Fluid comes out of the nipples when pressed. Dark discharge from the mammary glands on pressure

A fairly common problem with which women turn to a gynecologist is liquid discharge from the nipples. The nature and color of this liquid is different: the color ranges from transparent to brown, and the consistency is from watery to creamy. Let's try to figure out why in some cases the discharge from the nipple is brown, what it threatens, and how it is treated.

Causes of discharge from the chest

Discharge from the nipples occurs in any woman. But one must be able to distinguish the physiological nature of this phenomenon from the pathological one. Physiological causes - that is, discharge from a healthy woman - in 99% of cases are associated with pregnancy. They can occur early in pregnancy and continue after the baby has finished breastfeeding. Normal post-lactation discharges are those that end 3 years after pregnancy. In women who have given birth, occasionally fluid from the nipples can be released before menstruation.

Characteristics of physiological secretions:

usually transparent or slightly yellow;
do not have any impurities;
the amount of discharge in a non-pregnant woman rarely exceeds a few drops ();
do not smell or have the smell of breast milk;
not accompanied by chest pain.

Pathological discharge from the mammary glands is associated with any disease. They are characterized by the following features:

occur in non-pregnant women;
painted in some color: green, red, brown, green-yellow;
smell bad;
sticky to the touch;
the volume of secretions can exceed several tens of milliliters!

It is not necessary to have all the signs at once - one or two are enough to get worried and tune in for an examination by a mammologist.

Hello, my name is Veronica, I am 33 years old. I turn to you with the following problem. I work as a dancer in a nightclub. Recently, I began to notice that I had brown discharge from my chest and my chest hurts very badly. I don’t notice the connection between what day of menstruation and the strength of chest pain and the amount of discharge. What could it be? And how to treat? I have never given birth (I had 1 abortion about 5 years ago).

Hello Veronica. There are many reasons for brown discharge. In your case, two main ones can be assumed: these are periodic chest injuries (since you work as a dancer) and fibrinous-cystic mastopathy. In favor of the second option is the way of life - night work, irregular meals and “torn” sleep. Try to fix the living conditions and see what happens. But we advise you to go to a mammologist or a gyneologist for an examination, since brown discharge from the nipples also occurs with more formidable diseases, for example, with breast cancer.

Diseases in which brown discharge from the nipple is noted

The list of diseases in which fluid is secreted from the nipples includes more than 40 nosologies. These include:

Tumors of the pituitary gland and parahypophyseal fossa;
Ductectasia - expansion of the milk ducts;
Hormonally active tumors.

Let us dwell in more detail on those diseases that are accompanied by brown discharge from the nipples. Brown color to a secret of mammary glands gives blood.

At the same time, the admixture of fresh blood has a typically red color, but when the secretion in the ducts stagnates, the blood breaks down and changes color to brown. Blood can enter the milk when blood vessels are destroyed or when their permeability is increased. Such conditions are noted in the following diseases.

- the destruction of tissues is accompanied by the ingress of blood into the ducts, with its subsequent exit through the ducts.
Cancer of the ducts of the breast is an equally unpleasant pathology, accompanied by symptoms similar to breast cancer.
It is one of the forms of breast cancer. Manifested by an inverted nipple, weeping and peeling of the skin of the areola.

In any form of cancer, brown discharge is a pathognomonic (typical for this condition) symptom, so their appearance must be accompanied by an examination.

- a benign tumor disease characterized by the growth of small formations in the ducts of the gland. During their life cycle, these formations are destroyed and go out through the ducts. The color of such secretions can range from light brown to dark brown. With the addition of an infectious process and suppuration, the color can change to dark green.
. This disease occurs with a pronounced disorder of the hormonal status of a woman. The main symptom is the appearance of seals in the chest, painful when pressed. An additional sign of mastopathy is precisely the brownish discharge from the nipples. Not always with this pathology, the discharge is dark - in half the cases they can be light or slightly cloudy.
Chest injury. With mechanical action on the glandular tissue, microhematomas are formed, which further contribute to the coloring of the secretions in brown. These phenomena are especially clearly visible in lactating women - with injuries of the mammary gland in the first hours and days, milk stained with scarlet blood can be released, with every hour and day there is less and less fresh blood, but more and more old blood. Therefore, after a couple of days, the discharge may have a dark brown color. Typical is the one-sidedness of the lesion - from the side of the injured chest.

Menstruation and brown discharge from the chest

There was no relationship between the phase of the cycle and the color of the fluid released from the nipples. In women who have given birth before menstruation, a small amount of a transparent secret may appear, in other cases, discharge during menstruation and in other phases of the cycle is a sign of pathology.

Brown discharge from the nipple during pregnancy - when to run to the doctor

It must be said unequivocally: any significant changes in a woman are a sign of pathology. A consultation with a mammologist or gynecologist is required. You can wait a bit for a visit if there is a direct connection between a chest injury and brown discharge. However, if the color does not change for more than 2-3 days, you still have to go to the doctor - there is a risk of infection of the hematoma.

What to do when pregnant

Pregnant women also periodically notice brown discharge from the chest. With a thorough study of this issue, it becomes clear that the main reason for this phenomenon is nipple injuries, accompanied by blood entering the milk. Nipples can be injured if the baby is not properly attached to the breast, if the bra is uncomfortable, and in women with “tight” nipples.

What to do if a discharge is found?

The discharge of a brown secret from the nipples when pressed should definitely alert a woman. You can carry out a self-examination procedure, but, regardless of its result, you will have to go to the hospital - you cannot conduct instrumental examination methods on your own.

A visit to the doctor begins with the collection of an obstetric history, the specialist should find out the following information:

What time did sexual activity start?
the regularity and nature of menstruation (abundant or not, painful or painless, duration of menstruation);
time of the last menstruation;
the number of pregnancies and abortions.

During the conversation, the doctor touches not only on obstetric and gynecological issues, but is also interested in the presence or absence of other diseases. Of particular interest are diseases of the endocrine system - they can also cause discharge from the nipples.

