Sometimes discharge from your nipplés is okay and will get better on its own. You are more likely to have nipplé discharge as you get older and if you have been pregnant at least once.
Nipplé discharge is usually not a symptom of bréast cancer. But it is important to find out what is causing it and to get treatment. Here are some reasons for nipplé discharge:
- Pregnancy
- Stopping bréastfeeding
- Rubbing on the area from a bra or t-shirt
- Infection
- Inflammation and clogging of the bréast ducts (mammary duct ectasia)
- Injury to the bréast
- Non-cancerous brain tumors
- Small growth in the bréast that is usually not cancer (intraductal papilloma)
- Severe hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)
- Fibrocystic bréast (normal lumpiness in the bréast)
- Use of certain medicines, such as birth control pills, cimetidine, methyldopa, metoclopramide, phenothiazines, reserpine, tricyclicantidepressants, or verapamil
- Use of certain herbs such as anise and fennel
- Widening of the milk ducts
Sometimes, babies can have nipplé disharge. Your doctor or nurse will call this “witch’s milk.” It is caused by hormones from the mother before birth, and should go away in 2 weeks.
Cancers that can cause nipplé discharge are:
- Bréast cancer
- Paget’s disease of the bréast (a rare form of bréast cancer)
Symptoms
Nipplé discharge that is NOT normal is:
- Bloody
- Comes from only one nipplé
- Comes out on its own without you squeezing or touching your nipplé
Nipple discharge is more likely to be normal if:
- It comes out of both nipplés
- Happens when you squeeze your nipplés
The color of the discharge does not tell you whether it is normal or not. The discharge can look milky, clear, yellow, green, or brown.
Squeezing your nipplé to check for discharge can make it worse. Leaving them alone may make the nipplé discharge go away. (Medic Health).