What is galactorrhea?
Galactorrhea is when your breasts make milk when you aren’t breastfeeding a baby. Both men and women can get galactorrhea.
Galactorrhea is usually caused by a tumor in your pituitary gland Overview of the Pituitary Gland The pituitary gland is a pea-sized bit of tissue at the bottom of your brain. Glands are organs that make and release hormones into your blood. Hormones are chemicals that stimulate other cells... read more
Some of the problems that cause galactorrhea also can cause infertility Infertility Infertility is not being able to get pregnant after trying to have a baby for at least a year. For most couples, having frequent sex without birth control results in a pregnancy within a year... read more
in both men and womenTests include imaging of the pituitary with CT scan Computed Tomography A CT scan uses a large machine shaped like a large donut to take x-rays from many angles. A computer then takes the x-rays and creates many detailed pictures of the inside of your body. Each... read more (computed tomography) or MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI is a test that uses a machine with a powerful magnet to make pictures of the inside of your body. A computer records changes in the magnetic field around your body. The computer then uses... read more
(magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain, and measurement of the pituitary hormone prolactinDoctors treat galactorrhea with medicine and sometimes surgery
The pituitary gland Overview of the Pituitary Gland The pituitary gland is a pea-sized bit of tissue at the bottom of your brain. Glands are organs that make and release hormones into your blood. Hormones are chemicals that stimulate other cells... read more is a pea-sized bit of tissue at the bottom of your brain that makes hormones. Hormones are chemicals that stimulate other cells or tissues into action.
What causes galactorrhea?
Prolactin is a hormone from your pituitary gland Overview of the Pituitary Gland The pituitary gland is a pea-sized bit of tissue at the bottom of your brain. Glands are organs that make and release hormones into your blood. Hormones are chemicals that stimulate other cells... read more that causes your breasts to make milk. Prolactin normally increases in women who have just given birth, so they can breastfeed their baby. Too much prolactin causes your breasts to make milk even when you're not pregnant. Prolactin can even make a man's breasts produce milk.
The most common cause of galactorrhea in men and women is:
A tumor on your pituitary gland that causes the gland to make too much prolactin
Other causes of having too much prolactin include:
Certain medicines (some high blood pressure medicines and birth control pills)
Liver disease
Certain lung cancers
Having too much prolactin also can affect sexual function and fertility in men and women.
What are the symptoms of galactorrhea?
For women:
Your breasts making milk unexpectedly
Not having periods, or having fewer periods
Vaginal dryness because of low estrogen levels
Sometimes, excess body hair (hirsutism)
For men:
Your breasts making breast milk
Less interest in sex
In both women and men, a large tumor can press on nerves in the brain and cause headaches or partial blindness.
How can doctors tell if I have galactorrhea?
Doctors know you have galactorrhea because your breasts are making milk for no reason. To know the cause of the galactorrhea, they'll do tests such as:
Blood test to measure your prolactin level
CT scan Computed Tomography A CT scan uses a large machine shaped like a large donut to take x-rays from many angles. A computer then takes the x-rays and creates many detailed pictures of the inside of your body. Each... read more (computed tomography) or MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI is a test that uses a machine with a powerful magnet to make pictures of the inside of your body. A computer records changes in the magnetic field around your body. The computer then uses... read more
(magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain
How do doctors treat galactorrhea?
Doctors treat galactorrhea with:
Medicine to stop your pituitary gland from making prolactin
Surgery to remove a tumor, if you have one and if medicine doesn't work
If your symptoms are mild and don't bother you, doctors may not treat your galactorrhea. You may need to take estrogen for low estrogen levels, and doctors will do follow-up CT scans or MRI each year to make sure your pituitary tumor isn't growing larger.