There is no need to hide the presence of psychiatric and neurological diseases - for some of them, drugs are prescribed, the side effects of which are precisely discharge from the chest, for example, methyldopa, which is prescribed for parkinsonism, or antipsychotics.

The next step is palpation - palpation of the mammary gland. The purpose of this procedure is to identify lumps and nodules, as well as painful areas of the breast. These symptoms can be a manifestation of both mastopathy and breast cancer or Paget's cancer.

More accurate and informative research methods are:

Ultrasound of the mammary glands.

Both of these methods are mandatory in case of suspected tumor diseases of the breast, however, they must also be carried out as part of preventive examinations: mammography - for all women over 39 years old, ultrasound - for nulliparous women annually or as needed.

If you suspect the oncological nature of the disease, in addition, you need to do a CT scan or MRI of the skull, a blood test for hormones (prolactin). Consultation with a gynecologist is required to exclude diseases of the pelvic organs (ovaries and uterus).

In some cases, a fine-needle biopsy is necessary to distinguish mastopathy from a malignant tumor. When channels are damaged, ductography is performed.

How often do you visit a gynecologist (not during pregnancy)?

Please choose 1 correct answer

Once a year

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I don't remember when was the last time

When fluid is released from the breast, this phenomenon often indicates the development of a breast disease.

An exception is the period of bearing a baby, when such discharge from the chest can appear during pregnancy. Therefore, as soon as a non-pregnant woman begins to have white discharge from the nipples or a liquid of any other color for a long time, she urgently needs to undergo a study and, as soon as possible, carry out the treatment that the doctor will prescribe.

Such a symptom should alert the representatives of the stronger sex. After all, it can manifest itself if inflammation of the mammary gland develops in men or other pathological processes. Therefore, fluid from the mammary glands in both sexes is an alarming sign that you should immediately contact a specialist.

What causes discharge?

The female breast contains milk ducts, which are located between the fibrous and adipose tissue. Each canal has an opening at the top of the nipple. For all women, the number of ducts is individual, but the maximum number can be up to fifteen. Through the lactiferous ducts, not only milk and colostrum are produced, but also physiological secretion.

In the absence of diseases, the influence of external negative factors for whitish, transparent discharge from the mammary glands, the following condition is inherent:

scarce and plentiful;
thick and watery;
viscous or slimy.

Any homogeneous consistency of secretion from the channels is the norm, but only against the background of a transparent shade of liquid and a small volume. If there is too much discharge, it is not recommended to postpone a visit to the mammologist.

For a certain condition, there are indicators of the norm of a physiological secret:

Scanty, thick (one or two drops). It is noted with pressure on the chest in young girls and nulliparous women a few days before menstruation and during increased sexual arousal.
Not very plentiful, liquid. They are characteristic of older women and women who have given birth, but the appearance of a thick liquid is not excluded.
Viscous. Colostrum occurs during gestation, feeding the child and for several years after the cessation of lactation (individual indicator).

What could it be?

The first alarming symptom that indicates a possible disease is discharge from the mammary gland that occurs when pressed and on its own.

Reasons for withdrawals are:

Physiological: at birth - engorgement of the glands with the expiration of colostrum, the period of pregnancy and feeding, when the gland produces milk, residual discharge after the end of feeding.
Pathological - hormonal disorders in the body, age-related changes, inflammatory diseases of the mammary glands, tumors.

Pathological causes of discharge from the chest

The main causes of pathological discharge are as follows:

Chest injury (blows, bruises). If this happened without violating the integrity of the skin, then within two days bloody fluid can be easily squeezed out of the nipple.
Ductectasia is an ailment characterized by pathological expansion of ducts called subareolar canals. The disease is typical for women after 40, since its main cause is age-related changes. The disease does not pose a danger to health, but only if timely treatment is provided. Otherwise, serious consequences are not excluded.
Mastitis and abscess. Ailments either occur during lactation, or are the result of penetration of an infected object. With mastitis, the area of the gland becomes inflamed. The cause is a bacterial infection, in most cases Staphylococcus aureus. With an abscess, pus accumulates in the tissues of the chest, the affected area is limited from the healthy area.
Intraductal papilloma- papillary benign tumor. It appears in the duct near the nipple. Due to the development of the tumor, a thick liquid is released, in which blood impurities are sometimes present.
Fibrocystic mastopathy- the appearance of compacted areas of tissue in the mammary gland. The condition is dangerous because it can degenerate into cancer.
Malignant neoplasm (breast cancer)- a tumor that forms imperceptibly due to uncontrolled cell division. Allocations appear with pressure from both mammary glands or from only one.
Galactorrhea is a disease in which pressure from the nipple leads to the release of milk, but this does not apply to breastfeeding. The main cause of galactorrhea is a hormonal imbalance, an excess of prolactin. The disease sometimes accompanies diseases of the brain or thyroid gland.
Paget's disease is a malignant tumor that has engulfed the nipple or areola. The disease is extremely dangerous and needs prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Physiological causes of discharge

Physiological features explain the discharge:

Some time after the end of feeding. Allocations can be observed for the next two or three years. It depends on the age of the woman and the number of pregnancies.
During pregnancy. In the female breast, preparations are made for the birth of the baby and its feeding. The glands are trained to make milk and excrete it. Similar processes occur in the third, final trimester. The increased tone of the uterus stimulates the release of a cloudy white or yellowish liquid from both mammary glands.
When using contraceptives. Oral contraceptives contain hormones that stimulate lactation. Allocations should disappear after the abolition of contraceptives. They should be replaced with a different kind. But it is wise to do this only on the advice of a doctor.
After an abortion. The presence of secretions and their duration are determined by the period at which the abortion occurred. They can disturb a woman from several days to a month.

The allocation of a small amount of clear liquid is possible during the treatment with hormonal drugs, the use of antidepressants. The reason can be too tight bra, and physical overload.

