast massage. The feeling of pressure, bursting in the affected area decreases, the pain becomes less intense, in many people the body temperature returns to normal very quickly. Residual effects lactostasis can disturb a young mother for several more days - until the swelling passes.

To reduce swelling, you can treat the skin over the area of \u200b\u200bdensification with Traumeel ointment or apply such folk remedies like a cabbage leaf. It should first be scalded with boiling water, then beaten a little with a kitchen hammer (so that the juice stands out) and applied to the chest, covered with a cloth or polyethylene. Keep until you get bored, because side effects from this tool, as you probably guessed, no.

You have probably heard about such a method of treating lactostasis, when instead of a child, mom puts dad on her chest to dissolve the stagnation. This is unreasonable, ineffective, and sometimes harmful for both mother and baby. Firstly, the child sucks the breast according to his unique method - he does not suck, but, as it were, squeezes milk out of the gaps located under the areola. An adult person cannot do this physiologically.
Secondly, in oral cavity Pope contains a lot of microorganisms, even opportunistic pathogens. If there are at least microcracks on the mother's nipple, the infection can easily penetrate from the father's mouth through them into the duct area, infecting the milk. This can lead to mastitis in the mother and infectious diseases of the crumbs.

At high temperature a breastfeeding woman can take a paracetamol tablet or, if the baby is over 6 months old, ibuprofen.

Even if the mother goes to the doctor on the first day of illness, but he assesses her condition as not serious, she may be recommended to deal with lactostasis on her own within 2-3 days. If during this time the woman’s condition does not normalize, the doctor will prescribe her an antibiotic (there is a high risk of infection at this stage), compatible with breastfeeding (there are actually quite a few of them, so you should not worry that you will have to temporarily stop breastfeeding - you won’t have to ), straining and physiotherapeutic methods of treatment. Sometimes, based on the condition of the woman, antibiotics, straining and physiotherapy may be prescribed earlier - this is decided by the doctor (usually a gynecologist) in each case.

Physiotherapy for lactostasis

This section will focus specifically on hardware techniques, since breast massage also belongs to physiotherapeutic methods, but we have already talked about it earlier.

So, with lactostasis, several physiotherapy methods can be used that improve blood and lymph flow in the area of stagnation, have analgesic, decongestant, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects. During the procedures, the woman feels comfortable and does not feel pain at all.

Ultrasound on the affected mammary gland. This is the most effective, and therefore the most popular and common method of treating this pathology. Penetrating deeply, ultrasound gently massages the delicate glandular tissue and raises the local temperature, thus providing all of the above positive effects. The intensity of ultrasound should be 0.2-0.4 W per cm 2, and it is carried out in continuous mode. The duration of the procedure is from 3 to 5 minutes daily. A course of treatment up to 8-10 procedures is recommended, but many women feel much better after the 2-3rd session.
High intensity pulse. The devices "AMIT-01" and "AIMT2 AGS" are used. The inductors are placed in contact above the affected area on both sides of the mammary gland, bypassing the areola area. Induction is at the beginning of treatment from 300 to 600 mT, and by the end of the course it is increased to 1000 mT. The interval between pulses is 20 ms. The procedure is carried out for 5-7 minutes once a day for 5-10 days.
and therapy. The emitters of the respective devices are placed in contact above the affected area. The radiation power is 8-10 watts. The procedure lasts from 6 to 10 minutes, is carried out daily for 8-10 days.

Contraindications to physiotherapy for lactostasis are:

acute mastitis;
mastopathy;
fibroadenomatosis of the mammary glands;
malignant tumors;
organic diseases of the central nervous system.

In conclusion, I would like to say that such a problem as lactostasis can significantly reduce the quality of life of a nursing mother, especially if she is breastfeeding for the first time, and even impressionable. With each subsequent lactostasis, if any, a woman feels more confident and copes with them faster and faster. In any case, if you have the above symptoms, still consult a doctor who will examine you and give adequate recommendations for treatment, among which, most likely, there will be physiotherapy.

