Nipple Discharge

As the breasts are a gland, occasionally nipple discharges may occur. Usually it is not a serious condition but rarely it can be a symptom of cancer; therefore, examination of a specialist doctor is necessary.

If the patient is not breastfeeding, the liquid that comes from the breasts must be considered as nipple discharge. There are multiple exits of the milk canals on the nipple (approximately 10). The discharge may come from one or more than one of them. It may come through one or both of the breasts. The discharge may come out by automatically or when the breasts are put under pressure.

Nipple discharge may be white, yellow, green, dark green, dark brown, black, colourless and brown. Its density may be like water or more dense.

As you get older, the possibility of nipple discharge increases. Nipple discharge is more common in women, who gave birth before.

If there is nipple discharge from both breasts, this shows a systemic problem related with the whole body. If it comes only from one of the breasts, it may depend on a problem related with the breasts.

If it comes from a single exit, it is possible that the discharge depends on a problem related with a single milk canal. If it comes from multiple milk canals, it may depend on a systemic problem.

A patient who has nipple discharges that free flow, include blood, come from single nipple and single canal must be examined by a doctor. Free flowing nipple discharges, whether they include water or blood, must be examined. They may depend on intraductal papilloma or cancer.

Also, nipple discharges may be milky, creamy, yellow and green coloured, free flowing and they may include water or blood. These discharges may continue for months after breastfeeding stops.

The patients must visit a mammoplasty specialist, if they have nipple discharges that flow without pressure, the discharge comes from single side and includes blood. However, it should not be forgotten that only one out of 12 women who has nipple discharge has breast cancer.

Nipple discharge; can develop depending on some drugs or brain tumours that excrete prolactin.