Determine the color

By the color of the discharge, the doctor is able to easily determine the disease that is the cause of the disease:

Yellow. A creamy yellow discharge (colostrum) is discharged after childbirth in the first days. If a yellowish tint appears before menstruation and is accompanied by pain, then mastopathy can be assumed.
Purulent. Appear with the development of an abscess inside the ducts, observed with mastitis. Bloody discharge is dangerous. Often they indicate a malignant neoplasm.
White. Appear after taking contraceptives and with a pituitary tumor.
Greens. The dark green color is given by pus, which is released during mastitis.
Brown. Occur when a cyst or tumor forms in the mammary gland. A dark liquid is released when it enters the milk ducts of the blood when the capillaries are damaged.
Transparent. If they appear before menstruation, then this is the norm.
Blood. This is a sign of the development of a malignant neoplasm or damage to the blood vessels.
Black . They are observed during the decay of a malignant neoplasm.

The volume of liquid released can be small or quite abundant when it is necessary to use breast pads.

Breast self-examination

In order to “catch” the onset of the disease in time, it is useful to conduct a periodic breast examination on your own. It's easy and doesn't take much time.

Inspection is carried out in the first half of the monthly cycle after the end of menstruation

Having stripped to the waist, you need to stand in front of the mirror. Putting your hands down, carefully examine the chest - for redness, swelling, changes in the shape of the glands. Raise your hands behind your head, examine the chest in this position.
Gently squeezing the nipples at the base, check for any discharge.
Holding one hand behind the head, with gentle circular motions, examine each gland from the nipples to the armpits. Repeat the examination in the supine position.

Normally, no hardening or swelling should be felt in the chest. Any oddities should alert - discharge, retraction of the nipples, bulges, changes in skin color.

It is required to examine the breast on your own every 3-4 months, this will allow you to notice any changes in a timely manner.

When detecting discharge from the mammary glands, be sure to immediately consult a doctor. There is no need to panic or be afraid. The vast majority of glandular discharges are not cancer. Among doctors, the term “carcinophobia” is even common, the fear of this disease is so strong among patients. Timely diagnosis and treatment will prevent the development of complications.

When should you see a doctor?

There are a number of symptoms that should immediately contact a specialist:

discharge worried for more than two days;
they contain an admixture of blood;
the secret comes out of only one mammary gland;
the discharge has a thick consistency;
peeling appears on the skin of the nipple;
loss of symmetry (increase in size, formation of dense knots);
the color of the nipple and the area around it changes;
there are pains in the chest.

Discharge from the mammary glands with pressure, as well as any changes in this area, should not be ignored. Timely visits to the doctor, diagnosis, and therapy will help to avoid complications and serious illnesses.

Competent diagnostics

Pathological processes in the mammary gland are the sphere of influence of a mammologist. When contacted, it will be assigned:

mammography;
microscopy and sowing of the discharged mammary gland;
ultrasound procedure;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
clinical blood test;
cytological examination;
tests for the level of various hormones in the body;
radiography;
ductography;
biopsy, etc.

These diagnostic methods allow you to examine the structure of the mammary gland, assess the degree of its functionality, identify the presence of an inflammatory or infectious process, and also eliminate the risk of developing a cancerous tumor.

In addition, the doctor will listen to the patient, analyze her complaints, follow the anamnesis, learn about cases of malignant neoplasms in the woman's family.

He will then perform a thorough contact examination of the breast. The concentration and appearance of the separated fluid, as well as the presence of blood in it, will be necessarily evaluated. The specialist will carefully examine the condition of the breast itself. First of all, he will check the size, shape, color, type of nipple, its color and the severity of any changes for compliance with the norm.

If there are nodules, seals or painful neoplasms in the patient's mammary gland, he will conduct a differential diagnosis.

How to treat?

Discharge is not a disease, but only a sign of it. It is necessary to find out the cause that caused the symptoms of a particular disease in order to select a therapeutic treatment regimen. It can be conservative, but surgical opening of purulent cavities is not excluded:

Treatment of galactorrhea involves the elimination of the underlying cause that caused the disease.
Therapy of discharge from the chest with mastopathy is conservative, symptomatic.
With Paget's disease, the affected mammary gland is removed with a further course of chemotherapy.
Milk duct ectasia is treated with compresses, and if infected, antibiotics are prescribed. In special cases, surgical treatment is indicated.
Mastitis and abscess are cured with antibiotics or opening of purulent cavities.
Intraductal papilloma (benign formation) develops in the lactiferous duct near the nipple. Treatment consists of surgical removal of the affected area.
Hormonal failure for a woman's body has serious consequences. A blood test is required to study sex hormones. Hormonal preparations are prescribed for treatment.
In case of a chest injury after a mammological examination, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

With persistent discharge, surgical removal of the dilated lactiferous duct is possible. If a malignant tumor is detected, the patient is referred to an oncologist. She is prescribed a combined treatment that includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy in various combinations.

Prevention

To prevent the development of breast diseases it is necessary:

Maintain optimal body weight, daily physical activity
Follow a nutritious diet and sleep
Avoid blows, bruises, cuts, punctures and other injuries to the chest and décolleté
Do not neglect natural feeding
Give up bad habits, minimize the number of stressful situations
Avoid excessive use of hormonal drugs
Get examined by a mammologist twice a year

It is equally important to regularly carry out independent palpation of the glands. In the presence of neoplasms, they can be most clearly felt during menstruation. In everyday life, it is better to use comfortable underwear made of natural fabric. The bra should support the chest, not compress it.

The mammary gland is an organ that initially assumes the natural secretion of colostrum and milk. However, sometimes discharge from the nipples is in no way associated with lactation, but means the development of a disease.

Are such discharges always a sign of pathology, and when should you sound the alarm?

ICD-10 code

N64 Other disorders of breast

Causes of discharge from the nipples

Everyone knows the physiological (normal) discharge from the nipples - this is lactation, that is, the release of breast milk in pregnant and lactating women. However, sometimes such a phenomenon can mean the development of any pathology.

