# Ouch, chronic plugged nipple duct...anyone else??



## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

I have more than three years of nursing experience under my belt, but I have a problem I haven't encountered and I can't find anyone else who has gone through it.

For the past few month I have been dealing with a plugged nipple duct. It gets very sore. When it first started I thought I had a regular plugged duct, tenderness, hardness where the milk wasn't draining, so I pumped and pumped for about 20 minutes trying to clear it. I never did get letdown, but I did get a white area on my nipple that I though was from pumping. It wasn't like a whitehead, the way plugged nipple ducts are typically described, it looked like the actual skin on the nipple was white. I finally got rid of all the backed up milk with some aggressive hand expression. The stream that finally came out of that area was huge, not a skinny little stream like most of them.

Then it happened again and I did the same thing. Lately, I get the white area on my nipple, but no backup. It still is very sore, though. I began using a sterile needle to poke around and get that huge stream flowing again. About a week and a half ago I was doing the same thing and I started to pull something out with the needle. I was hesitant to pull it out because I though it may have belonged there but I did it anyway. It hurt like hell, but what came out was a little white "string" about a quarter inch long with a small lump (milk) in the middle. It left a gaping hole in that duct, but I though that I had finally taken care of the problem.

Not so. A couple days later the tenderness began to return and it continues to get a white spot. Now, I only get a drop of milk from that duct when I try to express while the rest spray. I doesn't seem to be backing up as it did at first. The LCs thought I had gotten rid of the problem, and I didn't get a chance to talk to them about it at the meeting this week since there were too many moms with new babies who needed assistance. They need the help more than I do.

Anyone else ever had this??? I'm not sure if I should go to my obgyn and have her take a look and probe around a bit. My only big concern is the possibility that perhaps there is something (a lump, cyst) causing the problem. I can't feel anything else in the area, and since the breast seems to be draining, I assume that the problem lies in my nipple.

Any suggestions from anyone who has gone through this. I have had a lot of plugged ducts in my time, and several bouts of mastitis, but this one has me stumped.


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## gabner (Feb 4, 2002)

I don't think poking around with a needle is a good idea even if it is sterile.

You should be able to feel a cyst or galactocele. If it was me I would probably try to slowly wean from that breast to see if it can heal. You want to go slow so that you don't get engorged. All the poking, pumping, expressing could be causing trauma.

It is possible to nurse with just one breast or you could go back to both breasts when that duct is healed.


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## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

Gabner,

Thanks for the reply. I tried the needle because I found it advised in a breastfeeding book. It has saved me from some serious milk backup on a couple occasions. I also considered going to nursing on one breast, but ds is 16 months and building the supply back up would likely be difficult. He is also going through a period of wanting more, and will switch from side to side several times. I am also very prone to plugged ducts (the regular type) and mastitis, and I have to be careful. I've decided to just ignore it for a while and see what happens. If milk starts backing up, I'm going to have to resort to extreme measures. I'm not sure what they are yet, but I'll think of something









Has anyone else had to deal with this???


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## Mamaste (Dec 21, 2001)

I use the needle. Saw it recommended on the Sears site, among other places. It's worked for me. Sounds like you may still have some backup somewhere along the lines. I would nurse like heck on that side, personally, to keep things open. Nursing is much more efficient than pumping or expressing or massaging. Wish I had more advice. Best wishes!


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## mirlow (Nov 20, 2001)

I was so happy to see this post







I have never had any problems with my breasts while nursing until lately. My dd is one and this is my 3rd child so I am clueless? My situation sounds similar to jbcjmoms. My left breast is killing me. For the last couple of months I would get sharp pains in my left breast they would come and go. I did notice at time a white spot on my nipple but I didn't give it much thought. Well last night I couldn't sleep because of the pain. I am assuming it is a plugged duct but I'm not sure what to do? I keep on having my dd nurse on that side to see if it will help and it doesn't. I try to hand express but I can't get it going very good. Now this breast is a lot smaller than the other one. I think I will check out Dr. Sears site.


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## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

Thanks for responding Mirlow and Baby Phat. I know the answer to nearly ever breastfeeding question asked at my breastfeeding support group simply because I have been going for four years. In all the time I have been going no one has ever had this problem. I have decided to give up on trying to clear it myself since it obviously didn't work the first time I thought I'd cleared it, and I'm taking Gabner's advice and giving it a break and letting it heal. We'll see what happens. It drives me crazy, though, because with regular plugged milk ducts you can work it out, but there is nothing I can feel to work out. I have to give up on wanting to "fix" this one and let it ride for a while. My only concern is that I barely get a drop of milk from a duct that used to have a huge stream of milk. My breast seems to be emptying, so I'm just going to relax and see what happens.

To add to the misery, I think my period must be near because they are both sore now. I'm not fond of this little side effect that has accompanied the return of menstration.







