What is Gynecomastia Its Symptoms And Treatment In 2022

What is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition in which increased average amounts of breast tissue form in males. It is caused by a unbalance hormone, lowered testosterone levels, puberty, medications, aging, illness, or environmental factors.

This condition can take place in adolescents, newborns, and adult men. The symptoms of adolescent men commonly recover within a few years. Although the medical people divide it on the need to treat Gynecomastia, mild cases of Gynecomastia can be treated by wearing a compression man bra. While more severe cases require surgical reduction of the breasts.

Although breasts don’t develop in men like in women, all boys are born with small breast tissue. Boys’ bodies make testosterone hormones that guide sexual growth during young adulthood. But when an older man’s body makes less testosterone, the balance of the two hormones changes. Sometimes a higher percentage of estrogen causes male breast tissue to swell. About half of immature boys and two-thirds of men older than 50 will have this.

Symptoms of Gynecomastia 

The first and foremost sign of Gynecomastia may be a lump of fatty tissue under the nipple. Sometimes this lump is sore, and you think you have breast cancer, which occurs in some men. Gynecomastia is not necessarily a sign of cancer, but you should consult your doctor for some tests to confirm it.

Swelling of the breasts is not evenly happened. You can also have breast tenderness. You should immediately consider your doctor if you feel that your breasts have swelling, are tender, and have any discharge from the nipple of breasts.

Causes Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is usually a harmless condition. It occurs in many different causes of hormone changes. These hormones are changes in levels of the female and male testosterone hormones. But some other things can be caused for it.

Gynecomastia can also be a side effect of certain medicines, such as antidepressants, chemotherapy, antibiotics, prostate cancer medicines, ulcer, or cardiovascular medicines. Drugs can mainly cause it, such as heroin, marijuana, etc.

Besides this, some diseases and medical conditions may also cause Gynecomastia, such as Kidney disease, Liver diseases, Testicular cancer, Tumors of the adrenal glands or pituitary gland, Lung cancer, congenital disorders, Injury and Obesity, and Thyroid disorders.

Sometimes newborn babies may have short-term Gynecomastia because a mother’s estrogen stays in a baby’s blood for some time after birth. But you could not like Gynecomastia to breast cancer. Because rare that men get breast cancer.

How can Gynecomastia diagnosed?

The diagnosis of Gynecomastia is based on physical symptoms, medical history, breast exam, and medical review. Breast pain and swelling are common symptoms. Sometimes a hard rubbery clot of tissue beneath the nipple area is felt during the exam. The disk is easily moveable within the breast tissue.

Your doctor will review all of your supplements, herbal product, and medications that you take. Also, I will take tests to determine which diseases or conditions cause Gynecomastia. Doctors take these breast tests to rule out breast cancer. Your doctor may also take blood tests to examine your hormone levels.

Gynecomastia Complications

Gynecomastia can affect your mental health in the way of awkward feelings, feeling anxious, and depression. You can take some to manage these feelings. First, go to a mental health professional and talk to him about your feelings.

He can suggest you manage any mental health problems you may get. You can also talk to your close friends and family. They will help to give you the emotional backing you need. Some groups help you to come out of these feelings.

How can Gynecomastia treat?

Your healthcare doctor will determine the best treatment for you based on these questions: How old are you? When you are sick, your current and past health, which medicines you take, and many more. Mostly Gynecomastia happens during puberty.

In most cases, the condition commonly gets better without treatment. For this, it requires the time of 6 months to 2 or 3 years. When you have Gynecomastia, you should go to a specialist known as an endocrinologist, who treats hormonal problems and how they affect your body. Your treatment may depend on your age, health, how long your condition may last, and how well you respond to certain drugs.

If it happens during puberty, then it needs no treatment. It might take anywhere from 6 months to 3 years. For this short period, they usually wear men wear bras for compression of breasts. If Gynecomastia occurs due to your unbalanced hormones or another health problem, you will have to treat that underlying condition. In some cases, you will need surgery. 

Your doctor will recommend that if a medicine is causing your breast enlargement, you should stop taking medicine. Further, if any disease is causing the condition, you should treat that disease. You can also use Hormone therapy for the treatment of Gynecomastia. Besides this, surgery can be used in rare cases to remove the extra tissue.

References

Demystifying Gynecomastia: Men with Breasts Paperback – March 15, 2006, by Merle James Yost (Author), LMFT (Author)

Fixing Man Boobs Guide: How to Get Rid of Gynecomastia by Lendell Sapphira