Ectasia of the ducts of the gland is the expansion of the subalveolar canals, which is most often associated with age-related changes in the glands. Ectasia discharge is thick, greenish-yellow or brown.
Papilloma is a benign tumor inside the duct, in which small bloody discharge appears.
Galactorrhea is the discharge of milky fluid from the nipple, which is not associated with pregnancy and childbirth. As a rule, this condition is explained by increased production of prolactin, a special hormone that stimulates the release of milk. In turn, the cause of galactorrhea can be treatment with contraceptives, hormonal imbalance, hypothyroidism, pituitary dysfunction.
Breast trauma can also cause nipple bleeding.
Inflammatory processes in the mammary gland with signs of suppuration can cause the release of pus from the nipple.
Changes in hormonal levels and, as a result, mastopathy are a common cause of discharge.
Cancer of the glands is an intraductal carcinoma or an invasive tumor. One of the signs of a malignant pathology is precisely the release of a liquid substance from the nipple.

Pathogenesis

The mammary glands are paired organs that perform the function of glands - that is, their purpose is to secrete secretions. But not everyone and not always. Everyone knows that the breast is the source of milk during lactation in women. Each gland consists of lobes and lobules, divided by specific partitions. Each lobe is connected to the nipple by a milk channel through which milk flows.

During the period of bearing a baby, glandular tissues swell, which means the moment of readiness for the process of breastfeeding.

just before the start of the monthly cycle and menstrual bleeding;
with sexual arousal, breast stimulation and orgasm.

In an excited state, a person produces the hormone oxytocin, which leads to a reduction in the milk channels. As a result, a few drops of a transparent (!) liquid may stand out. If the color of the liquid is red, black or green, this should alert the woman: perhaps the integrity of the tissues or duct is broken, which contributes to the ingress of blood or pus into the duct and out.

Symptoms of discharge from the nipples

There may be discharge from the nipples when pressing on the areola, but more often the secret flows out on its own.

The consistency of the separated substance can be liquid or viscous.

The color can also vary from clear, translucent, yellowish-greenish and milky discharge to bloody, brown and even black.

Most often, secretion appears in patients after 50 years, and at a young age - much less often. The risk of developing breast pathologies increases with age, as well as with the number of pregnancies, abortions, breastfeeding periods.

When discharge appears, it is necessary to carefully determine the amount, color and smell of the secret that has appeared. These signs may indicate the development of a certain pathology that needs to be treated without waiting for the occurrence of negative consequences.

White discharge from the nipples normally appears in the lactation period and represents breast milk. In other situations, it may be a sign of galactorrhea - excessive production of the hormone prolactin, which ensures milk production.
Yellow discharge from the nipples is also observed with galactorrhea, especially if the pathology is caused by insufficient liver or kidney function, thyroid diseases, disorders of the pituitary gland, or long-term use of hormonal drugs.
Brown discharge from the nipple may occur after a recent chest injury, or with other damage to the milk canals or vessels. Such lesions usually provoke tumors, such as cysts - in this case, the secret is often brown with a greenish or grayish tint.
Bloody discharge from the juice often indicates the presence of formidable diseases, more often of a malignant nature. However, in some cases, blood from the nipple is released during intraductal papilloma, which, however, can also degenerate into an oncological disease over time.
Green discharge from the nipple indicates that the secret contains more or less pus. In this case, the separated liquid may have a grayish or yellowish tint. This condition is inherent in mastopathy - a dishormonal disorder, which is characterized by the appearance of seals and soreness in the region of the glands.
Transparent discharge from the nipples can be caused by physiological causes - stress, the monthly cycle, stimulation. Normally, such transparent discharge is insignificant (just a few drops) and is not accompanied by smell and discomfort.
Purulent discharge from the nipple is a common problem in the development of inflammatory diseases of the breast. For example, purulent abscess formation can occur during breastfeeding, when an infection enters the milk ducts. Such a disease is often accompanied by soreness of the gland, redness of the areola and increasing swelling.
Sticky discharge from the nipple, with different colors - a typical symptom of deformation of the subalveolar ducts, or their blockage. An additional sign of this condition may be thickening of the tissues around the nipple, as well as an inverted nipple.
Gray discharge from the nipple is sometimes the cause of increased levels of prolactin in the body. Such a symptom can be observed during pregnancy, or with prolonged use of contraceptives and other hormone-containing drugs.
Discharge from the nipples with an odor usually accompanies inflammatory diseases of the mammary glands, namely, the purulent stage of the process. The fact is that bacteria and their metabolic products are able to exude a specific smell, which is especially pronounced with purulent discharge. Inflammatory diseases always occur with significant pain, redness and swelling of the glands. Temperature indicators can increase - both local and general body temperature.
Black discharge from the nipples in the vast majority of cases indicates the presence of blood in the secret, which is inherent in many tumor processes. In this case, the blood has a black color due to the fact that the pathological focus is most likely located deep in the tissues of the gland, and not directly near the surface.
Dry discharge from the nipples is a common symptom of breast ectasia. A dry or dense secret is formed from thick and viscous secretions that accumulate in the lumen of the lactiferous duct. Such a secret may have a different color and smell.
Cheesy discharge from the nipples is rare, but sometimes it happens if a fungal infection enters the milk ducts during breastfeeding. Particularly susceptible to the disease are those women who have cracks, sores on the nipples. Curd secretion may have a sour smell. At the same time, the chest hurts and itches, the volume of milk secreted may decrease.

Each disease of the mammary glands is defined by its symptoms. It is almost impossible to recognize the disease on your own, so seeking medical help should be immediate.

Discharge from the nipple before menstruation

If discharge from the nipple appears before or during menstruation, then such a sign may indicate a strong change in hormonal levels. We are talking primarily about the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for lactation. Changes in the hormonal background can be disturbed for several reasons, but most often this occurs as a result of prolonged use of contraceptive drugs.