The period of lactation in lactating women is often accompanied by a disease such as lactostasis of the mammary gland. The development of the disease can be associated with various factors: spasms of the ducts, hypothermia, improper attachment of the child or refusal to feed. Ultrasound for lactostasis is an effective physiotherapy procedure that improves blood circulation and the process of outflow of milk from the breast. Treatment of the disease should be carried out in a timely manner so as not to provoke the appearance of inflammatory processes.

lactostasis

The disease lactostasis occurs in nursing mothers due to blockage of the excretory channels with incoming milk. In most cases, the disease is manifested by compaction in the mammary glands, accompanied by unpleasant and painful sensations. Insufficient emptying of the mammary glands provokes high blood pressure in the lumen of the ducts, as well as inside the lobes, which causes swelling of the tissue in this area of \u200b\u200bthe chest, and subsequently leads to inflammation. If milk is not excreted from the mammary gland for a long time, it begins to be absorbed back and acquires some pyrogenic qualities that contribute to an increase in body temperature. This syndrome is called "milk fever". Lactostasis appears due to a number of reasons, including:

increased production of breast milk;
impaired outflow from the mammary gland;
improper feeding regimen;
injuries and bruises of the chest;
flat nipple or cracked nipple;
tight clothing, squeezing the chest;
physical exercise.

Increased milk production usually occurs at the beginning of lactation, as in many nulliparous women, the excretory ducts are narrower and not developed. Pain does not disappear even after pumping.

At the first manifestations of the disease, it is necessary to start its treatment, otherwise there is a risk of transition to mastitis of the mammary gland.

Methods of treatment

To combat lactostasis, women are first of all recommended to reduce fluid intake to ensure a smoother flow of breast milk, and often apply the baby to the sore breast. If milk stagnation is significant, then oxytocin is administered intramuscularly, which helps to reduce the ducts.

If these methods do not help or are ineffective, then ultrasound treatment is prescribed. This method allows you to penetrate into the focus of compaction without causing harm. soft tissues and act on stagnant milk through its breaking and micro-massage. At the same time, in the tissues under the influence of ultrasound, there is an increase in metabolism due to the release of temperature.

Ultrasound treatment usually involves oscillations up to 3000 kHz with a certain dosage of exposure. With the help of ultrasonic waves, thermal, mechanical and physico-chemical effects are achieved. This method is a kind of irritant that can trigger the body's natural defense mechanisms, resulting in rapid tissue regeneration and the disappearance of edema.

Description of therapy

Doctors often prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures for women with complaints of lactostasis, among which electrophoresis is widely practiced using medicinal herbs and ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound usually treats congestive seals that break into small particles under the influence of ultrasonic waves. Due to the fact that lactostasis is a blockage of the excretory channels and stagnation of milk in the mammary glands, its treatment requires the use of ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound at the microscopic level affects the compacted areas of the mammary gland, liquefies and turns the stagnant milk mass into an emulsion.

Ultrasound treatment is the best prevention of other breast diseases, including mastitis, due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The procedure increases the temperature in the chest and has a massage effect. The therapy is carried out using a special apparatus, with which the doctor carefully treats the breast in a circular motion, without affecting the nipple area. The positive qualities of this therapy include the absence of discomfort or pain in a woman during the procedure. The procedure takes 15 minutes and complete treatment lasts up to 8 daily procedures or 3 days, 3 sessions per day.

Ultrasound treatment is a safe procedure approved by leading experts and widely used around the world. After ultrasound therapy, such signs associated with the disease of lactostasis as varicose veins, pain, disappear quickly enough, ultrasound fights with cracks and other injuries of the nipple, while preventing mastitis and other diseases of the mammary gland. Therefore, this therapy is the best solution in the treatment of lactostasis.

Touching upon such a problem as lactostasis, every nursing mother asks herself the question: what to do, what methods of treating milk stagnation in the breast are acceptable during lactation? Is it possible to resort to physiotherapeutic procedures in order to maintain breastfeeding, which is absolutely necessary for a child to grow and develop fully? We will try to answer these questions.

