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What Causes Blood Discharge From Nipple?
Question: Dear Doctor,
This is about my sister in law. She is 27 years old and married almost for 3 years. My brother and she do not have any child yet. They have moved to US recently, about 4 months back.
She has noticed blood discharge from one of her nipple 2-3 days back. Her periods are regular. She is bit overweight. But does not have any major health problems.
We all worried now. I wanted to know will there be a major concern? What all reasons can cause this? What kind of tests she can take it?
Regards XXXXXXX
This is about my sister in law. She is 27 years old and married almost for 3 years. My brother and she do not have any child yet. They have moved to US recently, about 4 months back.
She has noticed blood discharge from one of her nipple 2-3 days back. Her periods are regular. She is bit overweight. But does not have any major health problems.
We all worried now. I wanted to know will there be a major concern? What all reasons can cause this? What kind of tests she can take it?
Regards XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
detailed answer below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I completely understand your concern.
Please do not worry so much about the discharge. The common causes for a blood stained discharge are infection, duct papilloma [ a non cancerous tumor of the duct ], injury, pagets disease [ cancer like condition of the breast] and very rarely breast cancer.
So as of now please ask her to check and see if there is any associated pain and redness. This indicates an infection as a more likely cause. Avoid excessive stimulation of breast as it increases the discharge by irritating and delaying the healing preocess. Use of cold fomentation and proper brassiere to support the breast as well as keeping it dry are important to help healing.
If any trauma or injury lead to the discharge then just give rest to the nipple, keep it dry and use neosporin powder on it to help healing.
If the discharge does not go away by 7 days, become yellow or increases or there is pain then she will need to see a doctor.
An examination by the doctor as well as examination of the discharge under microscope and mammography may be needed for proper diagnosis.
Do not worry the causes are common and treatable and major diseases like pagets and cancer are very rare.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Thanks for using HCM.
Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have.
Dr Madhuri Bagde
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist
detailed answer below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I completely understand your concern.
Please do not worry so much about the discharge. The common causes for a blood stained discharge are infection, duct papilloma [ a non cancerous tumor of the duct ], injury, pagets disease [ cancer like condition of the breast] and very rarely breast cancer.
So as of now please ask her to check and see if there is any associated pain and redness. This indicates an infection as a more likely cause. Avoid excessive stimulation of breast as it increases the discharge by irritating and delaying the healing preocess. Use of cold fomentation and proper brassiere to support the breast as well as keeping it dry are important to help healing.
If any trauma or injury lead to the discharge then just give rest to the nipple, keep it dry and use neosporin powder on it to help healing.
If the discharge does not go away by 7 days, become yellow or increases or there is pain then she will need to see a doctor.
An examination by the doctor as well as examination of the discharge under microscope and mammography may be needed for proper diagnosis.
Do not worry the causes are common and treatable and major diseases like pagets and cancer are very rare.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Thanks for using HCM.
Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have.
Dr Madhuri Bagde
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Hello Doctor,
Thanks for the response.
I could speak to my SIL in detail. She observed honey color drop 15 days before. She thought it could be some food fallen on cloth. It was only minute.
Yesterday she observed it for the third time and quantity was bit more.
There is no pain/rash/color change/size change/lumps any thing.
She says only when pressure falls, like when she sleeps etc, she see the discharge.
They are going for a checkup soon. But I wanted to get your opinion based on these inputs.
Regards XXXXXXX
Thanks for the response.
I could speak to my SIL in detail. She observed honey color drop 15 days before. She thought it could be some food fallen on cloth. It was only minute.
Yesterday she observed it for the third time and quantity was bit more.
There is no pain/rash/color change/size change/lumps any thing.
She says only when pressure falls, like when she sleeps etc, she see the discharge.
They are going for a checkup soon. But I wanted to get your opinion based on these inputs.
Regards XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
It was a pleasure answering the query.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
The discharge is scanty so it may just be any of the above or even a cracked nipple. Neosporin powder or ointment may help in this case and she may use it till she sees a doctor.
Please feel free for any further advice and do not worry as it is most likely a simple cause.
Take care.
Dr Madhuri
It was a pleasure answering the query.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
The discharge is scanty so it may just be any of the above or even a cracked nipple. Neosporin powder or ointment may help in this case and she may use it till she sees a doctor.
Please feel free for any further advice and do not worry as it is most likely a simple cause.
Take care.
Dr Madhuri
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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