Gynecomastia Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Gynecomastia relates to men that have abnormally large breast size. This is due to hormonal imbalances in their levels of testosterone and estrogen. Male babies and also boys in their teenage years have some of this condition to the hormonal changes they are experiencing.

This medical condition of males isn't really something to be alarmed about. Emotionally though, it can be hard for a boy or man to cope with.

Gynecomastia may disappear on its own. There is also treatments for it that will work with the imbalances of hormones. Guys can also have a surgical procedure to take away the excess growth of tissue.

When a male has gynecomastia he will have symptoms such as a swollen breast, or breasts, and the breast will also be sensitive and very tender to the touch. If the breast is producing a discharge of any kind, seeing the doctor is essential.

There is also a number of medications that will cause gynecomastia. These include some antibiotics, cancer treatments, Digitalis and calcium channel blockers for the heart, and medications for anxiety. It is also not so uncommon for HIV-AIDS medications to cause this condition of breast enlargement.

The abuse of street drugs such as marijuana, heroin, and steroids can bring on abnormal breast growth in males along with the excessive consumption of alcohol.

Health conditions that can cause gynecomastia number a few. These can be related to: (1) Tumors involving the pituitary gland, adrenal gland, or testes, (2) Hyperthyroidism when the thyroid is overactive, (3) Getting older which causes men to gain weight, have many hormonal changes, and as a result grow breasts, and (4) Hypogonadism which is interference with production of testosterone hormones. Other causes can be related to kidney problems, or liver problems.

When seeing the doctor for this condition, they will want to check and make sure that your breast enlargement is not due to male breast cancer, since this can happen in men.

Doing several blood tests will help to determine whether or not there is another physical cause like those mentioned above here.

There are two medications that are good for helping to treat men with gynecomastia. These are Tamoxifen and Raloxifene. These are both cancer drugs but they do help some men, with their breast enlargement problems.

Men go also undergo liposuction in order to take off the breast fat tissue. And believe it or not, men can have a mastectomy that takes away breast gland tissue. It is not invasive since it is an endoscopic procedure.