The discharge before menstruation is usually insignificant, and the secret looks like colostrum: it can be transparent, light, yellowish. In order to determine the cause of this phenomenon, it is recommended to take a blood test for the content of prolactin.

Sometimes it happens that a woman continues to secrete a small amount of milk for several years after giving birth before menstruation. The reason for this may be the same prolactin, the level of which decreases more slowly than in other women.

Discharge from the nipples during pregnancy

Secretion from the mammary glands can begin not only immediately after childbirth, but also during pregnancy. Of course, this does not happen to everyone, but it happens quite often.

Discharge from the nipples during pregnancy has a slightly yellowish or light tint - this is nothing but colostrum, which is the liquid that precedes breast milk. Why does it stand out?

In a pregnant woman, the mammary glands intensively increase in size throughout the entire period of gestation: the glandular tissue structures grow, and the hormone prolactin stimulates this growth.

Discharge from the nipples before childbirth occurs most often. For some, colostrum begins to be produced only on the third day after childbirth. However, in some cases, with the active production of prolactin, milk may appear much earlier, from about 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is extremely rare that a small amount of colostrum can be seen in the first trimester - this is also considered one of the normal options.

Complications and consequences

The scale of the consequences of pathological discharge from the nipples depends on what disease they are caused by.

If the secretion is not associated with physiological causes (lactation period, pregnancy, nipple stimulation), then it is imperative to contact a mammologist or gynecologist. If you do not do this on time, you can expose yourself to the risk of serious diseases:

calf - an inflammatory process in the nipple (often the infection enters through cracks in the nipple area);
mastitis - an inflammatory process in the tissues of the mammary gland (may develop with stagnation of milk during breastfeeding, or for other reasons);
malignant tumors of the breast;
diffuse and nodular mastopathy is a proliferative process in the mammary gland.

To avoid the development of the above diseases, it is very important to visit a doctor in a timely manner for a preventive examination. You should be especially wary if you find any discharge from the nipples that appeared for no apparent reason.

Diagnosis of discharge from the nipples

During a consultation about discharge from the nipples, the doctor may prescribe some types of examination, including tests. Which diagnostic methods will be used depends on what disease is suspected.

The medical examination includes a visual assessment and palpation of the mammary glands.
The X-ray method, or mammography, involves the examination of patients after 50 years. The doctor receives an image from two angles, which allows you to examine the structure of the mammary glands in detail.

The ultrasound method can be used to examine patients of any age. The ultrasound procedure visualizes both gland tissue and nearby lymph nodes.
Ductography is used to examine the milk ducts;
Cytological analysis is based on the study of material taken from the tissues of the gland. Such a study is carried out most often when a tumor process is suspected.
Immunohistochemical analysis reveals the nature of the neoplasm, if any.

Additionally, instrumental diagnostics can be prescribed in the form of methods such as computed tomography, chest x-ray, radioisotope imaging of the skeletal system, ultrasound of the liver (to search for possible metastases).

Of the tests, they often offer to donate blood for hormone levels, a general blood test for the presence of an inflammatory process, and also conduct a study on tumor markers (this analysis determines the likelihood of a cancerous tumor).

Differential Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis is usually carried out between the following diseases:

nodular mastopathy;
fibroadenoma;
lymphogranuloma;
mastitis;
intraductal papilloma;
malignant tumor;
galactocele.

Treatment of discharge from the nipples

Therefore, the question is - what to do with the discharge from the nipples? - you can answer unequivocally: consult a doctor and conduct a thorough diagnosis.

You may need to adjust your hormonal levels. For this, there are special drugs - DA agonists, which include Bromkriptin and Parlodel. These drugs inhibit the synthesis of prolactin. The standard dosage of drugs is from 2.5 to 3.75 mg per day. At the discretion of the doctor, the amount of the drug can be increased by 2 times. The duration of the course of treatment is until the hormonal level stabilizes.

Alternative treatment of discharge from the nipple can be carried out only after consulting a doctor, after passing all the necessary tests and making a final diagnosis.

It is impossible to treat a symptom without knowing the cause of the pathology. Therefore, do not rush to start herbal treatment - first find out which disease caused the discharge.

You should not rush to non-traditional methods of treating nipple discharge. Without knowing the causes of the appearance of secretions, this can significantly harm your health.

Prevention

Prevention of discharge from the nipples is to follow the recommendations for maintaining the health of the mammary glands. These recommendations are quite simple, but very important for the normal functioning of the body.

It is necessary in every possible way to avoid stressful situations, nervous shocks, psycho-emotional stress. Stress has an extremely negative effect on the hormonal background, which contributes to the development of diseases of the mammary glands.
It is recommended to adhere to a healthy lifestyle: do not smoke, do not abuse alcoholic beverages, go to bed on time, eat well, be physically active. A healthy lifestyle keeps your immune system strong.
It is important to watch your weight. The fact is that extra pounds can lead to unwanted changes in the mammary glands, which over the years can develop into a disease with the appearance of discharge from the nipples.
Taking contraceptives should be short-lived. You can not select contraceptive drugs on your own - this choice must be agreed with the doctor.
Monthly breast self-examination should be carried out - this is a necessary step in the prevention and early detection of dangerous diseases.
All women are recommended to be examined by a mammologist every two years, and after 50 years - annually.

You can not ignore suspicious symptoms, you need to seek help from a specialist in a timely manner.

Forecast

The prognosis of such a symptom as discharge from the nipples directly depends on the underlying disease: the more complex and dangerous the diagnosis, the worse the prognosis. Physiological secretions are considered normal and eventually disappear on their own.

Nipple discharge is a fluid of any color that is secreted from the breasts of a non-nursing woman. It flows from the ducts from which breastfeeding mothers normally flow milk. Sometimes there is a unilateral, and sometimes bilateral flow.

Many women worry when they begin to discharge from their nipples. And, indeed, this can be an alarming sign, but still, you should not worry in advance. It must be understood that the appearance of discharge from the nipples for the mammary glands is characteristic - this is how they are arranged by nature. There are many reasons why liquid can be released from the nipples.

