Ultrasound treatment of the breast. Physiotherapeutic treatment of lactostasis: acceptable procedures and contraindications to them

According to WHO, half of breastfeeding women have problems with breastfeeding babies. These are diseases of the mammary glands that lead to premature cessation of breastfeeding.

One of the main breast pathologies in the first 6 months of the postpartum period is lactostasis. Lactostasis or lactational mastitis is a painful and debilitating condition that negatively affects a young mother's desire to breastfeed her baby for as long as possible. Medical professionals responsible for the postpartum period in a woman's life should, with their practical help and moral support, help a young mother overcome this difficult period in her life.

Read in this article

Causes and signs of lactostasis

Various forms of lactostasis occur during lactation in 4% -35% of women. This scatter in the statistics suggests that there are no clearly defined clinical signs lactostasis, its differential diagnosis with mastitis of various etiologies.

Breast diseases that occur during lactation are usually associated with the physiological conditions of the first postpartum weeks, although their manifestations can be expected at any time during breastfeeding. This includes any injury to the nipples, cracks, the occurrence of milk edema, which indicates the blockage of the thoracic duct in the nipple area.

Any nipple injuries are provoked by improper attachment of the baby to the breast, their appearance reduces the possibility of normal breastfeeding. If a nursing woman experiences pain during feeding, then the risk of premature termination of feeding increases 10 times.

Violation of the integrity of the skin of the nipple or areola occurs in 20% of women in the first postpartum days. Accession of infection causes a complication of the pathological process and prolongs the period of treatment.

Ultrasound in diagnostics

Main purpose ultrasonic method in mammology is differential diagnosis liquid and acoustic dense formations of the mammary gland, as well as visual control of invasive and therapeutic manipulations. The positive properties of the method include harmlessness, speed, painlessness, the possibility of frequent repetitions. An extremely important property of echography is the ability to specify the location of the formations of the mammary gland and the sector of the location of the regional zones of the lymph flow.

Quite informative ultrasound. The manifestations of lactostasis on scans are represented by sharply dilated milk ducts. The most clearly defined dilatation of the distal ducts and sinuses. Lactostasis differs from mastitis in the preserved structure of the structure of the mammary gland and the absence of infiltration changes in the tissues.

Usually distinguish between compensated and decompensated lactostasis. A pharmaco-sonographic test with pituitrin helps to distinguish between these conditions. The patient is offered to carefully express the mammary gland, after which an ultrasound examination is performed, the diameter of the milk ducts is recorded, and 1 ml of pituitrin is injected intramuscularly. After 15-20 minutes, the ultrasound is repeated.

The test is considered positive if, on re-examination, a decrease in the diameter of the milk ducts is noted. In the absence of such a result, we can confidently speak of decompensated lactostasis, which requires appropriate medical treatment.

Ultrasound as a method of physiotherapy

The use of physiotherapeutic methods of treatment in the presence of problems with the mammary glands during the feeding period has recently become quite widespread. One of them is ultrasound. This painless and effective method brings relief to a young mother after the first 2-3 sessions. With its help, the work of the thoracic ducts is significantly improved, milk production is increased and the risk of inflammation in the mammary gland is reduced. The procedure is combined with obligatory pumping, which is carried out by an experienced specialist.

Ultrasound has a complex effect on the mammary gland. With its help, the patency of the thoracic ducts increases, the blood vessels of the chest expand and the pain syndrome is completely stopped.

This effect is achieved due to the massage properties of ultrasound and its contribution to enhancing the nutrition of breast tissue by dilated blood vessels.

The procedure itself is carried out by a functionalist doctor. With the sensor of the ultrasound device, it processes the entire surface of the mammary gland, with the exception of the nipple and areola. The entire therapeutic effect on the chest lasts about 15-20 minutes, and the sessions themselves require 4-8, depending on the severity of the condition and the neglect of the process.

After the manipulation, a mandatory decanting procedure takes place, which, provided that the breast is heated and softened, does not cause any unpleasant sensations. If necessary, a young mother will be assisted in pumping by an experienced medical worker.

Contraindications for ultrasound sessions

Despite the simplicity and harmlessness of ultrasound, there are also contraindications to its use. First of all, it is a different pathology of the central nervous system at a woman. The impact of ultrasound, especially in the area of ​​the heart and mediastinum, can cause various disorders in the work of the central nervous system.

