A teenage boy who complained to doctors he had 'sweaty nipples' was later told they were a sign of a brain tumour.
The 16-year-old, from New York, confessed about the embarrassing situation during a medical appointment.
Combined with the other symptoms he had - such as narcolepsy and falls - doctors worked out the 'sweat' was actually breast milk.
Worried: Combined with the other symptoms he had - such as narcolepsy and falls - doctors worked out the boy's 'sweat' was actually breast milk.
Writing for the website boingboing, the neurologist who treated him explained this can occur in men if the body is producing the wrong hormones and turning on the lactation glands.
Dr Sandra Block explained: 'This is exactly what happens with an active pituitary adenoma, a benign tumor in the middle of the brain sending the pituitary gland into overdrive.'
The patient, known only as an 'unkempt' man called Duncan, arrived with his parents one morning for an appointment.
The main issue Dr Block had been notified of prior to the appointment was episodes of him falling.
As she explained in her piece, falling was a vague symptom - 'it could be anything from Parkinson's disease to a sprained ankle'.
History taking ensued - with Dr Block and her colleagues trying to build a picture of Duncan's lifestyle and symptoms.
It emerged his falls weren't just stumbles, but periods of several minutes where he was unable to move.
Diagnosis: The sweaty nipples were the giveaway for doctors - and suggested a benign brain tumour
He was also continually exhausted - falling asleep anywhere and everywhere, including while playing the trumpet and at a heavy metal concert.
His parents also reported him suffering from hallucinations and headaches.
Having taken what they thought was a comprehensive medical history, the Dr Block admits she and her colleague were confident in their predicted diagnosis: narcolepsy with cataplexy.
(The latter is an episode of muscular weakness triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, anger and surprise.)
She recalls: '[There we were] ready to pronounce the diagnosis, drum-roll please, when Duncan turns beet-red, and says, "oh, and my nipples have been kind of sweaty".
Having reconsidered their options after the plot twist, they discovered the true cause.
While Duncan did have narcolepsy with cataplexy, it was being caused by something else.
The sweaty nipples were the giveaway - and suggested a benign brain tumour, Dr Block explained.
His haywire hormones were causing him to produce milk - a condition called galactorrhea.
The diagnosis was confirmed by an MRI and the tumour was removed successfully, relieving Duncan of his symptoms.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2913557/Teenage-boy-sweaty-nipples-diagnosed-brain-tumour-doctors-realise-actually-producing-MILK.html#ixzz3P8xswXNh
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