Discharge classification

Discharge from the nipple can appear on its own, or when a girl / woman presses on her breasts. Color highlights:

White discharge from the nipples normally appears in the lactation period and represents breast milk. In other situations, it may be a sign of galactorrhea - excessive production of the hormone prolactin, which ensures milk production.
Yellow discharge from the nipples is also observed with galactorrhea, especially if the pathology is caused by insufficient liver or kidney function, thyroid diseases, disorders of the pituitary gland, or long-term use of hormonal drugs.
Brown discharge from the nipple may occur after a recent chest injury, or with other damage to the milk canals or vessels. Such lesions usually provoke tumors, such as cysts - in this case, the secret is often brown with a greenish or grayish tint.
Bloody discharge from the juice often indicates the presence of formidable diseases, more often of a malignant nature. However, in some cases, blood from the nipple is released during intraductal papilloma, which, however, can also eventually degenerate into an oncological disease.
Green discharge from the nipple indicates that the secret contains more or less pus. In this case, the separated liquid may have a grayish or yellowish tint. This condition is inherent in mastopathy - a dishormonal disorder, which is characterized by the appearance of seals and soreness in the region of the glands.
Transparent discharge from the nipples can be caused by physiological causes - stress, the monthly cycle, stimulation. Normally, such transparent discharge is insignificant (just a few drops) and is not accompanied by smell and discomfort.
Purulent discharge from the nipple is a common problem in the development of inflammatory diseases of the breast. For example, purulent abscess formation can occur during breastfeeding, when an infection enters the milk ducts. Such a disease is often accompanied by soreness of the gland, redness of the areola and increasing swelling.
Sticky discharge from the nipple with different colors is a typical symptom of deformation of the subalveolar ducts, or their blockage. An additional sign of this condition may be thickening of the tissues around the nipple, as well as an inverted nipple.
Gray discharge from the nipple is sometimes the cause of increased levels of prolactin in the body. Such a symptom can be observed during pregnancy, or with prolonged use of contraceptives and other hormone-containing drugs.
Discharge from the nipples with an odor usually accompanies inflammatory diseases of the mammary glands, namely, the purulent stage of the process. The fact is that bacteria and their metabolic products are able to exude a specific smell, which is especially pronounced with purulent discharge. Inflammatory diseases always occur with significant pain, redness and swelling of the glands. Temperature indicators can increase - both local and general body temperature.
Black discharge from the nipples in the vast majority of cases indicates the presence of blood in the secret, which is inherent in many tumor processes. In this case, the blood has a black color due to the fact that the pathological focus is most likely located deep in the tissues of the gland, and not directly near the surface.
Dry discharge from the nipples is a common symptom of breast ectasia. A dry or dense secret is formed from thick and viscous secretions that accumulate in the lumen of the lactiferous duct. Such a secret may have a different color and smell.
Cheesy discharge from the nipples is rare, but sometimes it happens if a fungal infection enters the milk ducts during breastfeeding. Particularly susceptible to the disease are those women who have cracks, sores on the nipples. Curd secretion may have a sour smell. At the same time, the chest hurts and itches, the volume of milk secreted may decrease.

When you see a doctor, you will also need to describe the consistency of the discharge. She may be:

liquid,
slightly thick,
very thick.

The older the woman, the higher her risk of nipple discharge. Also, this problem is typical for those who are preparing to give birth, or have already given birth to a child.

Norm and pathology

A small amount of transparent tone is normal. This does not mean that you will have nipple leaks every day. But this can happen if you have injured the mammary gland (one or two). This can happen when:

blows,
falls,
prolonged compression, etc.

Discoloration from the nipples can also be with galactorrhea. They can be white, and then stand out greenish, with a yellow tint or transparent. A possible diagnosis may be fibrocystic mastopathy. If you have noted purulent discharge in yourself, this is a signal of an infection. So, you need very urgently qualified treatment. With the help of a doctor, you need to determine the pathogen, and this will help you choose the right methods of treatment and the right, effective medicines.

Causes of pathological discharge from the nipples

As already noted, there is far from one reason for discharge from the nipples. Let's take a closer look at the most common options below.

ectasia (expansion) of the milk ducts - this cause is often found when patients complain of discharge from the nipples (breast). An inflammatory process occurs in the left or right (and sometimes in two at once) duct. A discharge of a greenish or black tint is collected in the duct. They are thick and sticky. Basically, this diagnosis is made by ladies aged 40 and 50 years, but options are possible.
galactorrhea is the discharge from the mammary glands of a girl or woman of milk, a milky liquid or colostrum. The reason is that the level of prolactin in the body has become higher. The reason may be changes in the level of other hormones if you used oral contraceptives. Some women develop pituitary tumors called prolactinomas. Another option is a bad thyroid gland.

mastopathy - with this disease, you can note that the discharge from the nipples:

green,
transparent,
yellow.

The causes of this pathology may be different, but the pathogenesis is the same. First, an inflammatory process develops, which causes swelling. Edema, in turn, contributes to the occurrence of fibrosis, and then cystic degeneration begins. Treatment aims to interrupt this process and prevent its development in the future.

diseases of the organs located in the small pelvis of a woman - doctors refer to these organs as the uterus and its appendages. Also in this group of causes include miscarriages and abortions. The discharge may be more or less abundant, depending on the period at which the pregnancy was terminated. If you have an abortion in the early stages, then cardinal changes will not occur in the body yet, therefore there will be no discharge (or there will be a small amount). Bleeding lasts an average of 48 hours, and then less and less is allocated until it stops completely.

closed chest injury - if the cause is in it, discharge from the nipples can be:

yellowish,
transparent,
with blood.

