When to see a doctor

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Nipple discharge is rarely a sign of breast cancer. But it might be a sign of a condition that needs treatment.

If you still have menstrual periods and your nipple discharge doesn't clear up on its own after your next menstrual cycle, make an appointment with your healthcare professional.

If you're past menopause and you have nipple discharge that happens on its own, is clear or bloody and from a single duct in one breast only, see your healthcare professional right away.

In the meantime, don't massage your nipples or handle your breasts, even to check for discharge. Handling your nipples or friction from clothing can cause ongoing discharge.

Get the latest breast cancer information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox.

Sign up for free and receive the latest on breast cancer treatment, care and management.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Jan. 20, 2024

See also

  1. Amenorrhea
  2. Breast cancer
  3. Breast Cancer
  4. Breast cancer chemoprevention
  5. Breast Cancer Education Tool
  6. Common questions about breast cancer treatment
  7. Infographic: Breast Cancer Risk
  8. Breast cancer staging
  9. Breast cancer types
  10. Dragon Boats and Breast Cancer
  11. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
  12. Fibrocystic breasts
  13. Galactorrhea
  14. Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer
  15. Genetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact
  16. HER2-positive breast cancer: What is it?
  17. Male breast cancer
  18. Mammary duct ectasia
  19. What is breast cancer? An expert explains
  20. Paget's disease of the breast
  21. Paulas story A team approach to battling breast cancer
  22. Pink Sisters
  23. The Long Race Beating Cancer
  24. Weight Loss After Breast Cancer