1. Stop or Reduce Medication
With your doctor, identify any medication or supplement that could be causing the nipple problem known as galactorrhea, a milky fluid discharge. This discharge may be produced by your blood pressure medication, an antidepressant, a tranquilizer, a hormone or an oral contraceptive. Certain herbal supplements also can cause galactorrhea, including fenugreek, anise, thisle or nettle. Eliminate the herbal supplements if you have nipple discharge, but get your doctor's permission before you modify the dosage of any prescription medication.
2. Lower Your Prolactin Level
If a blood test reveals that your prolactin level is above the normal range (more than 25 mcg/L for nonpregnant women or more than 400 mcg/L for pregnant women), your doctor may prescribe bromocriptine to treat abnormal nipple discharge. This medication dampens your body's production of prolactin, a pituitary hormone that helps produce breast milk.
3. Surgery for Pituitary Tumors
A benign tumor (called a prolactinoma) on your pituitary gland causes prolactin overproduction. Nipple discharge can be a symptom of this type of tumor. Prolactinoma often can be treated with bromocriptine, but if the tumor does not shrink with this medication or if the tumor is very large and presses on other areas surrounding the pituitary, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove it.
4. Balance Your Thyroid Level
An underactive thyroid gland can cause your nipple discharge. Your doctor will measure your thyroid gland's output of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and T-4 (thyroxine) with a blood test. He may prescribe levothyroxine to jump start your thyroid if necessary.
5. Take Antibiotics for Breast Infection or Blocked Duct
You generally must take antibiotics for 10 to 14 days to clear up the bacterial breast infection called mastitis. A blocked milk duct, or mammary duct ectasia, may resolve itself on its own. If nipple soreness persists, and an ultrasound confirms that a duct is clogged, you may need to take antibiotics to treat this problem.