Laktostasis: the breast is full of milk and hurts

Lactostasis is a disease that many women have to deal with during lactation: both in the initial period of feeding, and at a later date. The appearance of stagnation of milk is accompanied by painful symptoms and occurs for very specific reasons. To avoid problems with lactation and be prepared to solve them, a nursing mother should be aware of such an annoying phenomenon as blockage of the milk ducts.

How does lactostasis manifest itself?

Milk stagnates in the ducts of the mammary glands due to incomplete emptying of the breast or pinching one of the many ducts. The outflow of milk is unproductive, which is why stagnation occurs. This condition can cover one or several areas of the female breast. The danger is that if lactostasis cannot be eliminated, it will turn into a more severe form of the disease: it will cause the development of mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland).

The condition of blockage of the milk duct can occur both at the initial stage of breastfeeding, and when the lactation process is already established. The occurrence of lactostasis can be single, and may complicate the period of breastfeeding repeatedly

Lactostasis is accompanied by painful sensations in the chest area, which causes significant discomfort to a nursing mother. Palpation of the chest - its palpation with fingers - allows you to notice seals, which is visually confirmed by the visible redness of one or more areas of the skin (depending on the location of the fluid accumulation). When milk cannot pass out of the breast, it partially enters the bloodstream, causing an increase in body temperature. Pressure in the glandular tissue of the breast reduces or completely blocks milk production. All this is a threat not only to breastfeeding, but also to the health of the mother in general.

Causes of stagnant milk

Why is every nursing mother not insured against such a state?

It is believed that the most common reason why lactostasis occurs is improper attachment of the child. If the baby is not positioned correctly at the mother’s breast, milk does not flow from all chest areas: some lobes of the mammary glands remain overflowing with milk contents. This also happens when feedings become irregular: an intensive milk yield is replaced by its stagnation.

Lactostasis can also be caused by individual physiological characteristics: narrow ducts of the mammary glands, sagging of the lower part of the chest (eliminated by wearing supportive, but not tight underwear) or a tendency to hyperlactation (intensive milk production in excessive quantities, including due to irrational frequent pumping) .

Video: causes and first aid for lactostasis

Here are other, more private, causes of lactostasis:

tight bra, sleeping on the stomach;
pressure on the chest during feeding (milk ducts are pinched);
cracks in the nipple;
injuries and bruises of the chest, its hypothermia;
stress, overwork and lack of sleep.

How to cure and eliminate in the future

The best assistant to a mother in the current lactostasis situation is her child. It is recommended to apply the baby to the breast as often as possible (perhaps several times within one hour), carefully monitoring its correct position.

A woman has a child as close as possible to herself, which, in turn, is turned with her whole body towards her. The head and torso of the baby are at the same level, the baby looks towards the mother, the nose is opposite the nipple

The World Health Organization draws the attention of nursing mothers to four signs of the correct position of the child in relation to the mother during feeding. These conditions must be met simultaneously:

The baby's mouth is wide open.
More areola visible above upper lip child.
The lower lip is turned outward.
The baby's chin is pressed against the mother's chest.

With lactostasis, the breast becomes tight, and to help the baby suckle more effectively, the mother can express some of the milk manually or with a breast pump. For more free circulation of milk through the ducts, before feeding, you can take a warm shower, do a light breast massage from the periphery to the center. It is important to exclude rough pressure on the chest, which will not alleviate, but worsen the painful condition. It is effective for a short period (2-3 minutes) to apply dry heat to the painful area (10-15 minutes before feeding). Circular massage movements also relax breast tissue and improve blood circulation. Feeding should be completed with pumping (until the engorgement of the gland subsides). After it, doctors recommend removing the edema by briefly applying cold or fresh, previously scalded with boiling water and mashed with a kitchen hammer to extract juice. However, all these healing procedures do not cancel the mandatory consultation with a specialist (gynecologist, mammologist), especially when lactostasis causes an increase in body temperature (above 38 ° C).

Only a doctor can prescribe an antibiotic to a nursing woman if her condition does not improve within a few days. The drug is selected taking into account the possibility of breastfeeding during treatment. The attending physician also recommends straining and physiotherapy.

