I also have had recurring painful clogged ducts (and oversupply issues) here is what I found helps mine:
-the super hot showers (better than a heating pad)
- dangle feeding (or gravity as mentioned by pp) - you can also get the kiddo's chin lined up with the duct this way - which some people says helps
- and if I have one for more than 2 days I go see a Physical Therapist who does ultrasound therapy... worked 2 of the 3 times I went. I think you can find more info about US help from Jack Newman's book also info on kellymom.com
My doc told me if I get mastitis again I won't get put into the hospital, they will lance my breast open and drain it? Anyone else ever heard of this?! I don't know if it's because I had staph and strep infection the first time or if this is a new practice?
Lancing and draining is the treatment for an abscess (basically a pocket of infection that can't be penetrated well by antibiotics, and needs to be drained). So maybe he thinks you could have an underlying abscess?
No actually, it wouldn't. As long as the baby's mouth does not come into direct contact with purulent drainage or infected tissue, breastfeeding can continue. And it's not so much that the breast is cut open. Imagine something more like a gigantic pimple that gets lanced. You don't have to cut deep into the breast tissue itself, just under the ]skin to release the pus and bacteria.
Abscess doesn't rule out nursing. We've had a few moms here who of have nursed after having abscesses drained or after other breast procedures like biopsies that require a doc to cut into the breast.