Lactational Mastitis

Lactational Mastitis

Q: Female, 24 years old. Her baby is over ten months old after birth. Due to insufficient milk supply, she has been storing breast milk during the day to feed at night since the eighth month. Recently, her right breast has become painful and developed a hard lump. The lump is not tender to the touch. An ultrasound shows breast enlargement. The doctor recommends emptying the breast and applying warm compresses. If she stops breastfeeding now, will the pain go away? Should she wait until the pain subsides before weaning?

A: A baby over ten months old can be weaned. Of course, you should first treat the current breast hyperplasia and mastitis. Breast pumping is one aspect, but you should also take a course of traditional Chinese medicine. These herbs work by soothing the liver and relieving depression, clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting blood circulation and removing stasis, and reducing swelling and relieving pain, with excellent results achieved through syndrome differentiation and individualized treatment.

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