Various neoplasms of the mammary glands are also a contraindication for this method. Any thermal procedures usually cause cancer cells to grow and degenerate. benign tumors into malignant.

Mastopathy and in the tissues of the mammary glands are also a possible focus of the future oncological process and should not be exposed to ultrasound.

Well, of course purulent mastitis different genesis. Any congestive inflammation of the mammary gland requires, first of all, an appeal to a specialist, in order to eliminate the need for surgical treatment and massive therapy.

Before starting treatment sessions with ultrasound, you should seek the advice of an appropriate specialist. Like any other method of intervention in the physiology of the body, ultrasound can give both positive and negative results. Self-medication should be excluded, especially in a young nursing mother.

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 to breastfeeding, and, becoming more complicated, 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 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 with a bone or seams of a breast 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

First of all, it should be said that in most cases of milk stagnation, especially on early stage process, a woman may well cope with it on her own, or rather, with the help of a child. The main method in the treatment of milk stasis is 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 flow of milk 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, fullness in the affected area decreases, the pain becomes less intense, in many people the body temperature returns to normal very quickly. Residual effects of lactostasis can disturb a young mother for several more days - until the edema passes.

To reduce swelling, you can treat the skin over the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdensification with Traumeel ointment or use folk remedies such as, for example, 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.

If the temperature is high, 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 the 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 breast-feeding- do not have to), straining and physiotherapy treatments. Sometimes, based on the condition of the woman, an antibiotic, decongestion 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 refers 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.

1. 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 a 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Breastfeeding is certainly an important process for both the child and the mother. At the same time, lactation is not always problem-free. Often problems arise in women who have become mothers for the first time - due to lack of experience, complications arise: stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary glands (aka lactostasis) or inflammation of the mammary gland (mastitis). At the moment, there are ways to solve these problems with the help of such types of physiotherapy as ultrasound, darsonval and others.

Ultrasound for lactostasis

The use of ultrasound is one of the most common treatments for milk stasis. This procedure is carried out by a specialist - a physiotherapist using a special device. The chest, in which stagnation has occurred, is lubricated with some kind of agent (most often with vaseline oil) and massaged with the apparatus for about 10 minutes. In this case, the movements should be smooth, circular, in no case pressing. Only the breast area around the nipple and areola is massaged.

After applying ultrasound, the stagnant breast must be completely decanted, and it is forbidden to feed the baby with this milk.

The number of procedures depends on the degree of stagnation, but more than seven sessions are prohibited, and less than three is not effective. The optimal number of physiotherapy procedures is five sessions. Most often, ultrasound treatment is carried out in a hospital in the direction of antenatal clinic, and only residents of megacities can undergo a set of procedures in private clinics. The price varies from 950 to three and a half thousand rubles.

This technique is very popular, effective and painless. However, there are a number of contraindications here as well. In addition, you can not use this procedure for mastopathy, fibroadenomatosis, malignant neoplasms, as well as various lesions of the nervous system. Ultrasound is not used in advanced forms of lactostasis that have developed into mastitis. To exclude the possibility of mastitis, it is necessary to consult a doctor before starting ultrasound sessions.

The author of these lines encountered lactostasis three times during the period of lactation. And every time she underwent ultrasound treatment. This is a really good remedy to help eliminate milk stasis. The relapse was either due to the fact that there were not enough procedures, or the author forgot to pump and again received stagnation.

Vitafon treatment

For the treatment of lactostasis, micromassage is successfully used with the help of the Vitafon medical device, invented in the early 90s of the last century by Russian biophysicist Vyacheslav Fedorov. This procedure can be applied independently at home with the device. The price of these devices varies from four and a half to fifteen thousand.
Vitafon devices are used to improve immunity, activate regenerative processes in the body, enhance capillary blood and lymph flow, as well as restore metabolism.

The Vitafon is placed on the kidney area and on the chest, 4 cm above the nipple. Use the device for 5 minutes, 4 times a day. The number of procedures is not strictly limited. It is necessary to continue using the device until the signs of stagnation disappear and two days after. The directed action of microvibrations improves the conductivity of the ducts and canals of the mammary glands, thereby facilitating the task of decanting congestion in the chest.

