Blocked duct, will I feel it release?

[LavalavalavaLamp]

I have a sore breast but no redness on the surface. Midwife I saw today said to massage in a warm bath which I did and expressed a bit.
Will I be able to tell when I've dealt with it?
My lo is 12 days old and ebf.

[FrankelandFilly]

Definitely keep massaging. I'm just getting over a bout of mastitis and it's been horrible. If you can feel any lumps at all in the breast give them a rub, even if it's just for 5 minutes with a warm flannel to ease the tenderness.

[Mythago]

I've never found it so obvious as feeling it release - more that I noticed the tenderness gradually going. Do keep an eye on it and encourage your baby to feed from that side as much as possible - that's the best way to avoid mastitis. I reserved expressing in hot shower/bath for when the babies were completely zonked and refusing to feed any more. They're so much more efficient than expressing!

If you do start to feel hot, ill and shivery, treatment is basically the same with the addition of painkillers and you retiring to bed with baby brought to you for for feeds if that is at all possible. Ibuprofen is fine while you're breastfeeding, despite what some pharmacists may tell you.

If the flu like symptoms last too long you may need anti-bs, but it's possible to feed through mastitis in some cases, as well as duct blocks.