Discharge from the genitals can bother not only girls, but also men. Men have normal, odorless discharge. Its source is the urethra. In women, the discharge is called leucorrhoea. If you notice unhealthy discharge, immediately go to a personal consultation with a urologist.
Normal or pathological?
The urethra is the male urethra. From then on they appear from time to time. There is something called urethrorrhea. It can be physiological or libidinal. A clear discharge appears at the urethral outlet. This happens in the morning, immediately upon waking up or when the man is sexually excited.
Urethrorrhea can be more or less pronounced. The lubricant released during arousal contains sperm. Therefore, if you still don't want to have children, you should protect yourself even during foreplay with your genitals. The secretion in men helps sperm pass through the urethra and enter and pass through the partner's vagina. After all, the environment there is acidic and this harms the life of sperm.
Pathological discharge
The physiological secretion that normally occurs in boys and men is described above. Here we will see the discharge associated with health problems. Mainly pathological discharge from the urethra worries menfor urethritis. This is an inflammatory process that develops in the urethra. Urethritis can be caused by infection or non-infectious factors.
The infection can be specific or nonspecific. Specific is mainly trichomoniasis or gonorrhea. Anonspecific urethritiscan be triggered by the following pathogens:
- mycoplasma
- ureaplasma
- chlamydia
- herpes
- staphylococcus
- streptococcus
Non-infectious causes of urethritisand associated secretion from the genital tract:
- trauma, narrowing of the urethra
- irritation by chemical factors
- mechanical damage to the mucous membrane
- influence of allergens
Discharge from the genital tract in men can vary in color and transparency. It depends on how active the inflammation is, what stage it is at and which flora causes it.Discharge from the penis includes::
- slime
- liquid
- cells of various origins
If there is too much of this last component mentioned, the secretion becomes cloudy, which can be observed visually by the man himself. If epithelial cells appear in large numbers in the secretion, the secretion thickens and acquires a gray tint.
If you find yourselfgreenish-yellow, greenish, or yellowish dischargeMost likely, they contain many leukocytes. This means that the secretion contains purulent masses, which are a consequence of the inflammatory process. In the same disease, the discharge can be of different thickness, quantity and nature. For example, at the beginning of the disease they may be thicker and gradually become increasingly liquid. This is such an individual process that during one examination the doctor will not be able to determine your illness and you will need to undergo a series of tests.
Discharge in menwhitemay have different reasons. The first thing doctors assume is the proliferation of the Candida fungus. The disease is called accordingly -. You've probably heard that women have thrush. It also happens in men, but it occurs mainly in a hidden way. But in rare cases, white discharge may occur from the genitals.
Discharge with odor
The first possible reason (and the most harmless) is poor hygiene. As mentioned above, smegma is normal male discharge (does not indicate disease). If you don't wash regularly, at least once a day, smegma accumulates, bacteria multiply in it, causing unpleasant odors. These odors may differ for different men.
If you follow good hygiene rules and still smell an unpleasant odor, your doctor may suspect a metabolic disorder. In these cases, the most common cause is diabetes. Smegma will be released in large quantities, so clothing will become wet.
Infections are also the cause of odorous discharge in men. The pathological process occurs mainly in the urethra. Your doctor may suspect urethritis due to a gonorrheal infection. The nature of the discharge is described above. If the discharge from the penis in men has a sour smell, it is more likely that there is urogenital candidiasis.
Bloody discharge in men
The main reason is infections. The discharge may be completely bloody or include streaks of blood. If the infection multiplies in the urethra, you will notice this symptom, but not necessarily. Urethritis is mainly caused in these cases by candida, trichomonas or gonorrheal infection. The stronger the inflammation, the more blood is released.
Blood may be caused by chronic inflammation of the urethra. The essence of the process is that the mucous layer of the urethra becomes loose. If an irritant acts, the membrane will be damaged and blood will begin to be released. Even urination can be irritating.
Probable reason number two is carelessly performed medical procedures. The urethra is injured, which is why blood is released. Procedures that can cause damage to the urethra:
- catheter installation
- catheter removal
- bauble
- taking a stain
- cystoscopy
Bloody secretion is immediate. It should be noted that in this case the blood is scarlet, without clots and stops quickly.
Passing stones and sand is the next cause of bloody discharge from the penis. They are secreted by the kidneys or bladder and pass through the urethra. Microliths are hard, injure the mucous membrane and walls of blood vessels, which becomes the direct cause of bleeding. Pain also occurs.
Discharge of blood with sperm
This secretion is called "hematospermia". It can be true and false. If hematospermia is false, blood mixes with sperm as it passes through the urethra. If this pathology is true, the blood mixes with sperm before passing through the urethra.
