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Nipple discharge



Nipple discharge: Introduction

Nipple discharge: Discharge of fluid or milk from one or both breasts. See free access online books about Nipple discharge below. See detailed information below for a list of 71 causes of Nipple discharge, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Nipple discharge: full list

Causes of Nipple discharge:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Nipple discharge. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

See full list of 71 causes of Nipple discharge

» Review Causes of Nipple discharge: full list

Causes of Types of Nipple discharge:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Nipple discharge:

Review causes of types of Nipple discharge in more specific categories:

See full list of 7 types for Nipple discharge

Nipple discharge: Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Nipple discharge, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

See full list of 935 Symptom Checker combinations related to Nipple discharge

Nipple discharge: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Nipple discharge:

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Nipple discharge

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Nipple discharge:

Diagnostic Guides for Nipple discharge

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from published book sections related to Nipple discharge from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Nipple discharge. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Nipple discharge

Medical Books Excerpts
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Nipple discharge: Medical Mistakes

Nipple discharge: Undiagnosed Conditions

Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:

Hospitals & Clinics: Nipple discharge

Research extensive quality ratings and patient safety measures for hospitals, clinics and medical facilities in health specialties related to Nipple discharge:

Research Hospital & Clinic Quality Ratings » »

Nipple discharge: Research Related Doctors & Specialists

Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:

Misdiagnosis and Nipple discharge

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Read more about Misdiagnosis and Nipple discharge

Nipple discharge: Related Rare Diseases

Rare types of medical conditions and diseases in related medical categories:

Diagnostic tests for Nipple discharge:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Nipple discharge. Some of these are listed below :

  • Physical examination
    • Induce and inspect the discharge by compressing a quadrant of the breast Examination of breasts for breast lump
    • Axillary and supraclavicular lymph node examination
    • If suspicious lump is found, inspect liver, lungs and spine for signs of metastases
  • Blood tests
    • Prolactin hormone should be ordered if the nipple discharge is bilateral and milky
  • more tests...»

See full list of 17 diagnostic tests for Nipple discharge

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Nipple discharge. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

  • When did you first notice the nipple discharge? - to establish if acute or chronic.
  • What type of discharge is it? - e.g. bloody, watery, milky, green, yellow or pus-like.
  • Bloody discharge may include intraduct papilloma (most common), intraduct carcinoma or mammary dysplasia. Green-grey discharge may include mammary dysplasia or mammary duct ectasia. Yellow discharge may include mammary dysplasia or breast abscess (pus). Milky white discharge may be due to lactation, lactation cysts, elevated prolactin hormone or drugs
  • Is it from one or both nipples? - if unilateral and watery or bloody discharge consider breast cancer, intraduct papilloma, Paget's disease, papillary cystadenoma or epithelioma of the nipple. If bilateral and milky should consider the various conditions that cause hyperprolactinemia (elevated prolactin hormone in the blood) or pregnancy. A bilateral bloody discharge suggests mammary dysplasia (chronic cystic mastitis).
  • Is the nipple discharge spontaneous or does it have to be expressed?
  • more questions...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Nipple discharge (26 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Nipple discharge) may include:

  • Breast lump? - a focal mass in the breast with a bloody discharge makes a breast cancer almost certain. If there is a focal mass, fever and a non-bloody discharge should consider a breast abscess. Mammary dysplasia can cause breast nodularity and sometimes a discrete lump but this varies with the menstrual period and usually causes multiple or bilateral masses.
  • Breast pain? - a bloody discharge associated with breast pain suggests breast cancer if unilateral; mammary dysplasia if bilateral (causes discomfort particularly before the menstrual period and settles after the period).
  • Breast swelling before the menstrual period? - suggests Mammary dysplasia.
  • Fever? - fever or chills along with a pus-like discharge from the breast is most likely acute mastitis or a breast abscess.
  • Symptoms of breast cancer? - e.g. breast lump, usually painless ( only 5% associated with pain), lump is hard and irregular. May have nipple discharge or nipple retraction. May have symptoms of metastases such as back pain, shortness of breath, weight loss or headache.
  • more symptoms...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Nipple discharge (26 listings)

