breast infections

Hello i just was wonder for about a month now my breast have been very soar, and about a week ago my left breast was leaking, when i took my bra off my breast was stuck to my bra on the left side, they hurt on and off. What could this be? And what should i do?


thanks,
bufordkrn

Hello! You need to see a doctor to check out what is going on.

It could be that you have developed some sort of infection. If you have been breastfeeding recently or you had a small cut somewhere near your nipple, it is possible that bacteria entered the breast area somehow. The condition is called mastitis. It can make your breasts swell, itch, become red and skin flaky, breasts may be tender and you may feel tired or run down. Leaky fluid as well as cracked and bloody nipples may be another sign of it.

If any of these symptoms match your symptoms, it could be that you have a problem with excessive prolactin. Prolactin is a hormone that is present when women are breastfeeding, it interferes with periods as well, so you may experience some problems with your periods if this is the case.
Excessive prolactin levels may appear in women who are not breastfeeding when they suffer from a benign tumor on pituitary gland. It usually does not pose any health risk except infertility and possibly vision. Also, certain prescription drugs may interfere with excessive secretion of prolactin. These drugs are anti-depressants, painkillers, and opiates block dopamine. Thyroid problems, polysistic ovarian syndrome, etc can also contribute to the problem.

I would suggest you had your prolactin levels checked, it is easily done through a simple blood test. Normal prolactin levels in women are somewhere between 30 and 600 mIU/I.