Contraindications are: malignant neoplasms, severe atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis, acute infectious diseases and heat body. In addition, the device must not be used during pregnancy, i. with prenatal mastitis. Mastitis is successfully treated with Vitafon if there is no purulent inflammation, i.e. with a serous form. In this case, the exposure time is increased according to the instructions.

If someone's milk stagnates, Vitafon helps very well. I couldn’t drain after lactostasis, and the child couldn’t dissolve, the milk was very tight. I remembered the Vitafon - an ultrasonic device for home use. I held it for 5 minutes only 1 time on a sore chest and began to express - milk poured out.

Oksana

https://www.baby.ru/community/view/3335924/forum/post/8255110/

Magnetotherapy

With lactostasis, the method of magnetotherapy is also used - a direction of physiotherapy based on treatment with a magnetic field. These procedures are carried out both in the physiotherapy room and at home with the help of special devices such as: Almag, AMNP-01, Magniter AMT-02, Mag-30. The price of these devices starts from two and a half thousand rubles.
The use of Almag in milk stagnation causes a whole range of positive changes that prevent the development of mastitis and restore the normal flow of breast milk.

The number of procedures and the time of exposure to the chest depends on the device. For example, Almag is used from 7-8 to 20 minutes, gradually increasing the time, 1 time in 5-6 days. The course can be repeated after a three-day break.

One of the advantages of using magnetotherapy is that exposure to a magnetic field does not change the characteristics of milk. Therefore, after using the device, you can safely feed the baby with the breast on which the impact was directed.

The use of magnetic therapy is a fairly effective solution to the problem of lactostasis, since a pulsed magnetic field activates regenerative and anti-inflammatory processes.

Contraindications for this therapy are hypotension, blood clotting disorders, acute infectious diseases. As with the Vitafon, mastitis can only be treated with magnetotherapy if it has not progressed to sharp shape- there are no suppurations.

Used for lactostasis folk remedies and diamond applied. He helped the most

Alenanta

http://forum.omskmama.ru/viewtopic.php?p=10285046

Phonophoresis method

Phonophoresis is a method of a combined method of physiotherapy treatment, which combines ultrasound and drug exposure. It lies in the fact that when using ultrasound, a therapeutic substance is applied instead of a gel. Most often, hydrocortisone, lioton-gel are used. Thus, the number of procedures, their timing and contraindications remain the same as for conventional ultrasound procedures described above.

The effectiveness of this method remains controversial. Thus, a study conducted in 1996 showed the ineffectiveness of ultrasound for delivering hydrocortisone deep into tissues.

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7

Another useful medical device that helps eliminate milk stagnation is darsonval. It operates on the basis of a pulsed alternating current of low strength, but high frequency and power.
The use of darsonval helps to break the seals in the breast and thereby release the outflow of breast milk.

Darsonval is used for lactostasis by contact, using a mushroom nozzle. First, it is necessary to apply 2 layers of gauze to the nipple and areola for protection. Electrode contact time - 10 minutes at minimum or medium power. The course of therapy - from ten to fifteen procedures.

Physiotherapy with darsonval is a great way to deal with lactostasis. The resorption of stagnant foci in the chest occurs due to the influence of several factors: mechanical, thermal and physical. The price of darsonval starts from two and a half thousand rubles.

As in the case of other types of physiotherapy, darsonval cannot be used for acute, purulent form of mastitis, breast fibroadenoma, mastopathy, malignant tumors of the breast, diseases of the central nervous system.

I have a darsonval device at home. Constant lactostasis - I only save myself from them. Helps to dissolve blockages

Evgenia

https://www.babyblog.ru/community/post/breastfeed/896666

Lactostasis and mastitis - is there a difference?

In general, we can say that the same procedures are used for the treatment of mastitis as for lactostasis, but only if it is lactational, uninfected and has not turned into an acute form. At an advanced stage of lactational mastitis, it is risky to use physiotherapy, it is urgent to consult a doctor.

Physiotherapy for lactostasis and serous mastitis is very effective with timely treatment. Therapeutic techniques of this kind provide a quick and painless elimination of congestion in the chest, moreover, they are completely harmless to the nursing mother and baby. Physiotherapy has analgesic, decongestant, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects. During their conduct, the woman feels comfortable and does not feel pain at all.

