Painful stinging sensation

[Kailani]

My boobs have this awful stinging pain, almost like a sharp stabbing kind of pain, it's hard to describe. It is worse just after a feed but still occurs at most times. I've heard these are symptoms of thrush. Could I have it? And how would I know if I have it? Any help would be much appreciated

[Acacia]

Hi Holly,

Firstly, congratulations on the birth of your little boy!

I have experienced sharp stinging in my breasts as well (on and off since DD was about 3-4 weeks old), and it usually occurs between feeds, but occasionally straight after. I spoke to a BF counsellor about it, and they concluded that it wasn't thrush. Thrush would give you a deep, aching sensation for 20+ mins directly after a feed and possibly very sore nipples. Another indicator would be the way it affects your baby - there could be problems with attachment and feeding as it could hurt your baby's mouth. Also to watch out for is a white "coating" on your nipples or in bub's mouth, especially on their tongue. Do you have any of these things happening?

The stinging I experienced would be strong, but only last seconds at a time, right through the day. I've worked out (as it continues to happen sometimes even now) that it happens the most when DD is trying to increase my supply to match her needs (growth spurts) as it often happens in conjunction with when she was feeding vigorously and quickly, as well as more frequently.

I have thought that it is my ducts and reservoirs in my breasts learning to hold more milk, and doing what ever they need to do physiologically change to produce milk in quicker/greater amounts.

Have a talk to a counsellor at the ABA if you're concerned, and perhaps Barb Glare will come in and let you know what she thinks, but my thoughts are that you're getting that sensation as your breasts adjust physically to the increased demand on them as your little bub grows and requires more, especially if you don't have any other symptoms of thrush.

HTH,

Miss C

[~clover~]

I had thrush with DS at 6 weeks. It's hard to know if thats what it is.
From what I remember the stinging was kind of itchy?
Does your bub have oral thrush? Milky white on the toungue/inside mouth that can bleed if wiped off.

The best cure IMO is Nilstat. You put it on your nipple, then feed bubs. That way it stays in bubs mouth a bit longer too. Its sposed to be swished in the mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.
Just be warned, its bright yellow & will stain your bra's/clothes if you aren't careful & it will stick your breast pad/bra to your nipple if still wet when you put them on.

I ended up just using it, kind of trial & error, to see if it worked.

Good luck

BTW, my LC suggested a warm (not hot) washer on my nipple just before a feed. I don't know if it's just for thrush, but there was no pain when I fed!

[Arcadia]

Have a look at your nipples when you feel the pain. Are they white at the tips?

Do you get it when you get out of the shower too?

I had a similar pain for the first three weeks. Like a stingy, stabbing like pain in the nipple and radiating out into the breast after a feed and when my nipples were exposed to cold air. It was nipple vasospasm...where the blood flow to your nipples is constricted. It can be caused by poor attachment. It can also just be sensitivity cased by the new experience of having something chomping on the nipple 12 times a day!! Mine went away on its own...

HTH

[Olive]

holly i think i have thrush too nipple were burning all night and DD didnt feed well this morning, ive been and gotten stuff for the both of us as well as some probiotics

[Kailani]

Yes DS's tongue is white! But I haven't noticed it on my nipples...will look out next feed.

Anna, yes it is very bad after a shower, I can't dry them it hurts too much and they definitely hurt more in cold air. That really sounds like what I have!

DS feeds fine though, it doesn't seem to affect him. I think I'll go to the pharmacy today and see what they say, could be a matter of trial and error to figure it out. It really hurts though!

Thanks so much for the replies, it's been really helpful AJP, tell me how the probiotics go!

[~clover~]

Mine hurt the same as Vasospasm too. I've never really heard of it before.
Mine got better after the thrush treatment though, so I guess thats what it was.

It does sound like your bub has thrush. I'd go have a chat to the chemist. As I said I swear by Nilstat coz it will clear both bubs & you up at the same time & you only need one thing.

I hope thats all it is. You could always try the Nilstat, or an antifungal cream, JIC.

Good luck

[MantaRay]

Holly, this pain sounds like either thrush or bacterial infection (mastisis). Either could cause the pain you have described. Before you try a treatment, you might be better off seeing a medical professional first, to determine which it is. Try and find a bfing friendly one because they don't all know a lot about breast problems!

[Arcadia]

yes it is very bad after a shower, I can't dry them it hurts too much and they definitely hurt more in cold air.

Sounds like vasospasm to me, but I would go and see a LC to help determine if its thrush or vasospasm. If its the latter, there isn't really a solution, but hold a warm face washer on your nipples after a feed and try and keep them warm.

Mine went away on its own (basically when DD's mouth was bigger and she got the hang of feeding better).

I hope you find a solution soon.

[Kailani]

MantaRay I went to the GP last week as I was feeling really ferverish and she told me I had mastitis so I've been taking ab's (but been reeeally bad with taking them - keep forgetting ). But this pain is a different pain to what my bb's felt like last week with the mastitis (hot, red, engorged, lumpy)...my nipples are really sensitive, I can't even cover them with clothing without pain.

I noticed the tip of my nipple looked a bit whitish after a feed today as was DS's tongue but then his tongue wasn't white when I checked again later

I think I'll try the nilstat (thanks bjrose) just to see if it is thrush

Miss C, thanks for the congrats

Thanks Anna, I'll start keeping them warm - I've just been airing them out all day. At night I sleep with my chest uncovered because it stings to have anything touching my nipples

Another thing I forgot to add...sometimes I get this weird sensation in the areola and it goes all shriveled up, like really shriveled and it stings and hurts to touch. I have no idea why this happens and it can happen at any time, not just after a feed.

