Reproduction is a complicated process as a result of which the human body undergoes many changes. If you are pregnant, you experience most of these changes first-hand. The list of recorded changes occurring in a woman’s body may be conventional or unconventional, and it is best to be aware of them from the get go so that you can be duly prepared. Lactation without pregnancy is one of the rarer symptoms that your body may be showing. People respond to this condition with shock and are often ashamed or humiliated, but it can affect anyone with any gender and at any age.
The formal medical name of the condition is galactorrhea where a person can produce breast milk without being pregnant. The situation is not necessarily restricted to women either, as it can affect anyone at any point, be it man, woman or child.
Read More: 11 Popular Medicines to Avoid While Breastfeeding
All You Need to Know About Lactation without Pregnancy
The symptoms of lactation without pregnancy
There a number of markers of galactorrhea, which may be regarded as the lactation without pregnancy symptoms. They are listed as follows:
- Enlargement of the breast tissue and the swelling of the areolas.
- Discharge of milk in excessive quantities, at random moments during the day.
- Irregular menstruation
- Breakout of acne on the skin
- Lowered libido and lack of sex drive
- Nausea
- Headaches and problems with seeing
- Hair growth may become abnormal
Is lactation without pregnancy a sign of miscarriage?
When a woman is pregnant, her body undergoes a host of anatomical and hormonal changes. If there has been a miscarriage, there is a termination of the pregnancy and most changes in the body are gradually resolved. But sometimes, there may be a missed signal which can initiate the process of lactation, without taking into account the termination of the pregnancy. If a woman is aware of the miscarriage, lactation without pregnancy can serve as a brutal reminder of the condition.
In a lot of cases, galactorrhea is an indication of accidental conception. The first few weeks after a conceiving are particularly delicate, and a miscarriage at this time may often be perceived as a late period. Especially if you are not actively looking to conceive and are consequently not alert about the situation your body is in, lactation without pregnancy can be an indicator that a pregnancy had taken place chemically.
Other causes of galactorrhea
Other than being an indicator or a residual symptom of a terminated pregnancy, galactorrhea may be caused by a number of reasons. Some of these are as follows:
Specific medications
Some prescriptive medicines may be the cause of lactation without pregnancy. Anti-depressants and medicines of the kind may stimulate the production of prolactin which may cause the discharge of milk from your breasts.
Tumours
Tumours in the pituitary glands may cause some undesirable changes in your body as hormones are randomly produced. The secretion of prolactin due to a tumour can cause galactorrhea in the human body.
Chronic kidney issues
The kidneys perform the function of filtering out the excessive prolactin from the body. If you have a chronic kidney problems that causes them to malfunction, that may lead to the production of milk from breasts, even when there is no possibility of pregnancy.
Read More: 11 Home Remedies to Treat Kidney Infection During Pregnancy
Damaged nerves
Any damage in the nerves of the chest area may also lead to milk production from the breasts. Damages due to burns in the chest area, shingles of chest surgery may result in nerve impulses which can stimulate lactation without pregnancy.
Hypothyroidism
Related to the endocrine system of the body, a deficit in the thyroxin released from the thyroid gland may result in increased amounts of prolactin, leading to unwanted discharge of milk from the breasts.
Read More: Is Under Active Thyroid Dangerous During Pregnancy?
Injuries in the spine
Sometimes severe nerve damage due to trauma or injuries to the spinal cord may stimulate the endocrine system, resulting in lactation without pregnancy in the human body.
Some specific herbs
Consumption of some specific herbs like fenugreek, anise seeds, cumin and fennel can stimulate lactation in the body of the person exposed to them.
Menopause lactation
Hormonal changes occurring in the body in a woman facing the issue might also result in menopause lactation without pregnancy.
When to see a doctor?
If you think you are experiencing lactation without pregnancy and may be showing signs of galactorrhoea, it is imperative that you consult a doctor immediately about your condition.
Diagnosis
Galactorrhoea may be diagnosed in one of the ways mentioned as follows:
- Physical examination by a doctor or a medical professional
- Getting a mammogram to know for certain
- A check for hormone levels in a routine blood test may reveal the cause of galactorrhoea
- Getting a pregnancy test is also a good idea to determine the cause of lactation
Treatment & Prevention
Milk production from the breasts may be treated in a number of ways:
- Medical treatments that are linked to the cause of The correct diagnosis of the problem is imperative, and the administering of the correct medication is absolutely essential to treat the condition.
- Various home remedies can also be used to treat the condition. While the diagnosis and medication takes it’s course, you can start your own home treatment of galactorrhoea by preventing any stimulation of the breasts and leading a healthier life to prevent any disruption of the hormonal functions.
- Abstaining from any chemical substances that causes hormonal imbalance of the body is a good way to get things back to normal and stop the discharge of milk from the breasts by preventing lactation without pregnancy.
References
https://www.organicfacts.net/lactation-without-pregnancy.html
