Galactorrhea

The spontaneous flow of milk from the nipple at any time other than during nursing.</P> Galactorrhea can be due to 'normal' factors such as an unrecognized pregnancy, trauma, surgery, overexercise or one of a number of drugs (including amphetamine, cimetidine, female hormone replacement therapy, hydroxyzine, methyldopa, nicotine, narcotics, reserpine, antidepressants of the so-called tricyclic type, or verapamil).</P> Galactorrhea can also be due to 'abnormal' factors of a pathologic nature such as cirrhosis of the liver, a false pregnancy (pseudocyesis), renal (kidney) failure, disorders of the spinal cord, or a prolactinoma (a benign pituitary tumor that secretes the hormone prolactin which stimulates milk production).</P> The word 'galactorrhea' comes from the Greek 'galaktos' meaning 'milk' + 'rhein' meaning 'to flow' = 'to flow milk.' (The naturally occurring sugar in breast milk is called galactose.) Galactorrhea is also sometimes called witch's milk.