A expository article on the causes, tests, treatment and prognosis of nipple and breast discharge.
So this guy was sucking brezz , felt something in his mouth, tasted somehow
Are you pregnant?
No! Why is meek coming out from your brezz?
“It happens from time to time”
LIAR! It’s because you’ve done aborshon before
“No! I have not done aborshon(abortion)
Let me explain
What happened in the story above is a condition known as galactorrhea, where a person has milk like discharge from either one or both nipples.
This discharge is different from the regular milk secretion that occurs during pregnancy
It can occur in men also, Yes you heard it
This can be caused by a number of things:
Let’s start from the common:
The commonest cause is what we call a prolactinoma, this is simply a tumor or growth that occurs in the pituitary gland.
Where is this gland?
I’d like to say it’s in between your eyes, inside your head.
Please let us note that in most cases, this growth is usually benign, so don’t go around scared that you may brain cancer.
Keyword: usually.
but that does not mean that you should not see a doctor as soon as you can.
To make sure you have the benign kind.
Prolactin majorly controls breast milk during pregnancy,
But when it’s increased in non pregnant women, it may cause this breast discharge.
In women, they may also have absent periods or they may not see their periods every month
Some may have issues bearing children (infertility)
It is tumor grows large enough, it pushes some nerves aside, and may cause problems with your vision, or may even cause headaches that are frequent.
Other tumors close to this pituitary gland may also trigger the production of prolactin.
So what are the other causes?
When your thyroid gland is not working properly
Some drugs like opioids, high blood pressure medications, antidepressants, sedatives, antipsychotics
Some kidney conditions
Using marijuana, cannabis, Igbo, weed.
Some herbal supplements
Liver problems
Some contraceptives
Hormonal imbalance
In some women, it is associated with menstruation.
Fenugreek seed which most Nigerians use as herbs causes breast discharge as a side effect.
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Excessive breast massage and stimulation from foreplay, self breast examination, mammograpy and breast scan etc can cause breast and nipple discharge.
Spinal cord or head injuries
A breast bringing out “water” as we love to call it may be the first symptom of a breast cancer.
Overtly stressed women experience breast nipple discharge.
Credit: Metro
And finally the cause of the discharge many be unknown which doctors call idiopathic. That conclusion is arrived at after you have been properly investigated.
What do you do if you have this?
You need a doctor, preferably a gynecologist
He or she will ask some questions and examine you to be sure that there are no lumps in your breasts.
Some tests will be run, to check the level of your hormones this helps to narrow down the cause.
He or she may ask for an MRI or a CT scan to look into your brain, I’ll leave the other parts to your doctor
Can it be treated?
Yes! Depending on the cause, in some cases where the cause can’t be found, some drugs (bromocriptine) will be given to reduce the level of this prolactin hormone.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