Note that the best prevention of lactostasis is feeding the baby not by the clock, but on demand. Especially in the initial period of lactation, when milk is intensively coming. This will ensure a regular outflow of milk from the breast without a long-term delay. A nursing woman should not forget about regular pumping.

Video: how to express breast milk correctly

The comfortable position of the mother when she feeds the baby, and the correct attachment of the baby to the breast will protect the mother from possible problems with lactation. The breast will be emptied completely and evenly in all areas (central peripapillary zone, periphery, upper - lower lobes of the gland). Also, if possible, exclude constriction of the chest with tight underwear, sleeping on the stomach, hypothermia, injuries, bruises.

Is it possible to use physiotherapy for the treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother

Physiotherapy is one of the components of the complex treatment of lactostasis, recommended by mammologists and gynecologists.

A consultation with a physiotherapist is an indispensable condition for undergoing physiotherapy procedures

improves blood flow in the mammary gland;
anesthetizes;
decongestant;
anti-inflammatory effect;
antispasmodic effect.

Physiotherapy for the treatment of lactostasis has received wide distribution due to its effectiveness: painlessly and in short time you can get rid of seals in the chest, eliminating the development of further inflammation. A big plus is the fact that this method of treatment is safe for both the nursing mother and the baby. The frequency of physiotherapy sessions is set by the doctor and varies from one session per day to several (depending on the severity of the condition).

Ultrasound Therapy

A common method of physiotherapeutic treatment of lactostasis is ultrasound on the affected area of the mammary gland.

The therapeutic effect of ultrasonic waves on the female breast is as follows:

the processes of tissue regeneration are accelerated;
the conductivity of nerve fibers is restored;
there is an early resorption of edema;
anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect;
analgesic and relaxing effect;
rising metabolic processes;
increased regional blood flow.

This ultrasonic method of treatment gained demand due to the deep penetration of ultrasonic waves with a frequency of 20 to 3000 kHz into the glandular tissue of the breast (without mechanical damage to it) with simultaneous massage and warming (the tissues heat up by 1 degree). Thus, stagnant milk in the form of a seal is “broken” by an ultrasonic wave, and the metabolism in the mammary gland increases in response to an increase in temperature in the tissues. Thus, the patient receives triple therapy with ultrasound: mechanical, thermal and physico-chemical.

Breast decanting with ultrasound seals helps to quickly and painlessly get rid of milk stagnation and pain. Ultrasonic vibrations trigger the protective and regenerative functions of the female body, as a result of which breast swelling is removed at the cellular level. Additionally, ultrasound is effective in the treatment of cracked nipples, mastitis and other breast diseases.

How is ultrasound therapy performed? The physiotherapist with a special apparatus leads with light circular movements over the surface of the breast, except for the nipple.

The ultrasound therapy device creates a wave that is transmitted from the applicator, which the doctor drives over the surface of the breast, deep into the glandular tissue by means of a contact gel, warming the breast and micromassaging

At the same time, the effect of ultrasound can vary in duration (3 - 5 minutes), intensity (0.2 - 0.4 W per cm 2), according to the type of wave supplied (continuous or pulsed).

What happens inside the female breast during the action of ultrasonic vibrations? In medicine, the following stages of the body's response are distinguished:

The phase of direct action, when there is a microscopic change in the structure of cells, tissue and the organ itself, and mechanical, chemical and moderate thermal reactions are noticeable.
The phase when, within four hours after the procedure, biologically active substances and hormones are released into the woman's blood, the protective function of leukocytes increases and a powerful bactericidal effect of ultrasound therapy is observed.
The phase when, within twelve hours after ultrasound therapy, metabolism in tissues at the cellular level increases.
Further, there is an increase in tissue respiration, carbohydrate metabolism, when lymph circulation and blood circulation increase.

The ultrasound-treated breast softens, making it easy for a woman to express milk that has come. However, feeding them to a child is not recommended. The procedure is carried out daily for 8-10 days. The patient's condition noticeably stabilizes already by 3-4 sessions.

