Mastitis Treatment Sydney
Treatment for Blocked Ducts
Mastitis occurs when blockages form in the milk ducts, resulting in painful swelling, redness, and tenderness. Mastitis can make feeding a lot more uncomfortable than usual, and impossible at times due to the pain.
Papaya Clinic is a women’s health clinic providing mastitis treatment in Sydney for women experiencing discomfort and difficulty with breastfeeding. We provide support for mastitis using therapeutic ultrasound and lymphatic drainage, to break up blockages in the milk duct, and reduce inflammation.
Our mastitis treatment is evidence-based - therapeutic ultrasound can directly increase cell wall permeability and reduce pain and swelling. Following therapeutic ultrasound, lymphatic drainage massage can soothe the surrounding tissue and clear any remaining blockages in the lymphatic system.
Papaya Clinic’s multi-disciplinary women’s health team can advise on breastfeeding positions, what to do before, during and after breastfeeding, and demonstrations on how to self-massage the area.
Prenatal and Postpartum Support
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Pelvic Girdle Pain
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Abdominal Separation
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Urinary Incontinence
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Pain with Intercourse
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Pelvic Tension
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Pelvic Organ Prolapse
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Bowel Dysfunctions
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Vaginal and Vulva Health
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Prenatal and Postpartum Support ~ Pelvic Girdle Pain ~ Abdominal Separation ~ Urinary Incontinence ~ Pain with Intercourse ~ Pelvic Tension ~ Pelvic Organ Prolapse ~ Bowel Dysfunctions ~ Vaginal and Vulva Health ~
When to Seek Mastitis Support in Sydney
Mastitis is a common condition affecting around 20% of breastfeeding women in Australia. The key signs of mastitis and blocked ducts include:
Tenderness in the surrounding breast tissue
Redness of the breast, particularly in a wedge-shaped area
Inflammation and a sensation of warmth
Hard lumps within the breast
These observable signs are usually accompanied by flu-like symptoms including muscle aches, fever, chills, and general fatigue. Mastitis will also make breastfeeding difficult due to a reduced milk supply or pain.
Mastitis can be infectious and non-infectious. If left untreated, non-infectious mastitis can progress to an infection. Unlike non-infectious mastitis, which only involves blocked ducts, infectious mastitis will require clinical treatment (typically prescribed antibiotics).
Our women’s health team can assess the condition of mastitis to determine whether treatment can be applied immediately, or whether there’s an infection that should be managed first.
What Mastitis Treatment Looks Like
In the initial consultation, we will conduct a thorough assessment of your symptoms, followed by a recommendation of treatment based on the severity of the condition.
Our therapeutic ultrasound sessions for mastitis treatment are typically conducted over 3 sessions, at least 24 hours apart. An ultrasound device will be placed on the affected area for 10-20 minutes - this process is not painful and only involves a warm sensation. Research indicates that the majority of women require between 1-4 sessions to resolve symptoms. (Lavigne & Gleberzon, 2012)
Following ultrasound treatment, we may apply a lymphatic drainage massage to continue soothing the surrounding tissues in the armpit, neck, and shoulders.
We encourage women to bring their babies along to the appointment to attempt feeding after treatment. This will allow our women’s health physios to assess the effectiveness of treatment and provide additional advice to prevent mastitis from recurring.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our mastitis treatment can support the recovery of infectious mastitis, but it is not a replacement for treatment and antibiotics from your GP. If we determine that your condition is infectious, we can direct you to clinicians for a diagnosis. Once you are on antibiotic treatment, we can carry out therapeutic ultrasound.
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Yes - it is both safe and recommended to continue feeding if you have mastitis. Stopping feeding can worsen the condition and potentially lead to a more serious condition, like an abscess. That being said, tenderness and swelling can make feeding more uncomfortable than usual - this is where we can help by providing pain management and improved strategies for feeding.
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Blockages typically clear up following 1-3 days after treatment. Most of the women we work with report reduced pain and swelling within a day or two after therapeutic ultrasound and massage.
Book an appointment
For all new patients, please book an Initial Appointment with one of our practitioners so we can start creating a healthcare treatment plan to help you kickstart your health journey.
Any questions, please see our FAQ page!