20 Aug Quick Relief from Mastitis
Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast, but it is not always due to a bacterial infection, so treatment with antibiotics is not necessarily appropriate. Your qualified physiotherapist may be better placed to treat your condition.
Symptoms of mastitis in breastfeeding women may include breast pain, redness, swelling and flu-like symptoms. Many women self-treat using firm massage techniques and hot showers to try to decrease the pain – actions which can actually make mastitis worse!
The use of therapeutic ultrasound by physiotherapists to treat mastitis in breastfeeding women is becoming increasingly popular. It is a quick and effective non-pharmacological treatment, which can soften those painful hard lumps in no time, reducing pain and treating the condition quickly and successfully. Your qualified physiotherapist can then instruct on how to massage delicate breasts effectively and soothingly.
Even if infection is present, studies have shown that by increasing cell wall permeability, ultrasound can make antibiotic therapy more effective.
Therapeutic ultrasound works by using extremely high frequency sound waves which pass beyond the skin barrier, to create vibrations in the soft tissue. This has an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing pain by decreasing the swelling, and may also have an effect on sensory nerves. It is thought that ultrasound increases tissue cell permeability to reduce fluid build-up and improves circulation through the lymphatics and blood supply.
So, if you are a breastfeeding mum, visit the well-trained physiotherapists at Western Women’s and Men’s Health for therapeutic ultrasound treatment, massage techniques and other advice as soon as you experience any of the main symptoms of mastitis.
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