Discharge from the genitals can bother not only girls, but also men. Males have normal, odorless discharge. Their source is the urethra. In women, this discharge is called leukorrhea. If you notice unhealthy discharge, go to an in-person appointment with a urologist right away.
Normal or pathological?
The urethra is the male urethra. From there they appear from time to time. Urethrorrhea exists. It can be physiological or libidinal. A transparent discharge appears at the exit from the urethra. This happens in the morning, immediately upon waking up or when a man is sexually aroused.
Urethrorrhea can be more or less pronounced. The lubricant released during arousal contains sperm. Therefore, if you do not want to have children yet, you should protect yourself even during foreplay with the genitals. Discharge in men helps sperm pass through the urethra and into and beyond the partner's vagina. After all, the environment there is acidic, which harms the life of sperm.
Pathological discharge
Physiological losses that normally occur in boys and men are described above. Here we will look at leave associated with health issues. 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. Trichomoniasis or gonorrhea are mainly specific. Anonspecific urethritiscan be triggered by the following pathogens:
- mycoplasma
- ureaplasma
- chlamydia
- herpes
- staphylococcus
- streptococcus
Non-infectious causes of urethritisand associated discharge from the genital tract:
- trauma, stricture 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 the degree of activity of the inflammation, its stage and the flora that causes it.Penile discharge includes::
- vase
- liquid
- cells of various origins
If there is a lot of the latter component, the discharge becomes cloudy, which can be observed visually by the man himself. If epithelial cells appear in the discharge in large numbers, the discharge thickens and acquires a gray tint.
If you find yourselfyellow-green, greenish or yellowish dischargeMost likely, they contain a lot of leukocytes. This means that the discharge contains purulent masses, a consequence of the inflammatory process. With 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, then gradually become more and more liquid. This is such an individual process that during an examination the doctor will not be able to determine your disease and you will have to undergo a series of tests.
Discharge in menwhitecan have different reasons. The first thing doctors assume is the overgrowth of the Candida fungus. The disease is called accordingly -. You've probably heard that women get thrush. It also happens in men, but most often in a hidden form. But in rare cases, white discharge from the genitals may occur.
Discharge with odor
The first possible (and most harmless) reason is poor hygiene. As mentioned above, smegma is a normal male discharge (not indicative of disease). If you do not wash regularly, at least once a day, then smegma accumulates, bacteria multiply there, causing unpleasant odors. These smells can differ between men.
If you follow good hygiene rules and still experience an unpleasant odor, your doctor may suspect a metabolic disorder. In such cases, the most common cause is diabetes. Smegma will be released in quite large quantities, so the laundry will be wet.
Infections are also the cause of odorous discharge in humans. The pathological process occurs mainly in the urethra. Your doctor may suspect urethritis due to a gonorrheal infection. The nature of the rejection is described above. If the discharge from the penis in men smells sour, it is likely that urogenital candidiasis is developing.
Bloody discharge in men
The main reason is infection. The discharge may be completely bloody or have streaks of blood. If the infection multiplies in the urethra, then you will notice such a symptom, but not necessarily. Urethritis is mainly caused in such cases by Candida, Trichomonas or gonorrheal infection. The stronger the inflammation, the more blood is released.
The blood may be due to 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 is damaged and blood begins to leak. Even urination can be irritating.
The second likely reason is that medical procedures are performed negligently. The urethra is injured, which is why blood is released. Procedures that can damage the urethra:
- catheter placement
- catheter removal
- bougienage
- take a smear
- cystoscopy
Blood flow is immediate. It should be noted that in this case the blood is scarlet, without clots, and stops quickly.
Passage of 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, they damage the mucous membrane and walls of blood vessels, which becomes the direct cause of bleeding. Pain also occurs.
Discharge of blood with semen
Such discharge is called "hematospermia". This can be true and false. If the hematospermia is false, the blood mixes with the sperm as they pass through the urethra. If this pathology is true, then the blood mixes with sperm before passing through the urethra.
Hematospermia manifests itself by the following symptoms:(clinical image):
- urinary problems
- pain during ejaculation
- discomfort and pain in the lower back
- pain and/or swelling of the genitals
- high body temperature
Causes of blood loss with semen:
- long-term sexual abstinence
- too 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 doesn't go away after a day or two, go for an in-person consultation with an experienced doctor right away. If discharge appears after unprotected sex, there is no need to sound the alarm, but you should go to the doctor and get tested as soon as possible. Health to you and your other halves!
Discharge from the genitals in men is discharge from 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
Normal exit criteria,corresponding to the functions of the organs of the urogenital system:
- Urine- transparent, straw-colored to golden yellow, practically odorless, containing no flakes or other inclusions;
- Prostatic secrethas a viscous consistency and a whitish tint, there is a specific smell of semen;
- Ejaculate:sperm from the ejaculatory duct mix with secretions from Littre's (urethral), Cooper's (bulbourethral) glands and prostate secretions, acquiring a grayish-white color and mucous consistency;
- Fresh Smegmathick white lubricant resembles preputial glands; 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 sulcus of the penis. The lubricant is composed of fats and bacterial residues, is distributed evenly 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, secretion decreases, and with old age it stops completely.
Urethrorrhea, mucous and colorless dischargebulbourethral and urethral glands. They only appear with arousal linked to the libido. The purpose of excretion of clear mucus is to lubricate the urethra and improve the passage of sperm. The amount of secretion varies from rare to abundant; these parameters are related to individual characteristics of the body and the frequency of sexual activity. After prolonged abstinence, the volume of losses increases.
