Heat feels better than cold, of course. Heat is a pain relief measure
on its own, as the heat message gets to the brain faster than the pain
message. The cold message does too, actually, but it's no where near as
emotionally comforting, as applying heat. So heat will make the person
feel less discomfort, and therefore they will feel it 'works'. As to
whether it is helping or hindering...
There was a discussion about this here a year or so ago, and I think it
was Coach Smith (couldn't find the posts) who said that heat and
inflammation are not good partners, that inflammation is better reduced
by cold. For mastitis, putting heat on heat, is surely compounding the
problems? (That's a general comment, not directed at Gonneke's comments
below).
The hot shower massage, for moving down plugged ducts/mastitis, still
worries me, as it's heat on inflammation, and I'm sure it's the
warmth/comfort issue that's so.. comforting.
Interesting on the ice. I recently said to put cold on a case of
mastitis, and someone else said "PUT ICE ON A HOT BREAST!" in genuine
shock. I was pretty shocked too.. as I'd said 'cold'.
Language...language...language...
To move it sideways somewhat, my midwife told me to pout hot water into
a disposable nappy, and curve it around my breast, for relief. It's a
nifty use of a disposable nappy. But I'd be suggesting cold water and
putting it in the fridge first now! :-)
Everyone knew when I was growing up, that washing before going outside
in winter, would kill you, as the cold would enter your open pores.
Likewise, you couldn't wash your hair and go out, as you'd "catch your
death of cold". Curiously, you weren't allowed to wash your hair or
have a bath during menstruation either, as you'd similarly wither and
die - but that was all the year round, and not someone linked to cold.
The small things that central heating and hair dryers and suchlike are
robbing us of... such as the knowledge that cold air will kill you stone
dead, if you've opened your pores before leaving the house! :-)
Morgan Gallagher
(Who was out in the -4C last night, and is still alive to tell the tale...)
gonneke van veldhuizen wrote:
> Actually, my dear friends, I think that getting rid of the engorgement itselfs will pretty much do the trick of easing the discomfort. So massaging, warmth, prefeably moist warmth, and rigorous, maybe even agressive breast emprying will do it. Not taking of the edges, no brief letting go of the milk ejection reflex, but emptying as far as possible and then take a fresh start.
>
> Warmly,
>
> Gonneke, IBCLC in PP, LC lecturer in southern Netherlands
>
> --- On Wed, 12/23/09, Rachel Myr <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> From: Rachel Myr <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: [LACTNET] discomfort from engorgement
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 1:18 AM
>
> Believe it or not, women in Norway are advised to use heat for this, in the form of scarves around their upper bodies or wool underwear, and they are often sent to take hot showers and 'massage' their breasts though the exact technique is not well described. It works approximately as well as doing nothing, i.e. the engorgement eases up after a couple of days.
>
> There is a very strong belief here that cold causes mastitis. Even sitting in a cold draft can bring it on. Sitting on cold ground is also believed to cause bladder infections. A lot of us might be more inclined to blame a pathogen in a place it doesn't belong for both conditions, but here a woman wouldn't dare take the risk of mastitis from icing down her nipples. Cultures are different.
>
>
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