Discharge from the nipples after an injury cannot be treated on its own. Several pathological processes can begin to develop simultaneously in the chest, the treatment of which, if you start the situation, will be extremely difficult and dangerous.

purulent diseases of the mammary glands - if this is the reason, you will need the help of a surgeon and treatment with antibacterial drugs aimed at a specific pathogen, or having a wide spectrum of action.
mastitis - the sooner you consult a doctor with this problem, the easier the treatment will be. Conservative methods are applied in the early stages of this acute inflammatory disease. But, if you "launched" the disease, you will have to do an operation, which is more dangerous.
papilloma inside the milk ducts - one of the manifestations of this disease - bloody and thick discharge from the nipples. In all cases, surgical methods of treatment are resorted to. Then the papilloma, which was removed, is taken for histology. There, the doctor determines whether it is malignant or benign, which will affect further treatment.
breast cancer (malignant formation) - you may not know about this disease for the time being, because there may not be any symptoms. If from one nipple you have liquid with blood from time to time, and at the same time the breast has become larger (or you have felt nodules in it), you need to urgently run to the doctor. But this is not such a frequent situation, therefore, with discharge from the nipples, you do not need to make the most sad predictions on your own.
Paget's disease is a specific form of breast cancer. This tumor-like formation concerns the nipple. In this area, unpleasant sensations appear, such as itching or burning. The areola of the nipple becomes dark or reddens, and the skin there is flaky. One of the symptoms: discharge with blood from the nipple.

Diagnostics

If you notice discharge from the nipple for at least two days, you need to urgently go to a face-to-face consultation with a mammologist. She is a female breast specialist. You cannot determine the cause on your own, because there are a large number of them. And only a few of them have been described above. The doctor must palpate the affected and visually healthy breast. Visual inspection data are also important. If there is a discharge, the doctor also notes for himself their consistency, color and quantity.

But this is only the initial stage of diagnostics, which determines the further strategy. You will be given ultrasound diagnostics (ultrasound) of one or two mammary glands, and a mammography examination will be prescribed. Most often, patients donate blood to the level of hormones. Other studies may be ordered if the doctor deems it necessary. In no case do not consider them redundant. The results of the research help to distinguish among themselves very dangerous diseases that cannot be diagnosed by ordinary palpation.

To make an accurate diagnosis, laboratory and instrumental examinations are required:

Ultrasound examination (ultrasound) of the mammary glands;
Mammography;
Blood test for hormones;
Cytological examination of discharge from the nipples.

Sometimes mammologists send the patient to doctors of a different profile, because discharge from the nipples can speak not only about breast pathologies. Consultation with an ophthalmologist and an MRI are indicated if a pituitary tumor is suspected.

Treatment of discharge from the nipples

Spontaneous secretion from the nipples cannot be cured without knowing the true cause of its occurrence. For this, diagnostics are carried out, the purpose of which is to determine the factor that causes discharge from the mammary glands. Therefore, the question is - what to do with the discharge from the nipples? - you can answer unequivocally: consult a doctor and conduct a thorough diagnosis.

Alternative treatment of discharge from the nipple can be carried out only after consulting a doctor, after passing all the necessary tests and making a final diagnosis. It is impossible to treat a symptom without knowing the cause of the pathology. Therefore, do not rush to start herbal treatment - first find out which disease caused the discharge.

The same can be said about such a method of treatment as homeopathy. Any therapy begins only after the diagnosis becomes known. If the patient begins to treat the inflammatory process on her own, but in fact it turns out that she has a malignant tumor, then the consequences can be unpredictable. Often in such cases it is necessary to prescribe surgical treatment. You should not rush to non-traditional methods of treating nipple discharge. Without knowing the causes of the appearance of secretions, this can significantly harm your health.

Prevention

It is better to carry out the prevention of breast pathologies than to treat the discharge from the nipples and their cause later. Prevention measures are very simple, and women and girls of all ages should know about them. Feel your breasts every day, or at least every week. If nodules or other incomprehensible formations appear there, it is worth contacting a mammologist or gynecologist for an in-person consultation.

Rule number 2: never cool and protect your chest from injury. This also applies to being in a wet swimsuit. Choose bodices that dry quickly. If you prefer push-up swimsuits that keep your chest moist for a long time after swimming, then wear something dry when you get out of the water after swimming. This will help to avoid inflammation in the mammary gland. If you have disturbing symptoms, do not look for solutions on the Internet, immediately make an appointment with a doctor.

Discharge from the chest is one of the first signs of problems with the mammary gland. The liquid can be of different colors, consistency, on the basis of which the mammologist makes a primary diagnosis. To confirm or refute it, a thorough examination using modern diagnostic methods will be required.

Read in this article

How is fluid secreted from the breast?

Non-dairy secretions come out of the same channels as milk. Each nipple has about 10 holes. Fluid from the mammary glands, when pressed, may protrude from one or more tubules, on one or both breasts.

The discharge is thick and watery, of various colors - from transparent and white to black, bloody. It all depends on the reasons that caused the appearance of fluid from the nipples.

Mammologists believe that the likelihood of breast discharge increases with age and with the number of pregnancies a woman has experienced. However, problems can also arise in a girl who has not given birth.

The presence of secretions can signal the appearance of a benign or malignant neoplasm. Moreover, cancerous diseases often occur without the release of fluid. Therefore, in most cases, when it flows from the nipples, the problem indicates less dangerous health problems than oncology. However, you should still visit the doctor.

Why does fluid come out of the chest

The causes of discharge from the mammary glands with pressure can be different:

the period of pregnancy (the breast is preparing for the subsequent feeding of the child);
wearing uncomfortable underwear;
hormonal disruptions that provoke galactorrhea;
inflammation of the mammary gland;
the presence of intraductal papilloma;
ectasia (expansion) of the milk ducts;
use of oral contraceptives;
taking certain medications (for example, antidepressants);
chest injury;
mastopathy;
the presence of malignant neoplasms in the breast;
nipple cancer (Paget's disease).

If there are discharge from the nipples, do not hesitate to visit a mammologist.

What can be discharge

Each disease manifests itself in its own way, so the fluid from the chest can have a different shade.