Hematospermia is manifested by the following symptoms:(clinical condition):
- urinary disorders
- pain during ejaculation
- discomfort and pain in the lower back
- pain and/or swelling in the genitals
- elevated body temperature
Causes of blood discharge with semen:
- long-term sexual abstinence
- excessively active sex life (during coitus, the walls of blood vessels rupture)
- varicose veins of the pelvic organs
- stones in the testicles and vas deferens
- malignant and benign formations in the genitourinary organs
- biopsy
- genital surgery
If you notice discharge from your genitals that does not go away within a day or two, seek an in-person consultation with an experienced doctor immediately. If discharge appears after unprotected sexual intercourse, there is no need to sound the alarm, but you need to go to the doctor and get tested as soon as possible. Health to you and your other halves!
The secretion of the genital organs in men is the secretion of the urethra (urethra) and secretionpreputialglands located on the head of the penis, under the skin of the foreskin. The urethra opensejaculatoryduct, prostate ducts,urethralANDbulbourethraliron
Variants of physiological secretions
Criteria for normal discharge,corresponding to the functions of the organs of the genitourinary system:
- Urine- transparent, straw yellow to golden in color, practically odorless, without flakes or other inclusions;
- Prostate secrethas a viscous consistency and a whitish hue, there is a specific smell of sperm;
- Ejaculate:sperm from the ejaculatory duct mix with secretions from the Littre (urethral) and Cooper (bulbourethral) glands and prostatic secretions, acquiring a grayish-white color and mucous consistency;
- Fresh smegmafrom the preputial glands it looks like a thick white lubricant; it may turn yellowish or greenish over time.
Preputial lubrication –smegma– constantly stands out, accumulating under the inner layer of the foreskin and in the coronal groove of the penis. The lubricant is composed of fats and bacterial residues, is evenly distributed and reduces friction between the skin of the foreskin and the glans. The maximum activity of the preputial glands is characteristic of the period of puberty, with age the secretion decreases and in old age it completely stops.
Urethrorrhea, mucous and colorless secretionof the bulbourethral and urethral glands. They appear only with excitement associated with libido. The excretion of clear mucus aims to lubricate the urethra and improve the passage of sperm. The amount of secretion varies from scarce to abundant, parameters that are related to the individual characteristics of the body and the frequency of sexual activity. After prolonged abstinence, the volume of secretion increases.
Emission - spontaneous release of sperm, not associated with sexual intercourse. Usually observed in the morning when testosterone levels increase. It depends on the age and intensity of sexual activity: it appears in boys during puberty, in adult men - with irregular or rare sexual intercourse.
Prostatorrhea, discharge of a small amount of clear mucus from the urethrawith grayish-white inclusions. It occurs after distension of the abdominal muscles (for example, with constipation) or after urinating. The secretion consists of a mixture of seminal fluid and prostatic secretion; Increased volume and cloudiness may be signs of prostatitis.
Pathological discharge
In men, the causes of penile discharge can be STDs, tumors, nonspecific inflammation of the urogenital organs, various injuries, medical procedures or operations.
Pathological discharge from the urethra differs from normal:
- By volume (very abundant or scarce, perhaps moderate);
- By color and transparency (from white to yellow-green, cloudy);
- By impurities (blood, pus, mucus lumps);
- Consistency (very liquid or very thick and sticky);
- By smell (sour, putrid, fishy);
- According to the frequency of appearance (depending on the time of day, constant or episodic discharge);
- In connection with urination, sexual arousal, consumption of alcohol, hot and spicy foods.
The nature of the secretion depends on the causative agent of the disease, the state of the immune system and concomitant diseases, as well as the severity and duration of inflammation (acute or chronic).
If there is a change in the quantity, density or color of the discharge, or if an unpleasant odor appears, it is recommended to consult a doctor and undergo tests. There is no point in self-diagnosing, it is very difficult to correctly recognize the disease based on just one symptom.
Penile discharge associated with STDs
Mucous: transparent, viscous discharge in small quantities, occurs in chronic form, or urethritis. Microscopy reveals a moderate number of leukocytes in the secretion (the norm is up to 4 cells in the field of view).
Mucopurulent: white, translucent discharge; observed in the acute phase of chlamydia, ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis. In chlamydia infection, they accumulate on the head of the penis, as if they were "sticking" to the skin.
Purulent discharge, with an unpleasant odor, are characteristic. They are sticky, thick, yellow or greenish in color and have a putrid odor. Under microscopy, urethral epithelial cells and many leukocytes are visible in the material.
Symptoms that accompany gonorrheal urethritis: constant and intense discharge; especially strong when urinating.