Contraindications for ultrasound treatment

There are cases when the use of ultrasound therapy is unacceptable:

various lesions of the nervous, circulatory, endocrine system (including diabetes mellitus);
cancerous tumors (malignant neoplasms);
acute mastitis, as well as other purulent-inflammatory diseases of the mammary gland;
hormonal failure - mastopathy (may lead to the formation of cancer cells);
cystic formations in the tissues - fibroadenomatosis of the mammary glands;
pulmonary tuberculosis;
hypertension 2 - 4 degrees;
infectious diseases (bacterial and viral);
pregnancy and some others.

Magnetotherapy is one of the options for hardware physiotherapy, which is used in the treatment of lactostasis.

A directed magnetic field with an induction of 1 mT and a frequency of 8 - 14 Hz has a therapeutic effect, causing changes in tissues and healing the body

The action of the magnetic field extends both to the molecule - the building material of the body, and to the person as a whole and has the following healing effect:

improves blood circulation in small vessels;
increases the permeability of cell membranes in the affected area;
the speed of biochemical reactions and metabolic processes increases;
damaged tissues are restored;
neuromuscular processes are stimulated;
swelling is reduced.

The analgesic effect of magnetic therapy is also known, which is essential for a nursing mother with a diagnosis of lactostasis.

Do not be afraid of the action of magnetic forces. Radiated by a special apparatus, they are ordered and directed and do not harm the woman.

An ordered directional magnetic field produced by a physiotherapy device protects tissue cells from the effects of "unfriendly" fields, including those related to environmental pollutants external environment. That is, the tissues get the opportunity for the duration of the procedure "not to be distracted" by the chaotic factors of external aggression, but to devote their activities to the processes of self-regulation and self-healing as much as possible.

Vladimir Starodubtsov
general practitioner, city maternity hospital, Oryol
https://www.9months.ru/obrazjizni/3063/chto-takoe-magnitoterapiya

However, this does not exclude the need for medical prescription of magnets for a nursing mother.

Only a qualified doctor (mammologist, gynecologist, physiotherapist) can recommend magnetic therapy, eliminating the possibility of developing other breast diseases

Unlike ultrasound therapy, magnets do not affect the breast thermal effect, and therefore the treatment can be carried out without removing the underwear. The main thing is to remove metal objects. The magnetic field passes through clothing and penetrates the human body by 6 - 8 cm.

The procedure lasts 10 - 20 minutes. The number of sessions is set by the attending physician, usually the number of procedures does not exceed 10 (perhaps the doctor will prescribe 2 sessions per day for a woman). However, if the doctor notices a delay in the patient's recovery, there may be 15 procedures. At the same time, after exposure to a magnetic field on the body, the changes caused remain from 6 days to 2 months. In this regard, before a second course of magnets (if necessary), a break is needed.

Magnetic therapy on the mammary gland with lactostasis can be effectively combined with local heating and regular pumping.

it is unacceptable to take procedures on an empty stomach;
during treatment, you can not drink alcohol;
to comply with the biological rhythm, the procedures must be performed at the same time;
treatment should not be carried out if you feel unwell (high body temperature, unstable blood pressure etc.).

Contraindications

Magnetic therapy is absolutely contraindicated for women with the following diseases:

diseases of the circulatory, cardiovascular systems;
diseases of the central nervous system, mental disorders;
malignant neoplasms or suspicion of their development;
active tuberculosis process;
infectious diseases in the acute stage and febrile condition (high body temperature);
a sharp exacerbation of a chronic inflammatory process and some others.

UHF with lactostasis

UHF (ultra high frequency radiation) is among those procedures that have become widespread in the treatment of lactostasis. What is this method of physiotherapy? A special UHF emitter device supplies a high-frequency electromagnetic field, which, when interacting with the patient's body, produces an electric current.

The device produces ultra-high-frequency radiation that penetrates deep into the tissues of the mammary gland and has a resolving effect on the focus of milk stagnation in the breast.