:


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## mirlow (Nov 20, 2001)

jbcjmom I keep thinking that I will start my period. That is why I didn't pay much notice to when it hurt before. Now I have been feeling very pms







I don't know if it means anything or not? If I don't get my period by next week then I will really wonder what is going on? I did go look at Dr. Sears website and I did the pressure massage. When the milk comes in one duct the milk is white and in the duct that I am having problems with it is clear? I'm even trying to have my dd nurse in the clutch hold, but no such luck yet? I wonder if my sleeping on my stomach has caused this problem?


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## Mamaste (Dec 21, 2001)

Mirlow, do you have a lump that you suspect is a blocked duct? Deep, shooting pains can be a sign of thrush. You might want to do a search on these forums for thrush. Make sure you have your settings to view all posts and not just the recent ones (go to user cp up above).


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## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

If you don't get your period by next week, you may want to get out that pregnancy test. That's how I knew I was pg with my second. I had PMS that just kept going and going (emotional, and those darn cramps) and sore nipples. I'm sure that pregnancy isn't my problem. I had a CT scan a week ago yesterday so I had to be sure that I couldn't be pregnant. I made poor Dh abstain after my last period until after the CT scan -- just to be sure. I was also miserably sick with a sinus infection so we didn't get a chance to "connect" until a few days ago. Not that I want to freak you out, but you never know...


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## mirlow (Nov 20, 2001)

I would freak out if I were pg because dh had a vascetomy done last yr







.It is strange because this happened to me when I was nursing ds. He just turned one and I felt like maybe I was pg, but I never had a period (I know you ovulate before your period, so bfding is not a good form of birth control) so I blew it off. I finally did take a pg test and it was positive. I freaked out, but I did end up having a miscarriage. Well I keep feeling the same way I did then? Like I said I will wait another week and if nothing happens with my period then I will freak.
Baby Phat it does feel like a lump. There is an area on my breast and it is just throbbing. I keep trying to massage it, but I can't do it around dd because she makes a b-line for the boob whenever I have it exposed







. I'm going to keep trying the ideas listed on Dr. Sears site and if nothing happens in a few days I will start to wonder what is really going on?


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## Mamaste (Dec 21, 2001)

Mirlow, if it's a blocked duct, massaging it while she nurses would be a good thing.







Also, have you tried heat? Hot compress while she nurses is another helpful thing.


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## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

Mirlow, another helpful hint is to try to get her to nurse with her chin pointing to the lump since that will be where the strongest suction is. I also sleep with a heating pad on it part of the night, and try to keep heat on it a couple times during the day when I have plugged milk ducts (I've had more than I care to count.) For me the chin thing seems to do the best job of clearing it. I may look funny depending on where the lump is.


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## cespeirs (Nov 4, 2008)

THANK YOU so very much!! I have had bad plugs for the last 2 weeks with no relief. I'v used compressed, daughter's chin positioned over the area, lecithin, everything. Just saw this post, noticed I did have a "white head" and popped it with a sterile needle and out came a huge stream of milk. I massaged over the lumps which I've been doing for days to no effect and after 2 minutes it's gone! Instant relief! Thank you! Having access to the wisdom of so many women thanks to forums like these is an amazing gift.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I had this one duct that clogged constantly. It was on DS's boob, in which I had a really ample supply. (I have twins, and I assigned them one side permanently, because DD ate much less than DS, and we had problems with DS getting too little and DD2 being overpowered by my supply, every time we switched.)

I used the needle trick, every time, and it worked. But I agree it's probably risky for infection and injury. Do it at your own risk!

But I agree, if the one duct is plugging chronically, there's a reason. In my case, we identified two really simple factors. One, the sleeping position I was in while cosleeping with DS involved me lying on one hand, and putting constant pressure on that one duct. Secondly, the position of the seatbelt on my chest in my new truck-- often driving home from work I'd be a bit engorged, and the belt was putting pressure on that one spot. Adjusting both seemed to solve the problem. Keep looking for a cause!

In your case, yeah, I'd probably go see an experience LC, midwife, or GYN and have it checked out. If only to give you some reassurance that there's nothing serious in there causing the problem.


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## cespeirs (Nov 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Llyra* 
But I agree, if the one duct is plugging chronically, there's a reason. In my case, we identified two really simple factors. One, the sleeping position I was in while cosleeping with DS involved me lying on one hand, and putting constant pressure on that one duct.

Since my ducts often get plugged up at night, or that's when I become aware of it, I'm wondering if I should be sleeping with a bra on to prevent them from sliding off towards an armpit, or being squished when I sleep on my side.

Does anyone have any advice about sleeping with nursing bra on?


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## TefferTWH (May 13, 2008)

I got some great advice from Dr. Newman for chronic plugged ducts. Mine were definitely caused by yeast and remained even after I got rid of the thrush. I did therapeutic ultrasounds to melt the clumps when it was really bad, then the needle if necessary, but I also used crushed cabbage leaves when I felt it starting. That will diminish your supply, so only use it when you can feel yourself blocking up.


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