Experiencing unusual nipple discharge is the third-most-common reason women visit their doctors for conditions related to their breasts.
This statistic is according to the Journal of Cellular Immunotherapy, who report that nipple discharge is the third most reported symptom in the breast after breast pain and a lump. Nipple discharge can affect men and women and is not always cause for concern.
Men are also subject to nipple discharge, which is significantly more unusual and requires a doctor’s follow-up.
Fast facts on nipple discharge:
Nipple discharge occurs when the nipples secrete fluid.
The discharge may be a variety of consistencies and colors.
Sometimes a person may have nipple discharge from only one nipple.
Many underlying conditions can cause nipple discharge to occur.
What are the causes of nipple discharge?
In women, there are many different potential causes of nipple discharge. One of the most common is a discharge that leaks from a woman’s nipples after she has stopped breast-feeding.
Sometimes, a woman can experience nipple discharge anywhere from 2 to 3 years after she stops breast-feeding.
Additional causes of nipple discharge include:
abscess (severe breast infection)
breast infection
endocrine (hormone) disorder
excessive nipple stimulation
fibrocystic (irregular cysts) breasts
injury or trauma history to the breasts
mammary duct ectasia (milk duct under the nipple thickens and becomes wide)
Paget’s diseaseof the breast (a rare cancer of the nipple and areola)
periductal mastitis (inflammation)
prolactinoma (hormone disorder caused by a tumorin the pituitary gland)
a side effect of taking birth controlpills
Some medications can also cause nipple discharge. These include:
high blood pressuremedicines
antipsychotics
antidepressants
sedatives
fennel
fenugreek
anise
Use of the drugs cocaine and marijuana can also cause nipple discharge.
Nipple discharge in men
Men can also experience nipple discharge. Some of the common causes of male nipple discharge include:
testosteronedeficiency
gynecomastia, a condition that causes breast enlargement or tenderness
pituitary tumor, this is because the pituitary gland is responsible for releasing hormones that cause milk production in the nipples
cancer of the breast
Because the condition is much less common in men, a man should see his doctor if he has nipple discharge.