Mammary gland discharge

Discharge from the mammary glands – of various colors and consistencies – is a fairly common reason for visiting a mammologist.

The release of fluid can occur from one or two glands at the same time, which is a very unfavorable symptom and signals the emergence of a serious pathology that requires medical consultation.

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Causes mammary discharge

The causes of discharge from the mammary glands can be natural and pathological, that is, they can be a sign of some disease.

Ectasia of the milk ducts most often affects women of fifty years of age, representing some age-related changes in the milk ducts passing under the areola. The disease is accompanied by a deforming disorder of the ducts and accompanying signs of the inflammatory process. Ectasia is characterized by compaction and retraction of the nipple, as well as the appearance of discharge of various colors.

Intraductal papilloma is a benign, elongated, dense formation that forms on the inner side of the nipple. It is usually accompanied by transparent or hemorrhagic discharge from the mammary glands. The disease mainly affects women over forty years of age.

Galactorrhea is the secretion of milk by the mammary glands regardless of whether a woman is pregnant, breastfeeding, or not. Sometimes pathological galactorrhea occurs even in men, which is associated with a hormonal imbalance in the body.

Traumatic injury to the mammary gland can provoke spontaneous discharge, depending on the severity of the injury and the nature of the damaged tissue.

An abscess is a purulent inflammatory process in the tissues of the glands that appears as a result of the penetration of an infectious agent. It can occur when the immune system is weakened or when the nipples are cracked during lactation.

Fibrous mastopathy is a hyperplasia of the lobular structure of the breast, which may cause discharge of varying intensity.

Malignant neoplasms can also provoke the appearance of discharge, depending on the structure of the damaged tissues.

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Forms

Green discharge

If you notice green discharge from your mammary glands, then most likely this is a sign of the development of mastopathy, a fairly common disease among women. The consistency and intensity of the discharge may vary, the color - from gray-green to yellowish. Such discharge appears along with the symptoms characteristic of this disease: the presence of a lump in the chest, heaviness, a constant feeling of pressure in the mammary glands.

In the above situation, you should definitely consult a doctor and take a series of tests to determine the levels of certain hormones in the blood (progesterone, estradiol, prolactin).

Green discharge with mastopathy can appear on its own or with slight compression of the areola. It does not matter whether a lot of fluid is released or a little. The appearance of discharge is already a reason for examination of the mammary glands. Timely diagnosed mastopathy is cured without any special problems, the main thing is not to start the process and follow all the doctor's instructions.

Clear discharge

Transparent discharge from the mammary glands does not always mean the presence of a pathological process. This type of discharge is a natural biological response of the body to any provoking factors: chest trauma, psychoemotional and stressful situations, monthly cyclicity of hormonal changes. The secreted fluid may consist of tiny microorganisms, lymph transudate, cellular fragments. The healthy nature of transparent discharge from the milk ducts should not have a smell and cause discomfort to the patient, and also be accompanied by other signs of changes in the mammary glands (pain, the appearance of seals, an increase in nearby lymph nodes).

Sometimes this symptom manifests itself as a result of blunt traumatic damage to the chest - due to a blow, bruise, fall. In such a situation, the fluid tends to flow out on its own, in some cases acquiring a transparent yellowish color.

Yellow discharge

Transparent yellow discharge from the mammary glands may not pose a danger to the body, although it is still worth getting examined.

Milky-yellow discharge may be an early sign of pregnancy. In this condition, it is quite a common and natural phenomenon. Yellowish liquid with a sweetish taste and watery consistency is produced due to the activity of the hormone prolactin and appears individually at different stages of pregnancy: a week or two after conception, during the second trimester from 19-20 weeks, or immediately after the birth of the child. At the initial stage of production, the discharge is yellow, in the later stages it can become discolored. Contains lipids, proteins, minerals.

The hormone prolactin can provoke the appearance of discharge typical for pregnant women in almost any person, even in men and girls. This is due to an increase in the level of this hormone in the blood, which is detected by testing and is easily stopped by prescribing prolactin inhibitors.

Fluid secretion

The discharge of fluid from the mammary gland should definitely raise concern if accompanying symptoms appear, such as:

• constant or intermittent pain in one or both glands;
• the appearance of itching in the nipple area, visual changes in the areola, the appearance of a vascular pattern;
• violation of the symmetry of the glands, changes in the contours and shape, as well as the color of the skin.

