Shooting pain! ouch! help!

[rhiOrion]

I have a shooting pain on the underside of my left breast.

Details:
Left breast produces more
Just returned to work last week and am pumping during the day
Am having trouble pumping enough during the day
I think my flanges are too big (have ordered smaller ones)
Am taking more milk plus tincture
Am doing breast compressions
Am nursing at lunch time

I don't see any white in her mouth

It feels like I want to either push in on the spot, or scratch it, when it hurts. It is random, not constant, and doesn't seem to care if I'm nursing at the time or not.

Blocked duct? Thrush? Breast compressions that are too hard? What's your diagnosis*, internet?!

And how do I make it go away!

(*yes, I know you can't actually diagnose. But it sounded better than "what's your best educated guess based on the limited information I have given you, internet")

[PatioGardener]

I think you are describing the exact pain I felt when I had a milk blister/bleb. It was a strange, random sharp pain that cleared when I found the bleb and busted it* and then worked out that duct.

*not approved treatment for a bleb! see http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...html#Treatment

[cappuccinosmom]

For me the shooting pain is the first sign of mastitis. The last time I had it it was *all* severe, sharp pain. I coped better with labor than with that.

People kept insisting that sharp pain is thrush but I must be "special" because it was mastitis for me.

[sunnygir1]

I guess I might be one of those "thrush insisters". When I had the type of pain you described it was thrush.

Here's what I did and it helped within 1 day to 1 week:
mama and baby take probiotics (acidophilus, bifidus, etc.)
rinse/wipe/spray breasts with a vinegar solution after each feeding (5 parts water 1 part vinegar or weaker if it stings too much)
let breasts air dry as much as possible
limit/cut out sugar and other sweets, refined carbs, yeast, etc. in the diet

ETA: It can't hurt to try this even if it doesn't turn out to be the answer.

[rhiOrion]

Hmmm. Pain was better night before last and yesterday morning. Then after a day of pumping it came back with a vengeance.

Is better this morning.

I'm betting it starts again after another day of pumping.

This is making me lean more towards plugged duct than thrush. Or maybe just soft tissue damage? Though I was thinking about getting some baby probiotics anyhow. And some for me, if I can find some that are chewable or something, and dairy free. I suck at swallowing pills.

[lilmissmommy]

I think that you should visit your gynecologist to get a professional opinion, if you can.

[rhiOrion]

Trying to avoid that if at all possible. I have pretty much no vacation/sick leave left after my maternity leave, and my midwife is 30 minutes away each direction.

No pain today. So maybe it was a duct that has cleared itself.