This is a bit embarrassing, but since the majority of users here are women, I'll give it a go.

For at least 6 months I've experienced pain in my left nipple. It's always more erect than my other one, and more sensitive. It only hurts when I touch it, so it didn't bother me so much before. But for a few weeks now it's been itchy. I thought it might just be dry skin, but moisterizer hasn't helped at all. I should probably go to the doctor about this, but you can probably see why that would be hard. I'm hoping one of you ladies know what's going on. It's driven me to the point where I have to scratch in public and it sometimes keeps me up at night.

EDIT: I tried searching online for something with my symptoms, but I didn't come up with anything.

Go see a doctor. Could be a duct blockage, could be something more serious. In any case, when you have pain, it's your body's way of telling you something is wrong. If it is serious, you want to catch it sooner rather than later.

That is the first thing that came to my mind is duct blockage. Try looking that up and see if you come up with anything.

Are you sexually active? Could be thrush/yeast and will respond to canesten or monistat cream. You should still see a doctor to rule out inflammatory causes too. Nipple changes are always things to get checked out.
(I am an RN and a midwife, so please do get it checked!)

Thank you. I'll think about it.

I looked it up but didn't see anything about itchiness. I also noticed that the articles were written for pregnant/breastfeeding women. That definitely doesn't apply to me, but I am going through puberty. Is it possible for me to be producing milk because of that? :S

Not since October, no. And I've been tested for STIs.

I'll try that, thank you.

Would I have to be examined? I can't handle that, especially since I have a male doctor. There's really nothing happening on the outside anyway, just the inside, and only I can tell what's going on there (unless I could be scanned?).

I remember being a teen and having that weird "zingy" feeling in my nipple and a kind of liquid droplet coming out. Years later when I nursed I wondered if it could have been colustrum back then or what. Hormones are hormones and can be strange. There's also "second adolescence" which while not as dramatic as the changes and hormone rush of puberty... is still another phase of life where there's that crazy hormone thing again.

Just get it check out.

GL!
A.

I know it is a sensitive issue but a visit to anyone, even a nurse at a public health clinic, will yield better answers than us, because they can actually see what is going on.

Have you noticed clothing or certain activities abrading your nipple (causing any friction or rubbing)? If it is naturally fairly erect it would be easier to irritate through repetitive motion like exercise, or even the rustle of your bra cup. I would recommend paying attention to what you're doing throughout a normal day that may cause the itching, and using topical lanolin to see if maybe the irritation and itching is being caused by dry skin.

Your best bet, however, is a visit to a doctor or nurse practitioner. They see a LOT worse things than nipples (think oozing abscesses and the inside of someone's colon) and they will be more likely to find the cause. Basic office visits are quite inexpensive. An OB/GYN, women's health practice, or a dermatologist would all probably be good fields to look for a care provider for this issue.

I just told my mother, and she's booking an appointment with a doctor. She looked at it and told me it looked bigger and less round than my other nipple. Then she proceeded to give me a breast exam. Most awkward experience EVER. I can only imagine how awful it'll be with a doctor. If a female isn't available to see me, I'll refuse.

I'm feeling a little better about it now.

Don't risk good health for embarassment. We all have to go to the doc sooner or later. Just try to get a female if you are more comfortable with a female doc.

And don't rule out Planned Parenthood if there is one handy. I used to go there on my own when I was in college when the campus clinic wouldn't do and they had a sliding scale and were willing to work with me.

A.

We have one here! I'll check it out. I don't like my family doctor because he acts as if his patients are damaged machines that need to be repaired, not people. Plus he's a man. And at the hospital I feel a "you're not welcome here" vibe, and since this is an issue that's more suited for a family doctor to take care of, that vibe would be warranted. Planned Parenthood seems like a great option.

Getting examined by a doctor should be much less awkward than by your mother. It would be for me anyway. When I have yearly check ups I always have the option to see a woman only. This is something you definitely don't want to self treat or ignore in case it turns out to be serious.

If you can't afford a doctor, your local Planned Parenthood has either free women's health care, or very inexpensive.

There's a reason why our body responds with pain when something wrong. It's our body alerting the brain that something is wrong.

Honestly, doctors have seen everything. To them, a nipple is just another part of the body. You get over it pretty quickly... i used to draw the human form, I started in high school and the first time I ever saw a naked man was in art class. I got over it very quickly and now it's no big deal.

Imagine having surgery and having all sorts of doctors and nurses look at your body.... and going to the gynocolgist.

Nah, she's seen me naked before. We're pretty open in this household. :P Though I would prefer to see her naked less often.

I've actually been to a gynocologist before. I had to lie on a table, half naked with my legs up in the air while the gynocologist took some samples. It's funny how at the time I couldn't give two sh_ts, but now I'm too afraid to even say the word nipple outloud to a doctor. I was going through an insane/difficult time in my life, so it took a lot to shake me. I guess this means I've recovered from that chapter of my life and am back to my old neurotic self. :P

That's a little..... odd.

Nonetheless, you need to go. It could be a sign of something serious, or if left untreated, could be serious.

Think of it this way.

A gyn typically includes a breast exam as part of a pelvic, and a GP generally includes one in a physical on women. So let's guesstimate that a gyn sees 5 patients for routine exams a day, and a doctor sees 3 females a week for physicals (I'd guess both numbers are higher, but this is just an example).

So a gynecologist, per year, sees or touches about 1200 pairs of breasts a year (or 2400 individual breasts), and a general practicioner sees or touches 144 pairs or 288 boobs a year. And most of them have been in practice for many, many years. To them, it's just another part.

Please don't let embarrassment be a reason not to see the doctor. In the meantime, some people find that heat helps to soothe the problem. But really, do get it looked at, particularly since it has lasted so long.