What Are the Most Common Causes of Stabbing Breast Pain?

Nipple cleft is one of the common diseases during lactation. In the mild case, only a crack appears on the surface of the nipple. In the severe case, local effusions and blood bleeds can cause small ulcers. Especially when breastfeeding, there is often a painful feeling of heartbreaking, which makes the patient restless and extremely painful. The main cause of this situation may be that the child bites the nipple while breastfeeding, or is caused by other injuries.

Basic Information

English name

cracked nipple

Visiting department

Gynecology

Multiple groups

Breastfeeding woman

Common locations

nipple

Common causes

Bitten nipples or other injuries

Common symptoms

Sharp pain, bleeding, exudation, and yellow scabs

Clinical manifestations of papillar palate

After the nipple is cracked, when the baby sucks, the nipple will feel sharp pain, bleeding, exudation, and scabies. Check the nipples. The small cracks or ulcers on the surface are the nipples. It can be one or more, with different shades, and the cracking of the nipple can be annular or vertical. The cleft palate is often tender, with the exudation of pale yellow serum or bloody fluid, and erosions can often be found in the sulci around the nipples.

Nipple Cleft Treatment

1. Breastfeeding should start on the breast on the side with less pain to reduce the sucking force on the breast on the other side and allow the nipple and part of the areola to be sucked into the baby's mouth to prevent the nipple skin from cracking.

2. Alternately change the position of the baby during breastfeeding so that the sucking power is spread around the nipple and areola.

3. Breastfeeding frequently to facilitate milk emptying, areola softening, and baby sucking.

4. After breastfeeding, squeeze a small amount of milk and apply it on the nipples and areolas. Shortly expose and dry the nipples. It is best to expose the sun near the window. Because milk has a bacteriostatic effect and is rich in protein, it is beneficial to the healing of nipple skin. After breastfeeding, you can also apply a thin layer of water-like lanolin on the nipple. It is harmless to the baby and does not need to be wiped off before breastfeeding.

5. Wear loose underwear and bra after breastfeeding, and put on the nipple cover, which is conducive to air circulation and healing of skin lesions.

6. If the nipple pain is severe or the breast is swollen, the baby cannot suck the nipple well. You can temporarily stop breastfeeding for 24 hours, but squeeze the milk and feed the baby with a small cup or spoon.

Nipple Cleft Prevention

To prevent cracked nipples, mothers should:

1. When breastfeeding, try to let the baby suck most of the areola, because the breast is concentrated under the areola. When sucking, the milk is sucked out like a pressure, and the baby can save milk and labor. It also protects the nipple, which is the most effective way to prevent nipple cracking.

2. The feeding time should be no more than 20 minutes. If the nipples are soaked in the baby's mouth without restriction, the nipple skin can be twisted, and bacteria in the baby's mouth can cause breast infection through damaged skin.

3. After breastfeeding, be sure to wait until the baby's mouth relaxes the nipple before gently pulling the nipple out. Pulling the nipple hard can easily cause nipple skin damage.