At the slightest suspicion of the development of a pathological process, it is necessary to consult a mammologist who will examine the breast and, possibly, prescribe additional diagnostic methods, including a study of the secreted fluid.

If you find discharge from the milk ducts during pregnancy suspicious, you should immediately consult a mammologist or your gynecologist to prevent the possible development of serious pathological processes in the mammary glands in time.

Do not try to forcefully squeeze fluid out of the ducts, this may cause microtrauma and bacterial infection.

Brown discharge

Brown discharge from the mammary glands may indicate minor bleeding into the milk ducts, mainly as a result of vascular damage. Such disorders can be caused by both the growth of cancerous tumors and a more harmless manifestation of the cystic form of mastopathy.

Cystic mastopathy is a benign dyshormonal pathology of the mammary glands with the concomitant development of fibrous cysts in the chest area. Discharge during the disease can be brownish-green or grayish-brown, without blood.

When differentially diagnosing the causes of brown discharge, the age of the patient should also be taken into account, because many diseases develop during a certain period of life. For example, brown discharge in a fifty-year-old woman may indicate the development of ectasia of the milk ducts: with this pathology, brown discharge from the mammary glands may be present, having a characteristic sticky consistency.

If you notice brown discharge from the milk ducts, make sure that it does not contain a hemorrhagic (bloody) component.

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Bloody discharge

Bloody discharge from the mammary gland is one of the most formidable and dangerous signs, most often signaling the formation of a malignant tumor, or benign cystaden papilloma of the milk duct. The danger is that sometimes a completely harmless papilloma can transform into a cancerous tumor. Therefore, visiting a doctor with such a symptom is extremely important, first of all, to exclude the theoretical possibility of an oncological etiology of the disease.

Of particular concern should be the discharge of blood from only one gland, especially along with its visible enlargement. Also at risk are women who have not given birth, or who gave birth after 35 years.

Occasionally, bloody discharge may be observed in pregnant women, especially primiparous women, and in the early stages of pregnancy. This is a peculiar reaction of the body to significant hormonal changes. However, even in such a situation, you should not refuse an examination.

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White highlight

White discharge from the mammary glands in most cases is a sign of galactorrhea. Increased production of estrogens stimulates the synthesis of the lactotropic hormone prolactin, which, due to its functional orientation, promotes milk production by the mammary glands.

During pregnancy or breastfeeding, this is a natural phenomenon, and in such situations, white discharge is not considered a pathology. However, when the production of fluid in the milk ducts of the patient's mammary glands has nothing to do with pregnancy, or lactation does not stop even six months after the end of breastfeeding, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

Unfortunately, not only excess prolactin can cause the development of galactorrhea: these are also pathological processes in the hypothalamus, pituitary system, diseases of the reproductive and urinary systems, endocrine disorders of the thyroid gland.

There is also a term called “idiopathic galactorrhea,” when there is no obvious reason for the discharge.

Dark discharge

Dark discharge from the mammary glands can be of various nature and be a sign of many pathological conditions; it is impossible to diagnose the disease based on the color of the discharge alone. A visual and palpatory examination is necessary, preferably supported by the results of laboratory diagnostics.

Often, the dark color of the discharge indicates the presence of blood in the substance, especially in the presence of black and dark brown discharge. This is a negative sign, often signaling the development of a benign or cancerous tumor in the mammary gland, however, in order to confirm or refute such guesses, you should take all the necessary tests, undergo examinations prescribed by the doctor (in case of bloody discharge, you need to be especially careful about the examination).

Dark green discharge can be observed in various forms of mastopathy (more often in the fibrocystic form), as well as in inflammatory phenomena in the mammary gland, complicated by the addition of a purulent infection.

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Light discharge

Light discharge from the mammary glands that is not related to pregnancy is called galactorrhea. A light, odorless fluid is released from two glands at the same time. But before treating the elevated level of prolactin (the primary factor of galactorrhea), it is necessary to find the cause of this destabilization. And this can be either taking contraceptives, uncontrolled treatment with estradiol drugs, or thyroid pathologies or an oncological disease in the pituitary gland.

Long-term high levels of prolactin in the body have a detrimental effect on the functional abilities of the ovaries, potentiate the occurrence of infertility, or provoke spontaneous abortions in the first trimester of pregnancy. There are also known facts about the involvement of increased production of prolactin in the formation of brain tumors.