Home Diagnostic Testing and Nipple discharge

Home medical tests possibly related to Nipple discharge:

Stories from Users for Nipple discharge

Real-life user stories relating to Nipple discharge:

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Nipple discharge or relevant symptoms:

Videos for Nipple discharge

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See full list of 27 related videos

Patient Surveys for Nipple discharge

Causes of Nipple discharge listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Nipple discharge as a symptom include:

See full list of 71 causes of Nipple discharge
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Nipple discharge:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Nipple discharge as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

See full list of 7 medications causing Nipple discharge

Organs affected by Nipple discharge:

The list of organs typically affected by Nipple discharge may include, but is not limited to:

Detailed list of causes of Nipple discharge

The list below shows some of the causes of Nipple discharge mentioned in various sources:

See full list of 71 causes of Nipple discharge

How Common are these Causes of Nipple discharge?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Nipple discharge. Of the 71 causes of Nipple discharge that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

  • 1 causes are "very common" diseases
  • 1 causes are "common" diseases
  • 1 causes are "uncommon" diseases
  • 0 causes are "rare" diseases
  • 2 causes are "very rare" diseases
  • 69 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 71 causes of Nipple discharge

Conditions listing symptoms: Nipple discharge:

The following list of conditions have 'Nipple discharge' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

A

  • Adenoid cystic carcionoma ... nipple discharge
  • Ahumada-Del Castillo Syndrome ... abnormal milk production

    B

  • Breast Cancer ... Nipple discharge
  • Breast cancer stages: 0, I, II, III, IV ... nipple discharge
  • Breast Duct Papilloma ... bleeding from nipple, blood-stained or serous nipple discharge

    D

  • Ductal ectasia ... nipple discharge

    I

  • Inflammatory breast cancer ... nipple discharge
  • Invasive breast cancer ... nipple discharge
  • Invasive ductal carcinoma ... nipple discharge

    L

  • Locally advanced breast cancer ... nipple discharge

    M

  • Male Breast Cancer ... Nipple discharge
  • Medullary carcionoma ... Nipple discharge
  • Metaplastic carcinoma ... nipple discharge
  • Metastatic breast cancer ... Nipple discharge
  • Micropapillary carcinoma ... nipple discharge

    P

  • Pre-invasive breast cancer ... nipple discharge

    V

  • Van Wyk-Grumbach syndrome ... abnormal milk production

    Z

  • Zuskas Disease ... Nipple discharge

    Join in at the forums

    Ask or answer a question about symptoms or diseases at one of our free interactive user forums.

    Medical story forums: If you have a medical story then we want to hear it.

    See a list of all the medical forums

  • Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Nipple discharge?

    Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Nipple discharge, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.

    Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :

    Classifications of Nipple discharge:

    Subtypes of Nipple discharge:

    Bleeding nipple (1 cause), Lactation in females

    Medical Conditions associated with Nipple discharge:

    Nipple symptoms (106 causes), Nipple abnormality (33 causes), Breast symptoms (204 causes)

    Symptoms related to Nipple discharge:

    Nipple pain (3 causes), Nipple symptoms (106 causes), Breast symptoms (204 causes), Breast infection, Breast abscess, Breast cyst, Breast duct papilloma, Mastitis, Breast cancer (3 causes), Ductal ectasia, Breast duct cancer, Breast papilloma, Paget's disease of nipple

    Medical articles on signs and symptoms:

    Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:

    These general medical articles may be of interest:

    See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

    News Archives for Nipple discharge

    Medical news articles related to Nipple discharge include:

    Source: HealthDay News

    Evidence Based Medicine Research for Nipple discharge

    Medical research papers related to Nipple discharge include:

    Research More Evidence-Based Medicine at TripDatabase.com

    More Ways To Research Medical Signs and Symptoms:


     » Next page: Causes of Nipple discharge

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