Yellow discharge from the mammary glands when pressed, any woman can detect quite by accident. They can leave barely noticeable stains on linen. In the event that the lady does not feed the baby at this time, and she did not have to give birth at all, then it is definitely worth being wary in such a situation. But be that as it may, such discharge may not necessarily be associated with pathology, however, the female breast is very vulnerable and it is extremely necessary to check her he alth from time to time.
Main types of secretions
Usually transparent and yellow discharge from the mammary glands when pressed does not always indicate the development of pathological processes. But brown and with blood impurities are already a sign of a serious illness, whichwarrant an immediate medical examination. So, discharge from the chest, in addition to the yellow secret, are as follows:
- Transparent. In the event that this process proceeds without changes in the glands, then such a manifestation can be caused by stress, the presence of hormonal imbalance, the use of contraceptives, and the like.
- Whites are often observed during pregnancy, as well as in the first few months after the end of lactation. They are considered the norm. In other cases, the appearance of white secretion against the background of depression indicates galactorrhea, which is caused by increased production of estrogens and an increase in prolactin. Sometimes such manifestations are associated with a pathological change in the pituitary gland, as well as with impaired thyroid function.
- Greens are a clear sign of mastopathy. The consistency of the discharge will be thick and slimy. They will certainly be accompanied by a seal in the glands, general soreness in the chest, temperature.
- Brown are caused by bleeding that occurs in the milk ducts, and are also provoked by the development of mastopathy and malignancy. Usually dark, and in some cases black, is caused by the presence of blood.
- Bleeding is one of the most serious symptoms, which may indicate the development of malignancy or intraductal papilloma. Keep in mind that spotting red discharge may occur due to chest injuries.
- Purulent secretion is usually caused by an inflammatory infectious process. At the same time, patients havetemperature along with pain, redness of the skin around the nipples, swelling and swelling of the breast.
Physiological causes of pathology
Yellow discharge from the mammary glands when pressed can occur for the following reasons: physiological and pathological. The first type includes:
- Carrying a fetus. During pregnancy, the breast prepares for the birth of the baby, as well as its feeding. The glands during this period, as it were, train to form milk, and then remove it. A similar process occurs in the last trimester. The increased tone of the uterus stimulates the secretion of a yellowish liquid from both glands.
- Some time after finishing feeding. The symptom may be observed for the next three years. This depends on the age of the woman, and, in addition, on the number of pregnancies she has endured.
- Because of the abortion. The presence of secretions and their duration are determined by the period at which the artificial interruption of gestation was made. Allocations can disturb the patient in such a situation from several days to a whole month.
- When using contraceptives. The composition of oral contraceptives includes hormones that stimulate lactation. Allocations may disappear after the complete abolition of such contraceptives. They need to be replaced with some kind of alternative. But this must be done according to the recommendation of the doctor.
Among other things, yellow discharge from the mammary glands with pressure is possibleduring therapy with hormonal drugs, as well as due to the use of antidepressants. The reason may be too tight bras or physical overload.
Pathological causes of illness
The main factors that provoke yellow discharge from the mammary glands:
- Ductectasia is a disease characterized by the process of pathological expansion of the ducts, which are called subareolar canals. Such a disease is characteristic of women after forty, since its main cause is age-related changes in the body. The disease does not pose a danger to he alth, but only with timely therapy. Otherwise, serious consequences are not excluded.
- Chest injury (we are talking about blows, bruises). If this happened without violating the integrity of the skin, then within two days a small part of the liquid substance can be easily squeezed out of the nipple.
- Presence of intraductal papilloma. This is a benign papillary tumor that occurs in the duct near the nipple. Due to the development of education, a thick liquid is released, in which sometimes blood impurities may even be present.
- Mastitis or abscess. In this case, the area of \u200b\u200bthe gland can become inflamed. A bacterial infection can serve as a cause, in most situations Staphylococcus aureus becomes a provocateur. Against the background of an abscess, pus accumulates in the tissues of the breast.
- Galactorrhea is a discharge of yellow colostrum from the nipples, which has nothing to do with feeding. The most common underlying causethere is an increase in the level of prolactin in the blood (with hyperprolactinemia developing) or an increase in the level of estrogens.
- Fibrous cystic mastopathy, in which a compacted tissue area appears in the mammary gland. This condition is dangerous because it can later degenerate into cancer.
- Presence of a malignant neoplasm (breast cancer) - a tumor that forms imperceptibly due to uncontrolled cell division. The yellow discharge is due to pressure and may come from both glands or only one.
- Paget's disease suggests the presence of a malignant tumor that has engulfed the nipple or nipple circle. The disease is extremely dangerous and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Pathologies of the genitourinary system and thyroid disease as causes of pathology
Various diseases of the urogenital organs, for example, vaginitis, cystitis or syphilis, can be a factor in the occurrence of yellow discharge from the mammary glands. Sometimes a pathological change in the pituitary and hypothalamus, along with a malfunction in the functioning of the thyroid gland, can also be responsible for such secretion from the mammary glands. But whatever the underlying cause of the pathology, it should be determined as soon as possible.
Yellow discharge from the breast during pregnancy
Based on the physiology of the glands and their changes during gestation, it becomes clear that the discharge can be considered a completely normal manifestation associatedwith the position of a woman. But the timing of the first secret may vary for each lady. For most, this phenomenon is observed from the twenty-fourth to the twenty-sixth week, and for some even on the eve of childbirth.
Early discharges
But there are patients in whom yellow discharge from the chest is fixed at an earlier date - at the fourteenth or at the sixteenth week. But cases have been noted that the appearance of a transparent and liquid secret is likely in an even earlier period of pregnancy - in the fifth or sixth week. Such a physiological process, given the condition of a woman, is absolutely normal, so you should not panic.
How should pathology be diagnosed?
When women have yellow discharge from the chest, you should definitely make an appointment with a mammologist. The doctor will most likely refer the patient for procedures such as mammography and breast ultrasound. And you will also need to do a galactography (a type of mammography), which is an X-ray study of the milk ducts, which involves the introduction of a contrast agent into them. Among other things, it can also be assigned:
- Prolactin blood test along with sex hormones.
- Thyroid examination.
- Carrying out a cytological analysis of secretions from the chest.
Summarizing the result will help the doctor determine the diagnosis, and at the same time with further therapeutic methods.
Treatmentpathology
Timely treatment of yellow discharge from the chest with pressure will contribute to achieving positive results. Depending on the diagnosis, it can be conservative, but surgery is also possible.
Pathologies like mastitis and abscess are cured with antibiotics and by opening purulent cavities. In the presence of ductectasia, the patient will certainly need surgery. In its process, the affected ducts in the gland are removed.
Surgery
Surgical intervention is also required in case of intraductal papilloma. The affected area must be removed. The removed particles are subjected to histological examination to reliably exclude the malignant nature of the papilloma. With Paget's disease, a mastectomy is prescribed, which involves the removal of the affected gland. Next, chemotherapy sessions are prescribed.
Conclusion
Thus, having found discharge from the chest of a dark yellow color when pressed, there is no need to fall into a panic state, since there are many circumstances that led to this phenomenon. But in any case, regardless of the color and smell of secretion, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor, after performing special tests, will select an individual treatment. In such cases, surgery cannot be ruled out.
