Any woman can detect yellow discharge from the mammary glands with pressure completely by accident. They may leave faint spots on the laundry. In that case, if the lady does not feed the baby at this time, and she did not have to give birth at all, then you should definitely beware in this 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 health from time to time.
The main types of discharge
Usually transparent and yellow discharge from the mammary glands when pressed does not always indicate the development of pathological processes. But brown and bloody impurities are already a sign of a serious illness, which will serve as an occasion for 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.
- White is often observed during pregnancy, as well as in the first few months after completion of lactation. They are considered the norm. In other cases, the occurrence of white secretion on the background of depression indicates galactorrhea, which is caused by increased production of estrogen and an increase in prolactin. Sometimes such manifestations are associated with a pathological change in the pituitary gland, as well as with a violation of the functions of the thyroid gland.
- Greens are a clear sign of mastopathy. The consistency of the discharge will be thick and mucous. They will certainly be accompanied by compaction in the glands, general tenderness in the chest, and temperature.
- Browns are caused by bleeding in the milk ducts, and are also triggered by the development of mastopathy and malignancy. Usually dark, and in some cases black, due to the presence of blood.
- Spotting is one of the most serious symptoms that may indicate the development of a malignant formation or intraductal papilloma. Keep in mind that smearing red discharge may occur due to chest injuries.
- Purulent secretion is usually caused by an inflammatory infectious process. At the same time, patients experience a temperature along with pain, redness of the skin in the area of the nipples, swelling and swelling of the breast.
Physiological causes of pathology
Yellow discharge from the mammary glands with pressure can occur for the following reasons: physiological and pathological. The first type includes:
- The bearing of the fetus. During pregnancy, breast preparation for the birth of the baby, as well as its feeding, is carried out. The glands in this period, as it were, train to form milk, and then remove it. A similar process takes place in the last trimester. An increased tone of the uterus stimulates the release of a yellowish liquid from both glands.
- Some time after the end of feeding. Symptom may occur over the next three years. This depends on the age of the woman, and, in addition, on the number of pregnancies she has undergone.
- Due to abortion. The presence of secretions and their duration are determined by the exact period at which the artificial termination of gestation was made. Allocations in this situation can disturb the patient from several days to a whole month.
- When using contraceptives. Oral contraceptives include hormones that stimulate lactation. Allocations may disappear after the complete abolition of such contraceptives. They need to be replaced with some alternative type. But this must be done according to the doctor’s recommendation.
Among other things, yellow discharge from the mammary glands with pressure is possible during therapy with hormonal drugs, as well as due to the use of antidepressants. The reason can be too tight bras or physical overload.
Pathological causes of the disease
The main factors provoking yellow discharge from the mammary glands:
- Ductectasia is an ailment characterized by a process of pathological expansion of the ducts, which are called subareolar channels. Such a disease is characteristic of women after forty, since its main cause is an age-related change in the body. An ailment does not pose a health hazard, but only if timely therapy is provided. Otherwise, serious consequences are not excluded.
- Chest injury (we are talking about bumps, bruises). If this happened without violating the skin integrity, then within two days a small part of the liquid substance can be easily squeezed out of the nipple.
- The presence of intraductal papilloma. This is a benign papillary tumor that occurs in the duct near the nipple. Due to the development of the formation, a thick liquid is released, in which sometimes blood impurities may even be present.
- Mastitis or abscess. In this case, the area of the gland can become inflamed. The cause can be a bacterial infection, in most situations, Staphylococcus aureus becomes a provocateur. Against the background of an abscess, pus accumulates in the tissues of the chest.
- Galactorrhea is a discharge of yellow colostrum from the nipples, which is in no way associated with feeding. Most often, the main reason is an increase in blood levels of prolactin (in this case, hyperprolactinemia develops) or an increase in estrogen levels.
- Fibrous cystic mastopathy, in which a densified area of tissue appears in the mammary gland. This condition is dangerous because it can later degenerate into cancer.
- The presence of a malignant neoplasm (breast cancer) is a tumor that forms imperceptibly due to uncontrolled cell division. In this case, yellow discharge occurs due to pressure and can be observed from both glands or from only one.
- Paget's disease suggests the presence of a malignant tumor covering 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
A variety of diseases of the genitourinary organs, for example, vaginitis, cystitis or syphilis, can act as a factor in the appearance of secretions from the yellow 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 a secretion from the mammary glands. But whatever the main cause of the pathology, it should be determined as quickly 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 associated with the position of a woman. But the timing of the first secret may vary for every lady. For the majority, this phenomenon is observed starting from the twenty-fourth to twenty-sixth week, and for some even on the eve of childbirth.
Early discharge
But there are patients in whom yellow discharge from the chest is fixed at an earlier date - at the fourteenth or sixteenth week. But cases have been noted that a clear and liquid secretion is likely to occur in an even earlier period of pregnancy - at the fifth or sixth week. A similar physiological process, given the condition of the woman, is absolutely normal, so you should not panic.
How should a pathology be diagnosed?
When there are yellow discharge in women from the breast, it is necessary to make an appointment with a mammologist. The doctor is likely to refer the patient to undergo procedures such as mammography and ultrasound examination of the breast. And you also need to do galactography (a type of mammography), which is an X-ray examination of the milky ducts, which involves the introduction of a contrast agent into them. Among other things, it can also be assigned:
- Blood test for prolactin along with sex hormones.
- Examination of the thyroid gland.
- Conducting a cytological analysis of discharge from the chest.
Summarizing the result will help the doctor determine the diagnosis, and at the same time with further therapeutic methods.
Pathology treatment
Timely treatment of yellow discharge from the chest with pressure will help to achieve positive results. Depending on the diagnosis, it may be conservative, but surgical intervention is not excluded.
Pathologies like mastitis and abscess can be 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.
Surgical intervention
Surgical intervention is also required if an intraductal papilloma is found. The diseased 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, involving the removal of the affected gland. Then prescribe chemotherapy sessions.
Conclusion
Thus, having detected discharge from the chest with a dark yellow color when pressed, it is not necessary to panic, as 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. After performing special tests, the doctor will select an individual treatment. In such cases, surgery cannot be ruled out.