Editing Galactorrhea

{{short description|Spontaneous flow of milk from the breast}}
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'''Galactorrhea''' ([[American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe|also spelled]] '''galactorrhoea''') ([[wikt:galacto-|galacto-]] + [[wikt:-rrhea|-rrhea]]) or '''lactorrhea''' ([[wikt:lacto-|lacto-]] + [[wikt:-rrhea|-rrhea]]) is the spontaneous flow of [[milk]] from the [[breast]], unassociated with [[childbirth]] or nursing.

Galactorrhea is reported to occur in 5–32% of females. Much of the difference in reported incidence can be attributed to different definitions of galactorrhea.<ref name=Sakiyama_1983>{{Cite journal | last1 = Sakiyama | first1 = R. | last2 = Quan | first2 = M. | title = Galactorrhea and hyperprolactinemia | journal = Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey | volume = 38 | issue = 12 | pages = 689–700 | year = 1983 | pmid = 6361641 | doi=10.1097/00006254-198312000-00001| s2cid = 2846310 }}</ref> Although frequently benign, it may be caused by serious underlying conditions and should be properly investigated.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Whitman-Elia | first1 = G. F. | last2 = Windham | first2 = N. Q. | title = Galactorrhea may be clue to serious problems. Patients deserve a thorough workup | journal = Postgraduate Medicine | volume = 107 | issue = 7 | pages = 165–168, 171 | year = 2000 | pmid = 10887453 | doi=10.3810/pgm.2000.06.1129| doi-broken-date = 10 January 2025 }}</ref> Galactorrhea also occurs in males, newborn infants and adolescents of both sexes.<ref name=Rohn_1984>{{Cite journal | last1 = Rohn | first1 = R. D. | title = Galactorrhea in the adolescent | journal = Journal of Adolescent Health | volume = 5 | issue = 1 | pages = 37–49 | year = 1984 | pmid = 6420385 | doi=10.1016/s0197-0070(84)80244-2}}</ref>

==Causes==
Galactorrhea can take place as a result of dysregulation of certain [[hormone]]s. Hormonal causes most frequently associated with galactorrhea are [[hyperprolactinemia]] and [[thyroid]] conditions with elevated levels{{efn|which may also suggest [[Pituitary disease]]}} of [[thyroid-stimulating hormone]] (TSH) or [[thyrotropin-releasing hormone]] (TRH). No obvious cause is found in about 50% of cases.<ref name=Sakiyama_1983/>

[[Lactation]] requires the presence of [[prolactin]], and the evaluation of galactorrhea includes eliciting a history for various medications or foods ([[methyldopa]], [[opioid]]s,  [[antipsychotic]]s, [[serotonin reuptake inhibitor]]s<ref>{{Cite journal | pmid = 23456048| pmc = 3683415| year = 2013| last1 = Karimi| first1 = H| title = Burns, hypertrophic scar and galactorrhea| journal = Journal of Injury and Violence Research| volume = 5| issue = 2| pages = 117–9| last2 = Nourizad| first2 = S| last3 = Momeni| first3 = M| last4 = Rahbar| first4 = H| last5 = Momeni| first5 = M| last6 = Farhadi| first6 = K| doi = 10.5249/jivr.v5i2.314}}</ref>) and for behavioral causes (stress, breast, and chest wall stimulation), as well as evaluation for gestation, [[pituitary adenoma]]s (with overproduction of [[prolactin]] or compression of the [[pituitary]] stalk), and [[hypothyroidism]]. Adenomas of the anterior pituitary are most often prolactinomas. Overproduction of prolactin leads to cessation of menstrual periods and [[infertility]], which may be a diagnostic clue. Galactorrhea may also be caused by hormonal imbalances owing to birth control pills.

Galactorrhea is also a side effect associated with the use of the second-generation [[H2 receptor antagonist|H<sub>2</sub> receptor antagonist]] [[cimetidine]] (Tagamet). Galactorrhea can also be caused by antipsychotics that cause hyperprolactinemia by blocking dopamine receptors responsible for control of prolactin release. Of these, [[risperidone]] is the most notorious for causing this complication.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Popli |first1=A |title=Risperidone-induced galactorrhea associated with a prolactin elevation. |journal=Ann Clin Psychiatry |volume=10 |issue=1 |date=March 1998 |pages=31–3 |pmid=9622047 |doi=10.3109/10401239809148815 }}</ref> Case reports suggest [[proton-pump inhibitor]]s have been shown to cause galactorrhea.

==Neonatal milk==
{{main article|Witch's milk}}
'''Neonatal milk''' or '''witch's milk''' is [[milk]] secreted from the [[breast]]s of approximately 5% of [[newborn infant]]s. It is considered a normal variation and no treatment or testing is necessary. In folklore, witch's milk was believed to be a source of nourishment for witches' [[familiar spirit]]s.<ref>{{cite book | first=Malcolm  | last= Potts | author-link= Malcolm Potts | year=1999 | title=Ever Since Adam and Eve: The Evolution of Human Sexuality | url=https://archive.org/details/eversinceadameve00pott  | url-access=registration  | isbn=0-521-64404-6 | page= [https://archive.org/details/eversinceadameve00pott/page/145 145]| publisher= Cambridge University Press }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Galactagogue]]
* [[Hypothalamic–pituitary–prolactin axis]]
* [[Lactation failure (disambiguation)]]
* [[Mammoplasia]]

==References==
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== External links ==
{{Medical resources
| DiseasesDB     = 6314
| ICD10          = {{ICD10|N|64|3|n|60}}, {{ICD10|O|92|6|o|85}}
| ICD9           = {{ICD9|611.6}}, {{ICD9|676.6}}
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| MeshID         = D005687
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{{Wiktionary}}

{{Diseases of the breast}}
{{Pathology of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium}}

[[Category:Breast milk]]
[[Category:Infancy]]
[[Category:European witchcraft]]
[[Category:Breast diseases]]