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Understanding the Cause of Breast Discharge: What Your Breast Discharge May Be Saying About Your Health 

 

 

Breast discharge is any fluid that comes out of one or both nipples other than when nursing. It can be very disconcerting for any woman. However, you should bear in mind that your breasts are glands and they will discharge fluids from time to time. This is even truer for women who have had children (increasing with each pregnancy) or women who are nearing or going through menopause.

So what is the cause of breast discharge? Usually, breast or nipple discharge in both breasts may be a result of a number of conditions, ranging from an early sign of pregnancy to a pituitary tumor. Discharge from only one breast points to a problem with that specific breast, such as an infection, cyst or tumor.

Knowing what the cause of breast discharge is rests on a few key questions: What is the color and consistency of the breast discharge? Is it coming from one or both breasts? Is it constant, or does it happen only occasionally and spontaneously? How much discharge is there? And lastly, are you experiencing any other symptoms, such as pain in the breast, a breast lump, fever, dizziness, headaches, or vision changes?

Below is a list of common colors and consistencies of breast discharge and what they may mean. Please keep in mind that these are only guidelines and that any unusual discharges or other abnormalities should be reported to your doctor immediately for evaluation.

Clear breast discharge (usually a straw color) may be a sign of early pregnancy.

Thin, milky breast discharge also sometimes occurs when you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or even for some time after you've quit breastfeeding. This type of breast discharge is also fairly common in women.

Milky (cloudy, whitish, or almost clear in color, thin, and non-sticky), green, or gray breast discharge may occur for someone who is not pregnant or breastfeeding, and may be caused by birth control pills or certain other medicines or drugs, a cyst under the dark area that surrounds your nipple, or a pituitary tumor.

It can also be brought on by the hormonal changes that occur during your menstrual cycle. Continued or intense stimulation of the breasts and nipples due to breastfeed, suckling, fondling (either from your baby feeding or from sexual contact) can cause milky breast discharge as well. Additionally, this type of breast discharge can be due to the rubbing of clothing during everyday activities or exercise, or even the direct flow of water when you shower.

Thick, sticky breast discharge usually is a result of the ducts beneath the nipple becoming blocked. This is highly common in menopausal women. In her late 40's and early 50's, a woman's mammary glands, which are located under the nipple, become widened. This is a usually a non-cancerous condition.

However, this condition can cause a blockage of the ducts, which causes fluid to pool and leak into the surrounding tissue, causing infection, inflammation, and abscess. If an infection is caused, it may develop scar tissue, which draws the nipple inward. In turn, the infection may cause breast pain and the thick, sticky discharge.

Yellow or green breast discharge is fairly common in women with Fibrocystic Breast Disease (non-cancerous lumps in your breasts) which may result in yellow, green, or greenish-black fluid from the nipples. Also, it may be a result of recent childbearing, medications, or an overproduction in your brain of the hormone prolactin (a hormone that is normally only elevated during pregnancy and stimulates production of milk). A missed or very irregular menstrual cycle along with the breast discharge may be a sign of elevated prolactin levels.

Dark green breast discharge may also be a sign of inflammation in the breast ducts (mammary duct ecstasia). This inflammation is not caused by bacteria, and though it can sometimes look like cancer in a mammogram, it is sometimes benign.

White breast discharge, or discharge that contains pus, is a sign of infection, and should be reported as soon as possible to your physician. Infection is incredibly rare unless it happens during postpartem or if there has been trauma, such as a hard blow to the chest from a car accident or playing a contact sport. If an infection occurs outside of these instances, it could be a sign of a serious underlying disorder, including cancer.

Extremely watery or bloody breast discharge (or rust or amber colored breast discharge), and greenish -brown or black colored discharge may be indicative of abnormal breast tissue, inflammation of the breast tissue (mastitis), intraductal papilloma (a tiny, non-cancerous tumor in the milk duct), or breast cancer. Breast cancer is more common in women over 50 who are experiencing this type of discharge. Usually this condition only occurs in one breast at a time, and presents a higher risk of cancer or Paget's Disease if it is only coming from one duct in the nipple, and not all of them. However, it is important to bear in mind that a woman at any age can get Breast Cancer.

Multicolored breast discharge, especially if it is accompanied by an itching or burning feeling in the breasts, can be a sign of approaching menopause.

Some other potential causes of breast discharge are medications (including birth control pills, anti-depressants, tranquilizers, and medications for other mental or emotional disorders), illicit drug use, stress, thyroid problems, over-stimulation of the breasts, caffeine, high estrogen levels (somewhat common in menopausal or post-menopausal women who may be taking hormones), and kidney problems.

Most breast discharge problems - once the cause has been identified, can be treated fairly easily by taking medication, modifying or stopping current medications (if possible), a small change in your diet, and occasionally (though rarely) surgery.

To maintain the best possible breast health, it is very important for you to examine  your breasts on a monthly basis (best performed a few days after the end of your menstrual cycle). You should get accustomed to the way your breasts feel so that you will be able to quickly detect subtle changes in your breasts.

You may also want to take herbs and vitamins for healthy breasts and include some form of exercise in your routine at least 3 times per week, as studies show that women who exercise regularly have less incidences of breast cancer.

It is highly important that you discuss with your doctor any and all changes in your breasts. It should also be noted that while cancer is probably the first thing to come to mind when abnormal breast discharge is present, less than 10% of women who have breast discharges are found to have cancer.

Still, while most breast discharge is caused by benign and mostly harmless conditions, sometimes it is the only sign of an interior problem and should not be ignored in any case. As unpleasant as some of these doctors visits may be, I cannot stress enough the importance of seeking the attention of your doctor no matter how minor the problem may seem.

Frequent exams ensure that problems can be detected early, be evaluated, and the underlying cause of breast discharge or other problems found and treated.
 

Article by By Sandra Seigle

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Check Out The Resource Page For Women's Breast Health.

 

More Articles On Women's Breast Health from Woman's Health Network:

Understanding The Link Between Vitamin E And Breast Cysts

Finding A Breast Lump In Pregnancy And Other Pregnancy Changes To The Breasts 

Understanding Breast Cysts 

A Look At The Benefits Of Breastfeeding 

Your Breasts Have Many Parts 

14 Tips For The Natural Prevention Of Breast Cancer 

The Danger And Unreliability Of Mammograms 

How To Give Yourself A Breast Massage For Healthy Happy Breasts 

Breast Cancer: A Therapeutic Alternative 

Breast Cancer: The Bitter Truth 

Understanding Breast Cancer 

Breast Cancer And Bras: Is There A Connection? 

Women's Breast Health Tips 

Free Treatment For Breast Cancer Just Outside Your Door

Understanding the Cause of Breast Discharge: What Your Breast Discharge May Be Saying About Your Health

Herbs And Vitamins For Healthy Breasts

Are Your Breasts Healthy?

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