In sexually transmitted diseases, combined infections are often observed, combining several pathogens at once. Gonorrhea and accompanied by chlamydia, mycoplasmosis and ureaplasmosis often occur "in pairs". The symptoms of these diseases differ from the classic manifestations: urethral discharge can also take on a completely different character. Therefore, for the final diagnosis, modern analytical techniques with a high degree of reliability are used, and not the characteristics of the secretions.
Nonspecific (nonvenereal) inflammation
The cause of nonspecific inflammation is the patient's own microflora, which is classified as opportunistic and is activated only in the event of problems in the body's immune defense. Strepto and staphylococci, fungi of the genusCandidaand E. coli are always present on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes, but they begin to actively multiply and displace beneficial bacteria after hypothermia, prolonged stress, uncontrolled treatment with antibiotics, after courses of radiation and chemotherapy.
Discharge not associated with inflammation
Spermatorea - secretion in the form of passively flowing sperm,occur outside of sexual intercourse or masturbation, without the sensation of orgasm. The reasons are some diseases of the nervous system, spinal injuries, chronic stress and any prolonged inflammation of the genital area. Spermatorea is associated with impaired innervation and decreased tone of the vas deferens.
Hematorrhea,bloody issues. Often appears with urethral canal injuries received duringbauble, after productioncatheteror when taking a swab of the mucous membrane. In these cases, the blood is fresh, without clots, the quantity is small and the bleeding stops quickly. When small kidney stones or sand pass, blood is released during or immediately after urination, hematorrhea is accompanied by very severe pain (renal colic). Blood discharge duringhematuric form of glomerulonephritis(inflammation of the renal glomeruli) are combined with edema and persistently high blood pressure, the appearance of proteins in the urine.
The discharge is brown, with blood clots or mucus mixed with pus, appear with malignant tumors originating from the prostate, urethra or bladder. Brownish mucus can form during wound healing on mucous membranes and is released during polyposis of the urethra and/or bladder.
Prostatorrhea- prostate secretion flowing from the urethra. Occurs in chronic prostatitis, prostate adenoma, impaired innervation (neurogenic bladder).
Examination algorithm for the presence of pathological discharge from the penis
- Inspection of the perineum, penis, foreskin and glans.The aim is to identify deformations of the genital organs, traces of injuries, signs of external inflammation, discharge, rash, etc. Traces of discharge are sometimes visible on underwear.
- Palpation of inguinal lymph nodes, assessment of their condition:size, whether hotter or colder than the surrounding tissues, painful or not, soft or dense, mobile or fused to the skin, whether there are ulcers on them.
- Digital prostate exam;massage the prostate through the rectum and obtain secretions for microscopic examination. Before the massage, it is advisable not to urinate for 1 to 2 hours. In prostate adenoma, its lobes are approximately equally enlarged and dense cords are palpable. Irregular growths and their consistency are typical of a malignant tumor; during palpation of the prostate, blood with clots can be released from the urethra.
- Material – for microscopy.When examined under a microscope, the stained smear reveals blood cells, epithelium, sperm, fatty inclusions and some pathogens (Escherichia coli, gonococci, gardnerella, yeast).Increased white blood cell countcharacteristic of acute urethritis or exacerbation of chronic inflammation,eosinophils– for urethritis with allergies.red blood cellsfound in severe inflammations, tumors, lesions of the genitourinary organs and urolithiasis.Large amount of epithelium– a sign of chronic urethritis, urethral leukoplakia. When spermatorrhoea is found in a smearsperm, with urethrorrhea –slime, simpler -lipid grains.
- General clinical blood test,blood for sugar- in the morning, on an empty stomach.Detailed urine analysis(morning portion, immediately after sleeping).
- Ultrasound of the prostate, bladder and kidneys; Computed tomography and urography.
If the manifestations of genital inflammation are severe, then before receiving the test results, the patient will immediately be given broad-spectrum antibiotics. In case of severe bleeding, hospitalization and active measures to stop the bleeding are indicated. The suspicion of a malignant tumor can only be confirmed by the results of a biopsy, the final diagnosis is made based on histological examination.
Important:
- Penile discharge is just a symptom that cannot be used as a guide in diagnosis.
- Unacceptableindependent prescription of medicines. medications, even if the manifestations seem obvious for a specific disease.
Normal amount of mucus
The volume of pre-ejaculation directly depends on the man's degree of arousal. Maximum concentration is achieved with strong sexual desire.The normal amount of liquid is 5 ml.
Some representatives of the stronger sex are physiologically incapable of secreting lubricant. The absence of pre-ejaculation during an erection reduces the ability to conceive.
