This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Nipple discharge

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Nippple discharge is a common presenting symptom in women of reproductive age

  • it is the third most common breast complaint after breast pain and breast mass
  • most often caused by a benign condition (around 97% of cases) (1,2)

Nipple discharge may be

  • physiological
    • usually bilateral and involves multiple ducts
    • associated with nipple stimulation or breast compression
    • milky nipple discharge can be due to
      • pregnancy - may persist for up to one year postpartum or after cessation of breastfeeding
      • galactorrhea – in non pregnant status, caused by an endocrinopathy
  • pathological
    • is usually spontaneous and unilateral
    • may be associated with a mass or new skin changes
    • appearance may be bloody, serous, green or black in colour
    • most common causes are
      • intraductal papilloma (48%)
      • ductal ectasia (15%–20%)
      • carcinoma (10%–15%) (1,2,3)

Reference:

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.