What is the cause of clear water coming out of the nipple?

It is normal for women to squeeze out clear water from their nipples after they become pregnant. This is caused by progesterone. However, if it is not during the lactation period, you must pay close attention to it. It may be caused by diencephalon disease, pituitary lesions, endocrine system diseases, etc. In addition, chronic mastitis, herpes zoster on the chest, etc. can also cause clear water to come out of the nipples, which can cause great harm to the body.

1. Causes of Nipple Discharge

1. Diencephalic disease or pituitary lesions,

2. Endocrine system diseases,

3. Chest diseases, such as chronic mastitis, chest herpes zoster, chest wall injury, etc.;

4. Side effects of drugs, such as chlorpromazine, morphine, reserpine, metoclopramide, imipramine, methyldopa and hormone drugs such as birth control pills, can cause endocrine dysfunction in the human body, stimulate prolactin secretion, and lead to breast discharge;

5. Local stimulation of the breast and systemic stress response, such as frequent playing or sucking of the nipples, severe mental trauma, sudden changes in lifestyle habits, etc., can also stimulate the secretion of prolactin, leading to a transient increase in prolactin and causing breast discharge.

2. Clinical manifestations of nipple discharge

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 tumors are very small, have pedicles and villi, and have many thin-walled blood vessels, so they are prone to bleeding. Sometimes, careful palpation of the patient's breasts may reveal a cherry-sized lump under the areola, which is soft, smooth and movable.

3. Breast cystic hyperplasia

It 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 that is colorless and transparent, occasionally sticky, and leaves no trace after discharge. 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.