What do nipple discharge say?

When nipple discharge is not dangerous

The structure of a woman's breast resembles bunches of grapes, where the berries are the alveoli that produce milk, and the branches are the ducts through which it collects and flows out of the nipples. The cells of the inner layer of the glands are gradually renewed throughout life, slough off and, with a small amount of intercellular fluid, are excreted. This is how normal transparent discharge appears, sometimes with a yellow or brown tint. They can be seen by pressing on the nipple.

But the main function of the mammary gland is to feed the baby. Preparation for this begins already during pregnancy. When pressing on the chest, a sticky liquid may appear, which after childbirth will be replaced by milk. Lactation continues for 1–2 years after the birth of the baby, the rest of the time the breast is at rest.

It is also not dangerous if a woman stops breastfeeding, and after 3-6 months milk appears again from the nipples: this condition can persist Nipple discharge up to 2-3 years.

What nipple discharge indicates disease

Various nipple discharge from the nipples can be a sign of pathology, both in women and in men.

Dairy

Milk drops sometimes come out of the nipples, although the woman is not pregnant and does not have a baby. In this case, the discharge is associated with an increase in the level of prolactin in the blood. It is actively produced after childbirth in the pituitary gland, a small gland in the brain. In other women and men, the concentration of the hormone is minimal. An increase in synthesis can occur with Nipple Discharge with pituitary tumors, hypothyroidism, or under the influence of certain drugs Galactorrhea, Galactorrhea:

contraceptives;
antidepressants;
high pressure drugs;
cannabinoids;
opiates;
prokinetics.

Bloody

Blood or brown sticky fluid most often occurs with intraductal papilloma, fibrocystic breasts, trauma or breast cancer. The older the woman, the higher the likelihood that such discharge is associated with cancer.

By the way, in men, breast cancer also occurs with breast cancer, although much less frequently than in women. The symptoms are similar.

Yellow-green

If a focus of inflammation appears in the chest, blood leukocytes, bacteria join the dead cells, the discharge becomes yellow-green. It occurs with mastitis, Mastitis, or with suppuration of a tumor. In this case, the gland turns red, swells and hurts a lot. The disease usually develops on one side - either on the left or on the right.

Black or green

A thick black or green liquid speaks of pathology, while the nipples are drawn inward, and the chest hurts and turns red. These are the symptoms of Mammary Duct Ectasia ectasia of the lactiferous duct.

What to do if nipple discharge appears

If you are a woman and do not breastfeed, or if you are a man, any discharge should be a reason to see a mammologist. Without consulting a doctor, it is impossible to determine whether this is a variant of the norm or a pathology.

The following methods are used for diagnosis:

Cytological smear. A drop from the nipple is squeezed onto the glass and sent for analysis. A lab technician can detect tumor cells and suggest cancer.
Ultrasound Ultrasonographic evaluation of women with pathologic nipple discharge of the breast. Quickly and safely helps to determine the expansion of the ducts or papilloma in them, a tumor.
Mammography Mammogram. X-ray method, recommended for women over 40. The images are informative for the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Ductography. A thin catheter is inserted into the nipple, and a special solution for contrasting through it. After that, a picture is taken, which clearly shows papillomas or enlargements of the ducts.
Biopsy Breast biopsy. It is performed if a node is found on ultrasound or mammography. The doctor uses ultrasound to control the position of the neoplasm and takes a tissue sample from it with a thin needle.
CT or MRI Galactorrhea: Diagnosis and Tests of the Brain. The examination is necessary for women and men with milk secretions to examine the condition of the pituitary gland.
Blood test for hormones. Prescribed if the doctor suspects that the patient has hypothyroidism or other endocrine disorders.

How to get rid of nipple discharge

The method of treatment depends on the cause and must be chosen by the doctor. In some cases, medications are prescribed. For example, with hypothyroidism or an increased level of prolactin Galactorrhea: Management and Treatment, drugs are needed that affect the production of hormones. But if the secretion of milk is associated with a pituitary tumor, the mammologist will refer the patient to a neurosurgeon. He will decide whether an operation is needed.

If the cause of the discharge is mastitis, intraductal papilloma, or Breast Cancer: Management and Treatment of the breast, surgery is necessary.

In case of Mammary Duct Ectasia ectasia of the lactiferous duct, antibiotics and other medications will be prescribed first, and if it does not help, they will have an operation.