Galactorrhea, meaning, causes and preventive measures

What is galactorrhea?

Galactorrhea is the spontaneous leakage of milk from one or both breasts in the absence of pregnancy or nursing.

It is surprisingly common: studies show it affects about 20–25% of women at some point in their lifetime.

And yes, it can also occur in men and, rarely, newborns.

WHAT CAUSES GALACTORRHEA?

The most common cause is hyperprolactinemia, which is an abnormally high level of the hormone prolactin.

What is Prolactin?

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland (a small gland at the base of the brain).

Its main role is to stimulate milk production (lactation) after childbirth.

When prolactin is high in absence of pregnancy or breastfeeding, it signifies something is wrong. 

What causes high prolactin levels?

- Pituitary tumors (prolactinomas)

 - Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormones)

- Medications like antipsychotics, antidepressants, metoclopramide, verapamil, and oral contraceptives

- Stress, exercise or lack of sleep

- Chronic kidney or liver disease

- Chest wall irritation (surgery, burns, trauma, shingles)

You may be more likely to develop galactorrhea if you:

- Take medications that raise prolactin

- Have a pituitary disorder

- Have thyroid, kidney, or liver disease

 - Frequently stimulate the breasts or nipples

- Are under chronic stress.

Galactorrhea signals that something is off in your hormone balance.

If untreated, it can lead to:

- Irregular or absent periods

- Infertility (because prolactin suppresses ovulation)

- Sexual dysfunction in both women and men

- Bone loss (osteoporosis) if hormones stay imbalanced for long

- Headaches/vision problems (if due to a pituitary tumor pressing on nearby structures)

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Get evaluated: blood tests (prolactin, thyroid), pregnancy test, maybe an MRI of the brain.

- Treat the root cause:

• Stop/switch an offending medication

• Thyroid medication for hypothyroidism

• Dopamine agonists (cabergoline, bromocriptine) for prolactinomas

• Surgery only if large tumors don’t respond to meds

Most cases of Galactorrhea are treatable, and fertility can be restored.

You can lower your risk by:

- Avoiding unnecessary nipple stimulation (constant squeezing makes it worse)

- Managing your stress levels 

- Discussing medication side effects with your doctor before starting

- Keeping thyroid, kidney, and liver health in check.

Galactorrhea might be surprising and even scary, but it’s usually a treatable sign of hormonal imbalance.

So if you notice milky nipple discharge when you’re not nursing, don’t panic.

Don’t ignore it either.

👉🏽 Get checked.

👉🏽 Find the cause.

👉🏽 Get treated.