Taking into account all of the above, one should think about the importance of a timely visit to the doctor to diagnose possible diseases.

Bloody discharge

As we have already written earlier, bloody discharge from the mammary glands can be a sign of tumor processes in the ducts, since the tumor, growing, compresses the vessels, causing internal hemorrhages in the milk ducts. Malignant formations tend to grow and destroy the vascular system of the mammary glands, which can also provoke multiple or single hemorrhages in the surrounding tissues and canals.

Most often, bloody discharge is detected with intraductal papilloma.

Papilloma is a benign tumor in the mammary gland that covers the lumen of the milk duct. The reasons for the formation of papilloma are hormonal imbalance in the body.

It is also necessary to take into account the possibility of bloody discharge from the mammary glands in case of direct trauma to the chest: in the presence of hematomas and hemorrhages in the tissue, some of the blood may also get into the milk ducts. When diagnosing pathological discharge, the patient must inform the doctor about the injury received the day before.

Sticky discharge

Thick and sticky discharge from the mammary glands is the most characteristic sign of ectasia of the milk ducts. This pathological condition is more common in older women, on average 50 years old, which can be an important link in the correct diagnosis of the appearance of discharge.

Ectasia is the formation of age-related changes in the milk ducts (all kinds of deformations, expansions or narrowing of the ducts) located under the pigmented areola area directly near the nipple. Deformation of the milk ducts can lead to their blockage, which is extremely conducive to the development of an inflammatory process in the mammary gland. The appearance of thick and sticky discharge is usually accompanied by significant compaction of the areola area and noticeable retraction of the nipple. The discharge itself, in addition to consistency, can have absolutely different colors, from yellowish-green to dark and even black.

Pathological dilation of the ducts can affect one or both mammary glands.

Black discharge

Black discharge from the mammary glands can be observed with ectasia of the milk ducts, when bacteria and microbes accumulate in the deformed lumens, which provoke the development of an inflammatory reaction. The black color is due to the presence of pathogenic flora and its waste products, dead and weakened cells in the secreted substance.

However, it should be borne in mind that most often the black color of the discharge still signals the presence of blood elements in the substance, and black or dark brown color of the discharge is given by dead red blood cells. And blood in the discharge may indicate possible tumor processes in the tissues of the gland, especially if the discharge is present only in one breast. Such a symptom may be an accompanying sign of an intraductal or invasive cancerous tumor.

Blood getting into the milk ducts is a rather bad sign, so if you notice suspicious symptoms, you should immediately contact a qualified specialist, preferably a mammologist.

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Purulent discharge

Purulent discharge from the mammary glands is typical for inflammatory processes with the addition of purulent complications. The most common is a purulent abscess, which often accompanies the lactation postpartum period, or occurs against the background of infection of cystic formations of the mammary glands.

An abscess is an inflammatory purulent focus in the milk ducts, which appears as a result of infection, most often through long-term non-healing cracks in the nipples. Purulent discharge is nothing more than blood serum, many dead leukocytes and remnants of destroyed epithelial tissue.

Purulent discharge contains a large amount of bacterial flora: most often it can be streptococcal, staphylococcal or enterococcal infection. Discharge is usually accompanied by pain when palpated, swelling and redness of the tissues of the areola. This disease is also characterized by an increase in body temperature and pronounced leukocytosis in the blood.

Diagnostics mammary discharge

Qualified diagnostics of discharge from the mammary glands should be extensive, including anamnesis collection, laboratory tests and numerous hardware examination methods. Let's consider them in more detail:

• palpation method – feeling the mammary glands for the presence of lumps, skin formations, deformations or tissue swelling;
• external examination – carried out from various angles, paying special attention to the color and condition of the skin, the presence of asymmetry in the contours of the chest and the expansion of subcutaneous blood vessels; examination of nearby lymph nodes is also mandatory;
• biopsy method – carried out mainly when seals and tumor-like formations are detected in the breast area to determine their benignity;
• mammography method – an X-ray of the mammary glands on a mammograph, allows to exclude the development of cancerous tumors;
• ductography method – used to detect intraductal pathology (ectasia, papillomas, etc.); involves an X-ray examination with the introduction of a contrast agent into a specific milk duct;
• thermography method – rarely used, allows to determine the presence of formations in the mammary glands;
• Ultrasound diagnostics is a frequently used and quite informative method that complements the X-ray picture.