This is so frustrating! I've just managed to stop expressing and get DS back onto the right breast after having badly cracked/grazed nipples and attachment problems and now when I think I've got it right this happens How can something so natural be so difficult and painful?!

[Olive]

holly if you were on AB's last week then you may well have thrush as the AB's kill the bad and good bacteria, im using nilstat too

[Acacia]

Holly, I agree with MantaRay - might be a good idea to go and see a GP or ask your MCHN, or another professional that is clued into BF problems.

Just be aware that white on your bub's tongue could just as well be a coating of milk (which happens a lot!) rather than thrush. Might be best to have a look inside her mouth before a feed, rather than afterwards, when there's less likely to be milk coating it. A milk coating would wipe away whereas thrush might cause bleeding if you try to wipe it away.

It's also possible to have thrush without any white either in bub's mouth or on your nipples, hence it might be a good idea to see a professional.

I guess reading through others posts what I have been experiencing is vasospasm too, although I never knew that til now! Perhaps DD feeding vigorously meant she wasn't attached quite properly... is there a LC you can speak to about your attachment - especially if your nipples are particularly sore?

Anyway, I hope you find some answers and that the pain gets better really soon.

Miss C

[MantaRay]

As AJP says, the fact that you have been on ABs makes thrush a likely explanation. But the white nipple could be vasospasm as well. Seeing an LC could be a good idea and the ABA helpline also should be able to help you figure out what the cause is. The good news is that all these things can be treated so it will get better!

[Acacia]

I posted before I got to see your reply, Holly. It's really frustrating, and I'm sorry that your experiencing these problems, hun. BF is very natural, but it doesn't mean it comes easy, or that it's at all instinctive. Hang in there, you're doing really well to make the effort to work out what is happening, especially when you've been struggling with mastitis already.

If the white coating on your bub's tongue is not there anymore then it definitely will have been milk. With your nipple looking whitish straight after a feed (and especially if that goes away later too) that could be a sign of issues with your baby's latch and that your nipple is being compressed in bub's mouth the wrong way, affecting the blood flow, and causing the stinging. Does it hurt particularly badly when you feed him? Especially when he first gets attached? Does the white look to your nipple go away after some time? Is your nipple shape round or squeezed into a different shape when DS finishes feeding?

Your areola shrivelling sounds like it could be a vasospasm related thing?

Can you call the ABA helpline to ask for advice?

[Arcadia]

Another thing I forgot to add...sometimes I get this weird sensation in the areola and it goes all shriveled up, like really shriveled and it stings and hurts to touch. I have no idea why this happens and it can happen at any time, not just after a feed.

Hun, this is exactly what I had and my LC said it was vasospasm. Its caused by the constriction of blood flow to the nipples. I also couldn't dry myself (omg the pain) or wear anything...but the cold air made it worse!! I also had pains in my breast in association with it. Not like mastitis (a dull ache) but more of a quick stab.
It was worse after feeds, but I also got it at random times.

Mine was caused purely from the fact I had really sensitive nipples and a tendency for chill blaines etc. It is also associated with poor attachment (my bub kept slipping back off the nipple to accommodate the fast flow).

Mine went away on its own after a few weeks (I can't remember when).

Keep the warm washers handy for after feeds and avoid exposing your nipple to the cold air (i.e. try and keep warm!)

HTH

[Kailani]

My midwife & gp both think it's thrush from what I've described & because I've been taking ab's. But Anna, you've got me convinced I have vasospasm! I guess I could have both? I've got Diflucan tablets as well as Daktarin gel as this is what my midwife and gp told me to get...I haven't started taking them though and I'm concerned because the packet for the Diflucan says not to take when breast-feeding and that it's for vaginal thrush and the packet for the Daktarin says not to use for infants under 6 months! My gp reassured me that it was fine, but I'm still worried

Miss C, it hurts when he first attaches but then the pain subsides, although I'd still say it remains uncomfortable and slightly painful. When he comes off my nipple is usually round and in good shape but sometimes if he's pulled off a bit beforehand then my nipple can look misshapen and pinched. And yes the white look on the nipple goes away after a while.

I've also noticed DS has a red blister type thing on the tip of his tongue. He doesn't appear to be in any pain/discomfort though. What could this be from? I know he has a very strong suck, as that's what I've been told by numerous midwives when I had attachment problems.

Anna, I've always had really sensitive nipples too - it's really not helping!!

ANyway, I guess I'm just wanting to know if I should take the thrush treatment or is there any harm in taking it even if I don't have thrush? Or should I just wait it out and assume it's vasospasm...I'm going to call the ABA tomorrow and see what they say but would like to know everyone's thoughts as well

Thanks so much for all the advice.

[~clover~]

Hun, as I said before Nilstat is safe. I used it with both my youngest.
Put it on my nipple before a feed then feed straight away. That way it cleared up me & them at the same time.
You could ask the chemist about it & make up your own mind.

Good luck

[Arcadia]

If your caregivers think its thrush, then I would use the recommended treatment.

You possibly do have vasospasm too, but there isn't really a treatment for it other than watching the attachment each time and trying to keep those nipples warm. It will go in time when your nipples toughen up a bit.

Oh hun...what a pain for you! I still cringe when I remember getting out of the shower in those early days...ouch. My nipple would shrivel up and be excruciating to touch. Ouch!!

Good luck!!