Healthy pre-ejaculation has the following characteristics:
The pre-seed performs cleaning functions, so its consistency may change. A man may experience cloudiness of the lubricant during repeated sexual intercourse, poor hygiene, or before ejaculation. It will return to normal in 1-2 days. Otherwise, the development of a pathogenic process should be suspected.
Signs of deviation from the norm
Pathological mucus secretion in men differs from healthy ones in color, smell and consistency. They are almost always accompanied by unpleasant sensations.
Symptoms indicating lubricant deviation from the norm:
These signs are characteristic of pathological processes that indicate the development of diseases.
Unhealthy discharge in men is divided into types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Spermatorrhea | Random sperm leakage without reaching orgasm. The cause of the process is a decrease in muscle tone in the vas deferens. Pathology develops due to chronic inflammation |
| Hematorrhea | Discharge of lubricant mixed with blood. Appears with lesions in the urethral mucosa |
| Leukocytic urethrorrhea | The exudative phase of the inflammatory process, resulting from thermal, mechanical, chemical or viral damage to the urethral mucosa |
| Mucopurulent | They consist of a small number of leukocytes, serous fluid and glandular secretions. This mucus is characterized by active formation at night. A man notices pus discharge in the morning and yellow stains can be found on his underwear. Mucopurulent discharge appears when the urethra is damaged by bacteria: trichomonas, ureamycoplasma, chlamydia |
| Purulent | They include a large number of leukocytes, urethral epithelium, mucus and serous fluid. They have a thick consistency and an unpleasant odor. They appear in the form of drops with a yellow or greenish hue. Evidence of the development of gonococcal urethritis, which forms against the background of chlamydia and gonorrhea |
The volume of mucus released can be abundant or small. It can be very difficult to notice poor lubrication. To do this, you need to press on the urethra so that the liquid comes out through the opening. It dries quickly, forming a film on the membrane of the head of the penis. The viscous consistency causes the urethral sponges to stick together.
Causes of pathological discharge
Lubrication secretion that is different from normal is in most cases due to sexually transmitted diseases, but there are a number of other conditions.
Sexually transmitted diseases
If pathological discharge with unpleasant symptoms appears, the development of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) should be suspected. These diseases develop under the influence of unfavorable microflora, which settles on the mucous membrane of the urethra, external areas and cavities of the genital organs and glands.
What changes indicate the disease
Several changes in pre-ejaculation indicators are cause for concern. Reasons to immediately visit a specialist are:
- Change in the color of the liquid - it can be grayish, with a green or yellow tint (which indicates the presence of purulent content).
- Blood impurities.
- Cloudiness.
- Cottage cheese consistency.
- Unpleasant, musty odor.
These signs indicate an inflammatory process. The following symptoms frequently appear:
- Pain in the lower abdomen.
- Frequent urge to go to the bathroom.
- Warm.
- Hyperemia of areas of the skin.
- The appearance of purulent discharge from the urethra at rest (in the absence of sexual excitement).
Mucus can be released from the urethra with the development of postoperative complications during surgical operations on the prostate and other organs of the genitourinary system.
The release of clear liquid in the absence of an erection is one of the symptoms of the pathology, the causative agents of which are streptococci, staphylococci and E. coli. A similar situation is observed when infected with sexually transmitted infections. In these cases, note:
- Hyperemia of the external reproductive organs.
- Itching sensation in the penis and scrotum.
- Swelling of the lower extremities.
If a man notices cheesy inclusions in pre-ejaculate, he needs to urgently consult a qualified doctor, as this indicates the presence of candidiasis. This inflammatory disease is caused by fungi of the genus Candida, which are opportunistic microflora. Under normal conditions, they exist in the body without causing any harm. The action of negative external factors and weakening of immunity contribute to the rapid proliferation of fungi and their transition to a pathogenic form.
Some sperm are found in pre-ejaculation, which makes conception possible. Therefore, if a couple is not planning a pregnancy, they should take birth control pills or otherwise protect themselves not only during sexual intercourse, but also during foreplay.
Other reasons
The prostate plays a fundamental role in the formation of sperm. It produces a secretion, without which the seminal fluid loses its functionality. When the prostate becomes inflamed, its production increases.
Men suffering from chronic prostatitis may notice that when aroused, a large amount of lubricant comes out of the urethral opening. This is a prostate secretion that has a fairly high similarity to pre-ejaculation.
Excessive discharge during excitement may appear with the development of various inflammatory processes.
The appearance of clear mucus from the urethra may be observed upon probing. This fluid is formed as a protective reaction of the body to the resulting microtraumas on the surface of the mucous membrane.
A large amount of clear discharge during ejaculation may indicate the development of infertility.
To diagnose pathologies, not only the visual nature of the liquid is taken into account, but also its biological composition. The man needs to see a doctor for examination.