The discharge from the breast unilaterally or bilaterally, except during pregnancy and breastfeeding, is called nipple discharge. Nipple discharge can occur normally (physiologically) or it can be a symptom of a wide variety of diseases. Physiological nipple discharge can occur during pregnancy and lactation, as well as as a result of stress, excessive physical exercise, overstimulation of the breast, or irritation caused by an unfitting bra. It may also be associated with menstrual hormone changes and fibrocystic changes. Milky discharge after breastfeeding normally affects both breasts and can persist for up to two or three years after we stop breastfeeding.
Every human breast has between 15 and 20 milk ducts. Nipple discharge may be caused by one or more of these milk ducts. Nipple discharge is the third most common breast complaint after breast pain and breast mass. Nipple discharge can be seen in 50-80% of women of reproductive age. Most nipple discharges are associated with benign diseases (97%). But it needs to be evaluated by a Breast Surgeon to be sure. When men have nipple discharge, a physician should be consulted and investigated. In order to prevent this, it will be useful to leave the breast alone for a while without squeezing and to monitor whether the discharge will continue. It is very important to be. Nipple discharges that are considered pathological are spontaneous discharges. In addition, this type of discharge usually originates from a single breast. This type of nipple discharge is often caused by a benign breast disease.
However, it should not be ignored that it may also be associated with breast cancer, especially in the following cases:
Patients older than 40 years,
If the discharge is unilateral,
If it is spontaneous,
Water If it is clear or bloody, such as
If it is accompanied by a mass,
Pathological nipple white Possible causes of burping are as follows:
Galactorrhea: It is the milk coming from the breast outside the pregnancy and lactation period. Since the discharge has the appearance of milk, it is not difficult to distinguish it from other causes. It is a spontaneous discharge from both breasts and many channels. It is caused by an increase in the hormone Prolactin secreted from the pituitary gland. This increase may develop due to a prolactin-secreting adenoma in the pituitary gland. Some drugs can also cause high prolactin. These include oral contraceptives (birth control pills), hormonal drugs used in hormone replacement therapy, anti-nausea drugs, antidepressants and drugs used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. In addition, some herbs such as anise and fennel, and stimulants such as cocaine and cannabis can cause high prolactin levels.
Intraductal papilloma: They are benign, wart-like lesions that usually develop in the milk duct near the nipple. It may cause a clear or bloody nipple discharge. It is the most common cause of bloody nipple discharge. The discharge is usually unilateral and originates from a single channel. It can sometimes be detected by breast ultrasonography, but can be difficult to diagnose safely with a needle biopsy. Its treatment is surgical removal of the milk duct in which it is located.
Ductal ectasia (Ductal ectasia): It is a benign condition in which the milk ducts located under the nipple are enlarged and there is inflammation in the walls of the ducts. It is one of the most common causes of spontaneous nipple discharge. The discharge caused by duct ectasia is usually yellow, green or brown, coming from both breasts and more than one duct. In most cases, no treatment is needed. If the discharge is disturbing, the ducts behind the nipple can be surgically removed.
Fibrocystic changes: In addition to causing pain and itching, fibrocystic breast changes may cause the secretion of clear, white, yellow or green colored nipple discharge from time to time. The discharge is usually from both breasts.
Breast cancer: It is one of the rare causes of nipple discharge. Less than 5% of women with breast cancer have nipple discharge, and most of these women have nipple discharge. In addition, there are other symptoms that indicate breast cancer such as a mass, depression of the breast skin, or newly developed retraction of the nipple. The discharges due to breast cancer are usually bloody or dark colored and unilateral discharges because they contain blood.
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