The introduction will be short, and for those who are interested, you can read in the review: Breastfeeding. Hyperlactation. When there is a LOT of milk. When is a breast pump necessary? Link:

When my daughter was only 10 days old, I invited a consultant. It cost me 3 thousand rubles. She invited me thought she would help, she showed how to apply, it turned out to be a whole science. Probably, psychologically, I needed to talk to someone, because there wasn’t much with anyone. And, behold, she found out that I was pumping and strictly forbade it. In general, her advice was not much different from all the advice on the Internet. As a result, after a couple of days I had a terrible lactostasis in all its manifestations.

with fever, pain and stone chest. The consultant herself repeated only the poses in the application, they did not help me in any way, for no reason, no reason. The stagnation was in one share, but the milk came from others, and this was quite enough to feed the child. Therefore, after sucking a little, the daughter was full, and I was left alone with my problem.

It should be noted that the daughter did not make much effort in sucking. I think she had to start, as the milk itself poured into her mouth, she just opened her mouth and swallowed. What kind of help is there in clearing? Then she never hung on her chest, feedings were always short, only to eat.

Therefore, the breast pump was my great helper. With them, I decanted with stagnation of milk, and with them I pumped my chest to relief, no more.

BUT, the breast pump did not help to drain so that everything would work out again. I even called the government seating service. They didn't help me at all! They said I have the flu

On the Internet, I read about ULTRASOUND. It was after this procedure that the milk went out, it was further decanted with a breast pump. I had an AVENT automatic.

LACTOSTASIS what helped me:

• Traumeel C cream
• cabbage leaves repulsed (I never liked grandmother's recipes, but it seems to have helped
• Expression with a breast pump (I had an automatic AVENT, in my case only automatic was suitable, I can’t imagine how to drain stagnation manually)
• You can still massage chest in soul, previously lubricated with vaseline, well, this is as an addition, not the main one.
• Further, if this does not help you, feel free to go to the gynecologist and ask for a referral to ultrasound. I needed 2-3 sessions. They say milk begins to flow right in the office, this has not happened to me, I tried to quickly get to the house and stick my breast to my daughter, then I strained it with a breast pump.

I also read a lot about magnesia And Aloe, I even bought ingredients, the reviews are only good, but after 2 lactostasis it didn’t come in handy for me and I didn’t have time to try it out.

In both cases, it was ULTRASOUND that became the decisive factor in helping with milk stasis.

For the procedure you need to bring:

Petrolatum

diaper

You can use breast pads if the milk is already on the way home

Dear mothers, do not torture yourself with painful manual straining. Do not spend money on aunts who, for 5000 rubles, will torment your chest to help you unhook.

The ultrasound procedure is free, safe and painless. Talk to your gynecologist or mammologist. It is these doctors who give directions for ultrasound.

It must be understood that physiotherapy, in general, and ultrasound therapy, in particular, with such a diagnosis as lactostasis, is now used as widely as possible.

And all because physiotherapy is considered an effective direction, representing the traditional treatment of this condition.

Ultrasound for lactostasis, as a therapeutic method, allows you to quickly get rid of the resulting seals in the chest, preventing the development of a more complex infectious process.

Another significant advantage of such physiotherapeutic treatment as ultrasound can be considered the complete absence of any pain or discomfort, and of course, complete safety for a nursing woman.

Today, quite often, women who are faced with congestion in the breast with lactostasis are advised to undergo several sessions that ultrasound therapy represents. At the same time, ultrasound easily and quickly allows you to eliminate congestion in lactostasis, and at the same time deal with cracks and microtraumas in the nipple area.

Why can the state of lactostasis be treated with ultrasound?

Recall that lactostasis is such an unpleasant and painful condition of the mammary gland in a nursing woman, when either excessive production of breast milk or a difficult outflow of the latter from the breast abruptly occurs.

As a result, with lactostasis in the mammary gland, stagnation of breast milk occurs, which ultimately leads to primary tissue edema and, possibly, to their subsequent inflammation. Most often, lactostasis occurs in several situations:

• When a not quite experienced young (often nulliparous) mother has not ideally adjusted the mode and technique of full breastfeeding.
• When a woman takes long breaks between feedings or the baby does not completely empty her mother's breasts.
• When, for medical reasons, the baby cannot take the mother’s breast and, accordingly, suck out of it breast milk.
• When a nursing woman injures the mammary gland when wearing excessively tight underwear.