The currents formed under the influence of UHF act on the tissues of the mammary gland, increasing the flow of protective cells and immune bodies to the site of inflammation. At the same time, blood flow increases, which has a positive effect on the elimination of the inflammatory process.

UHF therapy is carried out in a specially equipped room. The woman lies down on a couch or a wooden chair. Energy emitting plates are placed in the chest area. The doctor, judging by the condition of the patient, chooses the intensity of the UHF supply:

"without a feeling of heat" (output power 15 - 20 W for portable, 40 W - for mobile devices);
"slight feeling of warmth" (respectively 20 - 30 and 50 - 70 W);
"distinct heat" (respectively 30 - 40 and 70 - 100 W);
"Pronounced feeling of warmth" (respectively 40 - 70 and 100 - 150 W).

The procedure lasts 5 - 15 minutes for 10 - 15 days.

Contraindications and side effects

The procedure has some limitations for use:

malignant neoplasms;
cardiovascular insufficiency;
blood diseases;
hypotension;
pregnancy;
the presence in the tissues of the area of influence of foreign metal objects, including pacemakers;
high body temperature with SARS and influenza.

Possible side effects, concomitant UHF-therapy:

skin burns (when a metal plate comes into contact with the skin, using a wet cloth pad);
electric shock (when the hand comes into contact with the wires of the electrodes).

It helps to eliminate the lactostasis state and the method of physiotherapeutic treatment "Currents Darsonval".

The device supplies currents to seals in the mammary gland

Darsonvalization as electrotherapy is the effect of alternating current of high frequency (110 - 400 kHz) and voltage (about 20 kV), but of low power (up to 100 - 200 mA) on the mammary gland through a glass electrode. Such a small impact force does not lead to a change in cellular structures, an increase in temperature, but improves blood flow and enhances metabolic processes. Breast tissues are better supplied with oxygen, pain is noticeably reduced.

If the attending physician has prescribed an ointment with a resolving, warming effect to a nursing woman, then the use of the Darsonval apparatus will help the medicine to penetrate faster and deeper into the glandular tissue of the breast.

Contraindications

High-frequency currents are contraindicated in the following cases:

malignant and benign neoplasms with a tendency to progress;
bleeding or bleeding disorders;
diseases of cardio-vascular system, including an implanted pacemaker;
epilepsy;
pregnancy;
active pulmonary tuberculosis;
fever;
purulent processes before surgical treatment;
individual intolerance to electric current.

Medicinal electrophoresis

Electrophoresis with the addition of a medicine (oxytocin or other medicines, a decoction of medicinal herbs) is effective for milk stagnation. With electrophoresis, drugs penetrate the tissues through the skin through the action of an electric current. This is a very common method of physiotherapy.

Electrophoresis apparatus: patches put on the electrodes are wetted with medicine and placed on the chest

The applied current has the following effect:

anti-inflammatory;
painkiller;
restoring;
metabolic (accelerating metabolic processes);
relaxing (relieving muscle tone).

What is a physiotherapy procedure? Fabric pads of different sizes are put on the electrodes leading to the electrophoresis apparatus, moistened with a medicinal solution and placed on the skin of the chest in places of visible seals. Picked up by the doctor medicinal product will promote the resorption of seals in the chest, as well as have an analgesic and antiseptic effect. The course of electrophoresis is designed for 10 - 15 procedures for 15 minutes.

Contraindications

Electrophoresis has a number of limitations for use:

individual current intolerance;
blood diseases, bleeding;
malignant tumors;
chronic diseases in the acute stage;
acute infections;
some diseases in a severe stage (hypertension, bronchial asthma and etc.);
pregnancy;
febrile and convulsive conditions;
dermatitis, eczema and burns.

It is important that the doctor knows about the patient's allergy to medications.

Physiotherapy techniques (ultrasound, magnets, UHF and others) help a nursing mother quickly and painlessly get rid of lactostasis. In addition, they are safe for both women and babies. In order for physical therapy to be more productive, hardware treatment must be supported by the correct feeding regimen for the child, pumping, as well as the use of feeding positions that improve the outflow of milk from the breast.