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Mastitis & Plugged Ducts · Tucson
Painful, swollen, and stuck? We can help today.
Mastitis, recurrent clogs, and breast pain can get worse fast. We offer same-day medical evaluation, treat the cause, and follow current evidence so you feel better quickly and it is less likely to come back.
What we treat
Breast inflammation lives on a spectrum, and the right treatment depends on where you are on it. We care for engorgement, plugged and recurrent ducts, the inflammatory and bacterial forms of mastitis, vasospasm, thrush and bacterial overgrowth, milk blebs, and concerns about an abscess.
Most clogs and mastitis are driven by inflammation and disrupted milk flow more than by infection. Common triggers include oversupply or a forceful letdown, pumping too often or always pumping to empty, pressure from tight bras or carriers, long stretches between feeds, a shallow latch or inefficient transfer, and nipple damage that lets bacteria in. We find your trigger and fix it.
Current evidence has moved away from aggressive massage and “emptying” the breast. We follow up-to-date breastfeeding-medicine guidance, which often means gentler care, calming the inflammation, and treating the underlying driver rather than reaching straight for antibiotics.
How we help
- A medical exam to tell inflammatory from bacterial mastitis, and to rule out an abscess
- Therapeutic ultrasound when a stubborn plug or inflammation calls for it, offered both in our office and, for most of our service areas, right in your home
- Gentle milk-removal and anti-inflammatory comfort strategies, not aggressive massage or digging out clogs
- Evidence-based treatment, with antibiotics only when they are actually indicated
- Imaging referral when an abscess or mass needs to be ruled out
- Addressing the why, such as oversupply, latch, or transfer, so it is less likely to recur
Questions parents ask us
Should I keep nursing or pumping?
In most cases yes. Continuing to feed on a normal schedule is usually part of getting better. We will tailor this to your situation.
Will I need antibiotics?
Not always. Many plugged ducts and early, inflammatory mastitis improve without them. We prescribe when the evidence supports it.
Why does it keep happening?
Recurrent clogs and mastitis usually have a driver such as oversupply, a shallow latch, or inefficient transfer. We look for and address that, not just the flare.
Is the visit covered by insurance?
Often, yes. We’re in-network with most major commercial plans, AHCCCS, and TRICARE. Because we often see families quickly, sometimes the same day or the next morning, and we offer Saturday visits, we can’t always confirm benefits before your visit, and we never let that delay care. These are medical visits, so your plan may apply a copay, coinsurance, or deductible. We’ll help you understand your coverage, and final benefit details are ultimately between you and your plan.
Don’t wait for it to get worse.
Call for a same-day visit and we’ll calm the pain, treat the cause, and keep you feeding comfortably.