Treatment
As women are naturally prone to suffer from some degree of breast engorgement, the main part of treatment is prevention. This means breastfeeding the baby whenever he or she seems hungry and making sure that the baby is latching on and feeding well. In cases when the baby is not hungry enough to empty the breasts, the breast should be nursed or pumped.
Avoiding caffeine and chocolate as well as wearing a well fitting maternity bra with wide straps that do not scratch and with a cup that comfortably holds the entire breast usually help in easing the discomfort and other symptoms.
If the symptoms persist and tend to worsen, the patient is advised to seek a doctor. Depending on the severity of the condition, the doctor may recommend pain killers such as ibuprofen, cool water compresses, massaging and nursing the breasts.
If the cause is not due to pregnancy then the best remedy is self therapy (milking of the breast).
Read more about this topic: Breast Engorgement
Famous quotes containing the word treatment:
“The treatment of the incident of the assault upon the sailors of the Baltimore is so conciliatory and friendly that I am of the opinion that there is a good prospect that the differences growing out of that serious affair can now be adjusted upon terms satisfactory to this Government by the usual methods and without special powers from Congress.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)
“Ambivalence reaches the level of schizophrenia in our treatment of violence among the young. Parents do not encourage violence, but neither do they take up arms against the industries which encourage it. Parents hide their eyes from the books and comics, slasher films, videos and lyrics which form the texture of an adolescent culture. While all successful societies have inhibited instinct, ours encourages it. Or at least we profess ourselves powerless to interfere with it.”
—C. John Sommerville (20th century)
“I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrongdoing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly, I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion. I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art.”
—Hippocrates (c. 460–c. 370 B.C.)