Clear liquid - everything is normal

The mammary gland produces a certain secret, which is then excreted in small quantities. This is quite normal, if the liquid is colorless and odorless, it rarely appears.

Transparent discharge from the mammary glands, when pressed, may appear from one or both breasts at once.

Sometimes the amount of clear fluid from the mammary glands increases against the background of:

taking antidepressants or hormonal drugs;
mammography;
excessive physical activity;
mechanical impact;
lowering blood pressure.

In such cases, you should not immediately "sound the alarm." Just watch your body, if possible, go through a routine examination.

If the transparent discharge from the nipples takes on a different shade, this is already a signal that you should pay attention to your health and urgently visit a doctor.

White discharge is a controversial issue

If white discharge from the chest is not associated with pregnancy and lactation, they speak of such a disease as (spontaneous flow of milk). According to the intensity, 4 degrees of this disease are distinguished, depending on the nature of the appearance of the liquid:

when pressing on the nipple;
independently, in the form of single drops;
spontaneously, of medium intensity;
very intense (copious discharge).

Usually, discharge is observed from both mammary glands. Liquid from the nipples sometimes also appears in men, but this is much less common.

Normally, after the cessation of lactation, milk disappears within six months. If this process is delayed, you need to visit a doctor. In some women, droplets of milk are released up to 2 years after weaning the baby from the breast.

White fluid from the breast may appear due to:

hormonal disorders;
abortion;
the presence of a pituitary tumor;
thyroid diseases, problems with the pituitary gland (prolactin levels increase);
polycystic ovaries;
mastopathy;
breast oncology;
renal failure;
long-term use of oral contraceptives;
severe stress, etc.

White discharge from the nipples can lead to menstrual dysfunction, infertility, and miscarriages at the beginning of pregnancy.

Yellow discharge should not be ignored

Yellow discharge from the mammary glands with pressure (as well as white ones) often indicates a metabolic disorder, an increased level of prolactin. In this case, one speaks of a galactorrhea.

A yellow tint is inherent in the secreted fluid in the case of mastopathy. It develops against the background of hormonal imbalance. This disease usually involves drug therapy, sometimes surgery is required.

Liquid with a green tint - beware

Green discharge from the mammary glands may indicate the presence of ectasia of the milk ducts, that is, their expansion. This disease often occurs in women 40-50 years old. In connection with the pathological process in the breast, the milk ducts become inflamed, and green mucous clots form. The secretions are quite plentiful.

Pus from the nipple is often released with mastitis. White fluid with a green tint may accumulate in one breast or both at once. This disease is not asymptomatic: a woman feels severe local pain. Pus may also appear against the background of the development of an abscess due to infection in the tissues. In this case, the woman feels weak, there is an increase in breast size and fever.

We advise you to read the article on holding. From it you will learn how the doctor makes a diagnosis based on the study of the contents of the punctate. How is the nature of the cells of the affected area or the inflammatory process determined?

Bleeding is a warning sign

Bloody discharge from the mammary gland may appear due to the presence of intraductal papilloma. This benign formation is formed in the lumen of the lactiferous duct, the discharge appears after trauma to the tissues under pressure. Usually this disease appears in women 35-55 years of age.

If there are cancerous growths in the breast, the discharge may also contain obvious blood clots, and nipple retraction often occurs. Alert should be spontaneous discharge from one breast, accompanied by an increase in the mammary gland, the presence of nodules.

In addition, blood from the chest may appear in connection with the injury. Therefore, you should not worry in advance and tune in to oncology.

Dark fluid from nipples

Dark discharge from the mammary glands with pressure usually appears in women after 40 years. They may signal dilation of the thoracic ducts (ectasia). In this case, brown or black discharge from the mammary glands appears. The main reasons for the development of this disease are:

age-related changes in the body;
hormonal disruptions (an increase in the amount of prolactin in the body);
inflammatory processes;
deformation of the canals after a chest injury;
the presence of a cancerous tumor.

Treatment of ectasia is aimed at eliminating the cause of its occurrence. If therapy does not give the expected results, surgical intervention is used (excision of inflamed tissues).

How to prepare for a visit to the clinic

Observations of the nature of the discharge from the nipples will help to make a diagnosis

If the patient has discharge from the mammary glands when pressed, the doctor will be interested in the following information:

how often it flows from the chest;
, nipples;
what color is the liquid from the chest;
fluid comes out of one tubule or from several;
concerned about discharge from one breast or from both;
liquid appears after pressure or on its own;
are there any other symptoms (fever, weakness, headache, etc.);
whether there was a chest injury;
what drugs the woman is currently taking (for example, antidepressants, contraceptives, hormonal drugs, etc.).

Observe your body and determine exactly how fluid is secreted from the mammary glands. Try to be very specific in answering the questions. This will speed up the diagnosis process and ensure its accuracy.

What treatment can the doctor prescribe

In the presence of discharge from the chest, the doctor will first prescribe: ultrasound, mammography, cytological examination, possibly MRI. Depending on the diagnosis and stage of the disease, a mammologist (oncologist) chooses methods of treatment. It could be:

drug therapy (antibiotics, hormonal drugs);
puncture (pumping fluid from the neoplasm);
surgery to remove the neoplasm.

If you doubt the accuracy of the diagnosis and the correctness of the prescribed treatment, visit several specialists and get their opinion.

Preventive measures

To prevent breast problems from affecting you, follow these simple recommendations:

do not overcool;
avoid injury to the chest;
regularly examine the chest for the appearance of seals;
at the slightest suspicion, consult a doctor.

Every woman should visit a mammologist periodically (about once a year). Such a precaution will prevent the development of the disease or detect it at an early stage, when the chances of a quick recovery are quite high.

Even if the amount of liquid is insignificant, do not hesitate to visit a specialist. Black, green, bloody and brown discharge from the mammary glands when pressed are the most dangerous.

The sooner the problem is identified and diagnosed, the easier it will be to carry out adequate treatment, the higher the chance for a favorable result.