Gynecomastia is the benign growth of breast tissue as a result of imbalance in estrogen and testosterone hormones in men. This condition, which can develop in different sizes in both breasts, is a problem experienced by one in 3 men according to research. While it can be seen in infancy and old age, it commonly occurs during adolescence. While the disease can heal on its own, some cases may require medication or surgery.
Depending on changes in hormones, this condition can develop in infants, adolescence and old age. In many cases, men experience chest pain. Most people do not want to see a doctor because of embarrassment. There are also some conditions that cause this condition to develop.
Why does gynecomastia occur?
It is usually caused by changes in the testosterone hormone. It can be caused by a decrease in the testosterone hormone and an increase in the level of estrogen hormone due to this situation. The hormone balance in the body can be disrupted for many different reasons.
The causes of gynecomastia can be listed as follows:
- Changes in hormones
- Some medicines
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Different health problems and their complications
- Herbal products
- Some reinforcements received
The hormones testosterone and estrogen determine sex characteristics in men and women. Testosterone controls muscle growth and body hair, while estrogen controls breast growth in women as well as other feminine characteristics.
A small amount of estrogen is also produced in men. If it is above normal or in an unbalanced ratio with testosterone, breast enlargement can occur.
In male babies, the breasts may enlarge due to the estrogen hormone in the prenatal mother's body and the birth may occur in this way. In many cases, this condition returns to normal after birth.
During puberty, this problem may occur due to hormone levels that change too much. Most of them resolve spontaneously without treatment.
In adults, it is most common between the ages of 50 and 70. According to research, at least one in four men in this age range experience symptoms.
While some medications used can also be the cause, among these medications are antiandrogens, which are used especially for the treatment of prostate and prostate cancer. These drugs, which reduce the effect of testosterone, increase the likelihood of the disease.
In addition to some steroids and androgens preferred by athletes, antidepressants and heart medications can also be the cause.
Amphetamines, which are used to treat attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder, as well as drugs such as heroin and cannabis and drinking too much alcohol are also among the causes.
Some health problems can also lead to this condition and breast enlargement in men. Differences in hormones with aging are one of the factors that cause breast development.
Some tumors that cause hormones to change can disrupt the balance in male and female hormones and cause this problem.
In addition, various health problems, dialysis treatment due to kidney failure, different liver problems and cirrhosis medications can also cause hormones to change and breasts to grow in men.
Unbalanced and irregular nutrition, as well as constant hunger can lead to this condition.
What are the Symptoms of Gynecomastia?
Symptoms and signs are usually changes in the chest. Also, it may not be the same for both breasts. One breast may grow more and experience pain, while the other breast may progress more mildly.
- The symptoms of gynecomastia can be listed as follows:
- Breast swelling
- Pain sensation in the chest
- Sensitivity
- Discharge from one or both breasts
How is Gynecomastia Diagnosed?
There are some controls and procedures to be performed in terms of diagnosis and diagnosis of the disease. The diagnosis of gynecomastia can be determined by a physical examination by a specialist doctor and learning the medical history.
While all the symptoms and signs experienced by the patient should be conveyed to the physician during the examination, it is important to explain the disease history of the patient and his family members in detail. In addition, the patient should also tell the doctor about any diseases she has or medications she is taking, if any.
During the examination, the physician examines the breast tissue and checks different systems. In diagnosed cases, the physician may order some blood tests to determine the cause of the condition.
Depending on the results of the tests, imaging techniques and methods, computed tomography (CT), testicular ultrasound may be requested. Further tests such as a biopsy may also be necessary.
During the process of breast growth, there are some symptoms and signs that resemble breast swelling. The first of these is too much fatty breast tissue.
The risk of cancer is rare. The enlargement of a single breast or a hard nodule in the breast should consider the possibility of cancer risk and necessary controls should be provided.
What are Gynecomastia Treatment Methods?
In cases where there is no self-healing and improvement, it should be treated when it starts to affect the quality of life of the person in a bad way, when pain and sensitivity occur or when it causes psychological problems.
Gynecomastia treatment can be done with different methods as well as medication or surgical intervention. It can usually be treated with two different surgical approaches.
These are liposuction, popularly known as fat suction surgery, and the other surgical methods known as mastectomy.
In liposuction, fat suction surgeries, treatment is provided by removing excess fat in the breast tissue. However, mammary gland tissue is not removed.
In mastectomy, another surgical intervention, the mammary gland tissue is completely removed. The surgery is usually performed through a small incision.
How Does Gynecomastia Go Away?
The question of how gynecomastia passes, which is generally wondered, may disappear as a result of spontaneous recovery in most cases. In some cases, this process may be prolonged and may require treatment.
If this condition is seen due to hormones or nutritional status or due to an underlying problem such as cirrhosis, treatment is required.
A number of medications deemed necessary by the doctor may be prescribed for the person to use. In addition, the medicines that the person is already using can be stopped on the advice of a doctor.
In this problem, which occurs during puberty and can occur as a result of normally changing hormones, the physician may want to be checked every three or six months to monitor whether the problem will go away on its own.
In such cases, in many cases, this discomfort can often resolve spontaneously within a short period of time without the need for treatment and recovery can be seen.