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Cytology of mammary gland discharge

Cytology of mammary gland discharge is a study of the bacterial and cellular components of intraductal fluid. The cytology method involves taking a smear-print from the discharge of each nipple, followed by sowing the resulting sample of material on a dense or liquid nutrient medium.

During the growth of pure bacterial cultures, their genus and species are determined.

Purulent discharge is usually cytologically represented by a large number of leukocytes, macrophages, plasma cells, as well as necrotic and structureless elements.

Bloody discharge contains erythrocytes, a smaller proportion of leukocytes, plasma cells, and sometimes papillary structures.

Light discharge often consists of necrotic and structureless masses, sometimes supplemented by atypical cells and proliferative epithelium.

Almost 90% of patients have a bacterial component of discharge, often represented by staphylococcal microflora. Less common are intestinal, fungal or streptococcal infections.

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Treatment mammary discharge

Treatment of discharge from the mammary glands cannot be general, because discharge is not a disease, but only one of its symptoms, and everything depends on the immediate causes that provoked this symptomatology. And since there can be many probable causes, before prescribing a method of therapeutic intervention, it is necessary to first diagnose a specific disease.

Discharge caused by traumatic injuries to the chest is usually treated by a traumatologist, paying attention to the severity and nature of the injury.

Purulent discharge due to the development of an abscess is treated either conservatively (antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs) or surgically (opening, washing and draining the purulent focus).

Ectasia of the milk ducts is usually treated surgically against the background of antibacterial therapy.

Treatment of intraductal papilloma is surgical, involving complete papillomectomy.

Galactorrhea - if the disease is associated with excess estrogen or prolactin, drugs are prescribed that stabilize the level of hormones in the blood. It may be necessary to further examine the state of the pituitary system.

Fibrocystic mastopathy is a common cause of discharge from the mammary glands. Its treatment is conservative in most cases, but surgical removal of cystic formations is not excluded.

Malignant tumors of the mammary gland – unfortunately, they are also quite common. Here, therapeutic methods should be aimed at stopping the proliferation of cancer cells. Radiation and chemotherapy are usually used simultaneously with surgical removal of the malignant lesion.

Treatment of any discharge of infectious etiology should be carried out only after determining the sensitivity of the bacterial microflora to antibiotics.

Prevention

Prevention of discharge from the mammary glands involves measures aimed at limiting the impact of unfavorable factors that contribute to the development of primary diseases.

An important link in the chain of preventive measures is periodic self-examination of the breasts. Every woman should periodically do it, starting from the age of 17.

Once a year, it is advisable to visit a gynecologist or mammologist, who, along with an examination of the mammary glands, can prescribe a preventive ultrasound examination or mammography.

The chest should be protected from injuries and concussions. It is worth remembering that a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition, absence of psycho-emotional stress, and refusal of bad habits will help stabilize the hormonal background in the body and protect against many pathological processes.

It is necessary to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases in the body in a timely manner, especially in the genitourinary sphere; during pregnancy, it is advisable to prepare the nipples for the feeding period to avoid cracks and prevent infection. It is important for a woman at any age to follow sanitary and hygienic rules and keep the mammary glands clean, especially in hot weather, and also pay attention to the quality of underwear - it should be comfortable, not rub, not squeeze the chest.

If you notice any discharge from the mammary glands, it is better to immediately consult a doctor.

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Forecast

Prevention and detection of primary diseases at early stages significantly facilitate treatment and improve the prognosis of discharge from the mammary glands.

The most favorable prognosis is observed with light, milky or transparent discharge: timely treatment of associated diseases usually ends in complete recovery.

Purulent discharge requires urgent therapeutic interventions: here the prognosis depends on the correct and timely treatment of the underlying diseases.

Hemorrhagic discharges that appear against the background of oncological pathology can have the most negative consequences for the patient. The stage of development of the process, the degree of involvement of tissue structures in the process, the localization of the tumor, the presence of distant metastases, the possibility of surgical removal of the formation are important here.

It is important to remember that almost any disease can be treated, the main thing is to believe, follow the doctor’s orders and not try to self-medicate.

The breast is a glandular organ, so it is common for it to sometimes secrete liquid substances. However, you should not ignore discharge from the mammary glands: by contacting a doctor in time, you will not only maintain your health, but also preserve the beauty and attractiveness of the female breast.

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