How Long Does a Clogged Milk Duct Last and What is a Clogged Milk Duct?
Clogged milk ducts are a common breastfeeding challenge, often leaving new parents wondering what they are and how long they last. A clogged duct happens when inflammation narrows the milk ducts, causing pain, swelling, and feeding difficulties. The good news? With the right evidence-based strategies, most clogged ducts clear within hours to a few days. If you need more help and are looking for treatment for clogged ducts, we’d love to help you at our clinic.
As a pelvic floor therapist who also is the mom of 2, I find my own postpartum journeys were like mini case studies.
I’ve written in the past about my own experiences with labor and childbirth (spoiler alert: my first birth was a Cesarean following 37 hours of labor).
The reality is that simply being a women’s health specialist does not preclude one from dealing with all of the fun challenges that happen around pregnancy and childbirth.
I breastfed both of my daughters, and like many first-time mothers, I expected breastfeeding to be pretty easy and straightforward.
I did not realize that I would struggle with latching, experience painful engorgement, and worry constantly about producing the right amount of milk.
This brings us to clogged ducts.
When I first experienced a clogged duct, I had no idea what to do! I went to the internet and the facebook message boards in search of answers.
And, I tried most of the things→ hot hot showers with water pounding on my breasts, deep massages where I actually had bruising, feeding–feeding–and overfeeding– and the list goes on.
And guess what? Most of what I did was not evidence-based nor was it effective.
As we learn better, we do better– so my hope today is to save you all time and help you get to effective and evidence-based strategies to manage those painful clogged ducts.
So, what are clogged ducts?
Well the name doesn’t necessarily accurately describe what is happening. Clogged ducts are a common problem for postpartum lactating individuals. They are typically caused by inflammation which leads to narrowing around the milk ducts, which then leads to decreased milk flow and sometimes can lead to fully blocked milk ducts.
Around 20% of individuals deal with clogged ducts in the early stages of breastfeeding.
If you breastfeed or pump, you have the potential to experience clogged ducts.
What causes clogged milk ducts?
There are several known causes to this type of inflammation around the milk duct. It can be caused by infrequent feeding or pumping of breast milk, hyperlactation, poor latching or improper latching technique, tight clothing and stress.
What are the symptoms for clogged milk ducts?
There are many common signs and symptoms for clogged milk ducts. Here are some of the ones that I have commonly seen and treated:
Localized breast pain or tenderness, usually in one spot
Firm or hard lump that can be felt in the breast
Swelling or fullness in the affected area
Redness or warmth over the skin where the duct is inflamed
Decreased milk flow from that side (baby may seem frustrated while feeding)
Relief after feeding/pumping (though the lump may not fully resolve right away)
How long do clogged milk ducts last?
It really depends!
Clogged ducts can often resolve within a few hours, but may persist for a few days.
If clogged ducts persist beyond that, it can be important to make sure you are receiving support!
People you’ll want in your corner include:
Your physician (they can evaluate you and offer treatment if the clogged duct progresses to mastitis and needs further intervention)
A lactation consultant (they can help with your feeding plan, latch, positioning and a lot more!)
And a women’s health physical therapist
At SPH, our physical therapists help treat clogged ducts through offering holistic, conservative, and evidence based strategies like gentle lymphatic massage, therapeutic ultrasound, kinesiology taping and much more!
If you’re struggling with clogged milk ducts, here are a few research backed tips to try to treat your clogged milk duct at home:
Use cold…not heat! Clogged ducts are inflammatory, and heat can increase the inflammation. So, cold packs are your friend! Try using cold packs on the breast for 10-15 min a few times a day to reduce inflammation.
Keep your normal feeding schedule: It can be tempting to feed more frequently when clogs occur to try to “dislodge” the clog– but remember– clogged ducts are narrowed ducts due to inflammation— Not true “clogs” (ie a toilet clog). Over-feeding/over-pumping can actually worsen the problem– so stick to your normal pumping/feeding schedule!
Avoid tight/compressive clothing and bras: Tight clothing and bras can compress the inflamed areas and worsen the challenges you’re experiencing. Stick to comfortable, looser fitting options.
If you want to self-massage the area– aim for gentle and light massage. Remember, this is inflammation, so gentle lymphatic massage is what we need! Light strokes toward your armpit can be helpful. Massage should not be painful, and should definitely not cause bruising.
Don’t be afraid to seek help!! Our team loves helping people with clogged milk ducts and/or mastitis, and most people see relief in just 1-2 visits. We provide evidence based education and gentle, effective treatments like therapeutic ultrasound, gentle lymphatic massage, kinesiology taping, and a lot more!
Where to find clogged duct treatment in Atlanta and Marietta, GA
At Southern Pelvic Health, our physical therapists help treat clogged ducts through offering holistic, conservative, and evidence based strategies like gentle lymphatic massage, therapeutic ultrasound, kinesiology taping and much more.
We have two offices, one in Marietta and one in Atlanta and we are currently accepting new patients. Get started by requesting an appointment today. We'd love to help you.