Nipple discharge during menopause

As we age, our bodies gradually age, our skin lacks moisture, and our body functions decline. Some people experience nipple discharge during menopause because they do not pay attention to nipple protection. If you have similar situations, you can learn about the symptoms and possible causes of nipple discharge during menopause, and then master the treatment methods.

First: physiological or pathological?

There are two types of female nipple discharge, physiological and pathological. In addition to the nipple discharge during lactation mentioned above, milk secretion within one year of cessation of breastfeeding and milk leakage caused by endocrine disorders during menopause are both physiological nipple discharge and are normal phenomena.

Pathological discharge refers to natural discharge from one or more ducts on one or both sides of the nipple under non-physiological circumstances and unrelated to pregnancy and lactation. Nipple discharge that is intermittent or persistent from several months to several years is mainly pathological discharge. If there is fluid discharge from the nipple during the non-pregnancy or non-breastfeeding period, it is considered pathological nipple discharge. It is an early sign of breast disease.

Second: Nipple discharge. Common breast diseases : 1. Mammary duct ectasia. For some patients with this disease, the first symptom is nipple discharge. The color of the discharge is mostly brown, and a few are bloody. This disease is more common in non-lactating or menopausal women over 40 years old. There is a lump adhered to the skin in the areola area where discharge occurs, which is usually less than 3 cm in diameter. The axillary lymph nodes on the same side may be enlarged, soft, and tender. If infection occurs, the local area of the lump will show signs of inflammation such as redness, swelling, heat and pain. 2. Intraductal papilloma This disease is more common in people aged 40 to 50 years old. 75% of the tumors occur in the area near the nipple. The tumor is very small, with a pedicle and villi, and there are many thin-walled blood vessels, so it is easy to bleed. Sometimes, careful palpation of the patient's breasts may reveal a cherry-sized lump under the areola, which is soft, smooth and movable. Intraductal papilloma usually has single-hole discharge. Because the tumor has many thin-walled blood vessels, the discharge is often bloody or dark brown.

3. Breast cystic hyperplasia is more common in women of childbearing age. The nipple discharge of some patients is yellow-green, brown, bloody or colorless serous. This disease has two characteristics: one is that it manifests as periodic breast pain, which often occurs or worsens before menstruation. Mild cases are often not taken seriously by patients, while severe cases can affect work and life. Second, breast lumps are often multiple and can be seen on one side or both sides. They can also be limited to one part of the breast or dispersed throughout the breast. The lumps are nodular and of varying sizes, tough but not hard, not adhered to the skin, and have unclear boundaries with surrounding tissues. The lumps may shrink after menstruation. 4. Breast cancer Some breast cancer patients have bright red or dark red nipple discharge, and sometimes clear water discharge, which is colorless and transparent, occasionally sticky, and leaves no trace after overflow. The two peak incidence periods of this disease are 45 to 49 years old and 60 to 64 years old. The onset is slow, and the patient may accidentally discover a breast lump, which is usually located at the upper inner or upper outer limit, is painless, and gradually grows larger. In the late stage of lesions, orange peel-like skin changes and satellite nodules appear. The axillary lymph nodes are enlarged and hard, and fuse into clumps as the disease progresses.

If nipple discharge occurs, no matter what form or shape it is, it should be taken seriously, because most nipple discharge during non-lactation is a manifestation of various breast diseases. It is particularly important to point out that if a man has nipple discharge, the possibility of breast malignancy is high and should not be taken lightly!

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