When absent proper treatment problems, with untimely correction of milk stagnation in the breast with lactostasis, a woman may begin to form a more dangerous disease - called mastitis.

Actually, therefore, doctors insist that therapy aimed at eliminating congestion in lactostasis should be carried out immediately, at the first symptoms of the problem.

Ultrasound, or rather its main mechanism of action in lactostasis, is, first of all, a significant liquefaction of milk, an improvement in its outflow, and an increase in blood and lymph flow.

What usually happens due to an almost imperceptible (local) increase in temperature, as well as a micro-massage therapeutic effect.
It is important to understand that ultrasound (or UST), among other things, has an excellent anti-inflammatory effect, which is undoubtedly more than appropriate in such a condition as lactostasis, to prevent the development of mastitis and other breast diseases.

The principle of operation of ultrasound

Standard ultrasound therapy, ultrasound or ultrasound is nothing more than the use of special mechanical vibrations, the so-called ultra-high frequency (of the order of 800 or a maximum of 3000 kHz), for a strictly therapeutic or prophylactic purpose. The specific nature of the standard interaction of ultrasonic waves with numerous human biological tissues, noticed by scientists, became the basis of ultrasound therapy.

Ultrasound treatment in the usual physiotherapeutic practice can use vibrations with a frequency of not more than 3000 kHz, in which the dosage of exposure is carried out according to duration, intensity, and even according to the mode of wave generation (continuous, pulsed).

It is believed that the basis of the physiological and most importantly therapeutic effects of UST can be caused by ultrasound mechanical, thermal, as well as physico-chemical effects. An equally important role, in this case, is played by the so-called neuro-reflex mechanism, through which ultrasound (or ultrasound therapy) affects the human body. When ultrasound (or ultrasound therapy) affects human tissues, doctors distinguish several phases of the body's response to such an impact:

• The phase of the so-called direct impact, when microscopic alteration of all cellular structures is observed, when thiotropic, and also thixotropic effects occur. This is the phase when mechanical, chemical, and moderate thermal reactions are noticeable.
• The phase of predominance of the so-called stress-inducing system. When, within four hours after the procedure, biological amines, cortisol, prostaglandins, etc. are released into the woman’s blood. When the phagocytic (protective) function of leukocytes increases significantly, and as a result, a powerful bactericidal effect of UZT is observed.
• The phase with the predominance of stress-limiting systems. When within twelve hours after UST there is a clear predominance of a powerful antioxidant system, which is manifested by a decrease in the level of cortisol in the blood and an increase in prostaglandin. In practice, this leads to an increase in cell metabolism in tissues.
• Next is the phase of a significant increase in compensatory processes. When there is an increase in tissue respiration, carbohydrate metabolism, when lymph circulation and blood circulation increase.

How is milk stasis treated with ultrasound?

Since ultrasound is considered active physical factor, which has a multilateral effect on the body, it is more than appropriate to use it when treating a condition such as lactostasis.

With lactostasis, such treatment is prescribed because this physiotherapeutic technique is an adequate (correct) physico-chemical stimulus that can trigger a variety of mechanisms that contribute to bringing the internal environment of the body into its normal conditions. Thus, all the natural defenses of the body are launched, which ultimately contributes to the speedy solution of problems with milk stagnation.

Lactostasis is treated using this technique also because the effect of ultrasound accelerates the processes of tissue regeneration, promotes the resorption of infiltrates, the disappearance of traumatic edema, various exudates, etc.

Standard effects of ultrasound therapy in the diagnosis of lactostasis are carried out, without fail, through a special contact medium, which excludes the presence of air directly between the working surface of the vibrator and the skin surface of exposure.

How is the treatment with ultrasound can be clearly seen on the video. At the same time, it is important to say that the reviews of the patients themselves, suffering from the stagnation of breast milk after the procedure, are always only the most positive.

How can they be identified?

• nervousness, sleep disturbance and appetite;
• allergies (watery eyes, rashes, runny nose);
• frequent headaches, constipation or diarrhea;
• frequent colds, sore throat, nasal congestion;
• pain in the joints and muscles;
• chronic fatigue(You get tired quickly, no matter what you do);
• dark circles, bags under the eyes.