This Is How To Treat Milk Blebs Or Sooth Pain
What are milk blebs or blisters? These are nipple pores that become blocked when a milk duct becomes clogged. Your breast milk becomes thick and hard as a result, which blocks milk flow near your nipple opening. Sometimes, a small amount of skin even grows over the bleb. They’re usually a tiny white or yellow spot on your nipple. The skin surrounding it may be red and inflamed, and you may notice severe pinpoint pain while nursing.
What causes milk blebs or blisters? Milk blisters are thought to be caused by milk within a milk duct that has been sealed over by the epidermis and has triggered an inflammatory response. The underlying cause of a milk blister may be an oversupply, pressure on that area of the breast, or the other usual causes of plugged ducts. Latch, suck, and or tongue problems may contribute to blisters because of friction on the tip of the nipple.
Thrush (yeast) can also cause milk blisters. Thrush occasionally appears as tiny white spots on the nipple but can also appear as larger white spots that block one or more milk ducts. If you have more than one blister at the same time, suspect thrush as the cause. Yeast is often accompanied by a “burning” pain, and the pain tends to be worse after nursing or pumping (whereas a plugged duct generally feels better after the breast has been emptied).
How to treat milk blebs or blisters: The milk bleb will usually go away on its own within about 48 hours. But to make it vanish faster, you can apply moist heat like a warm, wet washcloth for 10 to 15 minutes, then nurse your baby. The act of suckling may actually open the blister. Opening the blister yourself is not a recommended milk blebs treatment because it could become infected. If these steps don’t work after about two days, see your doctor, who can use a sterile needle to open the blister and clear it out.
