The process of lactation is a responsible and difficult period for any woman who has become a mother. Along with the joy of being alone with the baby, filling the breast with milk and feeding the baby itself often causes very painful sensations for a new mother.
Description of pathology
One of these troubles, causing a lot of trouble and frustration, is vasospasm during breastfeeding. Soreness in the nipples, which appears during feeding, is a frequent companion of the formation of lactation, and not only in nulliparous women.
Vasospasm during breastfeeding is a process of a sharp change in the state of the areola and nipples of a convulsive nature. Similar manifestations occur directly during and after feeding the child.
The disease is diagnosed, as a rule, in the first few weeks of the postpartum period, that is, when the mammary glands begin to function actively.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of vasospasm during breastfeeding are as follows:
- The color of the nipple changes after the end of the feeding process. It may acquire a whitish or bluish hue, which appears as a result of the outflow of blood. The normal pink hue is restored after a while.
- Severe soreness develops, which can be localized in one nipple, or in both at once. A burning sensation begins to slowly spread from the nipple deep into the chest. The symptoms of vasospasm are quite unpleasant.
- The emergence of a feeling of pulsation, the subsequent attenuation of the pain syndrome, which can last from several minutes to an hour.
- The appearance of discomfort is often accompanied by a feeling of shooting from the nipple deep into the breast.
Symptoms of vasospasm during breastfeeding in the photo can be seen in many clinics.
If these signs are found, it is necessary to consult a mammologist who will conduct a differential diagnosis to exclude other possible breast pathologies and confirm the diagnosis.
Reason for development
Vasospasm during breastfeeding is a fairly common disease, the true causes of which are not exactly known to medicine. By the nature of changes in the vessels, the disease can be correlated with Raynaud's disease, in which there is a violation of blood flow to certain parts of the body (tonipples and extremities) under the influence of stress or temperature fluctuations.
Pathology can manifest itself on its own or against the background of other changes in the mammary glands: cracks, microtraumas, when affected by fungi of the genus Candida.
Provoking factors
The main factors contributing to vasospasm during breastfeeding are:
- Sudden temperature changes. When feeding, the nipple warms up in the baby's mouth, while the ambient temperature is somewhat lower, which provokes vasospasm.
- Drying of the skin of the breast.
- Incorrect grip on the breast by the baby when sucking: injury to the gums, increased squeezing.
- Excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages, tobacco smoking.
- Use of specific medicines, e.g. antifungal drugs, hormonal contraceptives.
- Daily use of dry forms of antiperspirants.
- Previous operations, breast injuries.
- Hereditary blood flow disorders.
Treatment of vasospasm while breastfeeding
It is known that vasospasm does not pose a threat to the child and the life of the mother, but only causes significant discomfort. That is why it is recommended to consult a specialist when its first manifestations occur. Any therapy should be started only after consulting a mammologist.
WhenIn the event of signs of vasospasm, a woman is advised to adhere to the following general recommendations:
- At the end of the feeding process, it is necessary to immediately cover the areola and nipple with a natural cloth, bra, hand in order to prevent an attack or stop it at the initial stage.
- Take the complexes recommended by the doctor containing calcium gluconate, magnesium, B vitamins.
- Apply to the nipple area for 5-10 minutes a cloth heated with an iron, for example, diapers or warm heating pads.
- Regularly massage your nipples with your fingers (thumb and forefinger) using a small amount of slightly warmed olive oil. Self-massage will relieve pain, slightly reduce the likelihood of its occurrence during subsequent feeding.
- Perform a gentle massage covering the area between the clavicle and chest, as well as in the armpit and under the mammary glands after feeding. This will improve blood circulation and prevent spasm. To avoid aggravating the situation, it is not recommended to massage the breast directly.
Medicines
Also, medicines will help solve the problem. First of all, you should try to stop the pain with the help of drugs approved for use in the lactation period: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol.
If these medicines and self-help measures do not have the desired effect, the doctor may advise the woman to use slow calcium channel blockers, for example"Nifedipine". This drug is often used in patients with Raynaud's syndrome, blood flow disorders and blood pressure.
Despite the fact that Nifedipine has been successfully used in the treatment of vascular diseases and arterial hypertension in women during pregnancy and lactation, it should be prescribed during lactation only if there is an urgent need. The dosage and duration of the course (which usually takes two weeks) should be selected by the doctor on an individual basis.
You may need to stop breastfeeding for a while, as prescribed in the instructions for use of the medicine. During this period, a woman will have to express milk to maintain lactation.
Nitroglycerin spray or ointment
It would also be advisable to use a spray or ointment based on nitroglycerin. The drug should be applied to the areola and nipple area after each feeding session.
Before you start feeding the baby, remove the remnants of the drug from the skin with warm water so that they do not get into the baby's mouth.
However, nitroglycerin preparations are less effective than Nifedipine. In addition, they can provoke the occurrence of side symptoms in the form of severe headaches.
Prevention
In order to avoid the development of vasospasm during breastfeeding, a woman is recommended to follow certain preventive measures immediately after childbirth.rules:
- Use the correct, preventing trauma, technique of attaching the child: the entire areola should fall into the baby's mouth completely, while the nipple should rest against the sky. In this case, you should not press on the chest, as otherwise the capillaries and milk ducts may be clamped.
- When painful cracks appear on the nipple, it is necessary to switch to the use of special silicone pads for nursing women. In addition, it is recommended to treat the damaged area with an emollient cream, for example, Bepanthen.
- It is recommended to give preference to special high-quality underwear that does not have metal elements and seams and is designed to be worn during lactation. In this case, the underwear will not squeeze the breast overflowing with milk.
- It is important to avoid hypothermia of the mammary glands and the body as a whole. Wear warm clothing suitable for the weather and cover your breasts after you stop feeding.
- Do not use cosmetics, soap for nipple hygiene. This will maintain the natural acid-base balance in this area.
- Do not take contrast showers or other water treatments. This will prevent vasospasm.
- Deodorants containing aluminum should be avoided. It is recommended to give preference to organic products.
- It is necessary to normalize the diet, give up drinks that have a stimulating effect.
- It is important to treat staphylococcal, candidal andother lesions of the mammary glands.
- Mechanical trauma to the areola, nipple should be avoided during the use of the breast pump.
Reviews of breastfeeding women
Many lactating women face the problem of vasospasm, who note the effectiveness of self-massage and special pads designed for feeding in this pathology. Often, after consulting a doctor, women begin to apply warm compresses to their breasts, which allows them to expand the vessels and prevent their spasm.
Nursing mothers separately note that the important point is the timely visit to the doctor. After all, the earlier the fight against the problem is started, the easier and easier it will be to solve it. In addition, timely therapy will allow you to avoid your own discomfort and not harm the baby.
Now many know the symptoms and treatment of vasospasm while breastfeeding.