Emission – spontaneous release of sperm, not associated with sexual intercourse. Typically seen in the morning, when testosterone levels increase. It depends on 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. Occurs after tension in the abdominal muscles (for example, with constipation) or after urinating. The secretion consists of a mixture of seminal fluid and prostatic discharge; increased volume and cloudiness may be signs of prostatitis.
Pathological discharge
In men, the causes of discharge from the penis can be STDs, tumors, nonspecific inflammation of the urogenital organs, various injuries, medical procedures or operations.
Pathological discharge from the urethra differs from normal:
- In volume (too abundant or not very abundant, perhaps moderate);
- By color and transparency (from white to yellow-green, cloudy);
- By impurities (blood, pus, pieces of mucus);
- Consistency (very liquid or too thick and sticky);
- By the smell (sour, putrid, fishy);
- Depending on the frequency of occurrence (depending on the time of day, constant or episodic discharge);
- In relation to urination, sexual arousal, alcohol consumption, hot and spicy foods.
The nature of the discharge depends on the causative agent of the disease, the state of the immune system and concomitant conditions., as well as the severity and duration of the inflammation (acute or chronic).
If there is a change in the quantity, density or color of discharge, or an unpleasant odor appears, it is recommended to consult a doctor and take tests. Self-diagnosis is useless, it is very difficult to correctly recognize the disease based on just one symptom.
Penile discharge associated with STDs
Mucous: a transparent, viscous discharge in small quantities, presents itself in the chronic form, or urethritis. Microscopy reveals a moderate number of leukocytes in the discharge (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 case of Chlamydia infection, they accumulate on the head of the penis, as if "sticking" to the skin.
Purulent discharge, having an unpleasant odor, are characteristic of. They are sticky, thick, yellow or greenish in color and have a putrid odor. Under the microscope, urethral epithelial cells and numerous leukocytes are visible in the material.
Symptoms accompanying gonorrheal urethritis: constant, profuse discharge; especially loudly when urinating.
With sexually transmitted diseases, combined infections are often observed, combining several pathogens at once. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are accompanied, mycoplasmosis and ureaplasmosis usually occur "in pairs". The symptoms of these diseases differ from the classic manifestations, and 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 secretions.
Non-specific (non-venereal) inflammation
The cause of nonspecific inflammation is the patient's microflora, which is classified as opportunistic and is activated only in cases of problems with the body's immune defense. Strepto- and staphylococci, fungi of the genusCandidiasisand 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 therapy andchemotherapy.
Discharge not associated with inflammation
Spermatorea - discharge in the form of passively circulating sperm,occur outside of sexual intercourse or masturbation, without feeling of orgasm. The reasons for this are certain diseases of the nervous system, spinal injuries, chronic stress and any long-term inflammation of the genital area. Spermatozoa are associated with impaired innervation and decreased tone of the vas deferens.
Hematorrhea,bloody problems. Often appears with injuries of the urethral canal received duringbougienage, after manufacturingcatheteror during a smear 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, hemarrhoea is accompanied by very severe pain (renal colic). Blood flow duringhematuric form of glomerulonephritis(inflammation of the kidney glomeruli) are associated with edema and constantly high blood pressure, the appearance of protein in the urine.
The discharge is brown, with clots of blood or mucus mixed with pus, appear with malignant tumors emanating from the prostate, urethra or bladder. Brownish mucus may form during healing of wounds on the mucous membranes, and is released during polyposis of the urethra and/or bladder.
Prostatorrhea- secretion from the prostate 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 purpose is to identify deformities of the genitals, traces of injury, signs of external inflammation, discharge, rashes, etc. Traces of discharge are sometimes noticeable on underwear.
- Palpation of the inguinal lymph nodes, assessment of their condition:size, whether they are warmer or colder than the surrounding tissues, painful or not, soft or dense, mobile or fused to the skin, whether there are ulcerations on them.
- Digital prostate exam;massage the prostate through the rectum and obtain the secretions for microscopic examination. Before the massage, it is advisable to refrain from urinating for 1-2 hours. With prostate adenoma, its lobes are approximately equally enlarged, dense cords are palpable. Uneven growths and their consistency are typical for a malignant tumor: when palpating the prostate, blood containing clots may be released from the urethra.
- Equipment – for microscopy.When examined under a microscope, the colored 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 spermatorrhea is detected in a smearsperm, with urethrorrhea –vase, simpler -lipid grains.
- General clinical blood test,blood for sugar- in the morning, on an empty stomach.Detailed urine analysis(morning part, immediately after sleep).
- Ultrasound of the prostate, bladder and kidneys; CT and urography.
If the manifestations of genital inflammation are severe, before receiving the test results, the patient is immediately prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics. In case of heavy bleeding, hospitalization and active measures to stop bleeding are indicated. Suspicion of a malignant tumor can only be confirmed by the result of a biopsy, with the final diagnosis made on the basis of a histological examination.
Important:
- Penile discharge is only a symptom that cannot be used as a guide to making a diagnosis.
- Unacceptableindependent prescription of pharmaceutical products. medications, even if the manifestations seem obvious for a particular disease.
Normal amount of mucus
The volume of pre-ejaculate directly depends on the degree of arousal of the man. Maximum concentration is achieved with strong sexual desire.The normal amount of fluid 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-ejaculate has the following characteristics:
Pre-seeding performs cleaning functions, so its consistency may change. A man may experience lubricant disorder during repeated sexual intercourse, lack of hygiene or before ejaculation. It will return to normal in 1 to 2 days. Otherwise, one should suspect the development of a pathogenic process.
Signs of deviation from the norm
Pathological mucus discharge in men differs from healthy discharge in color, odor and consistency. They are almost always accompanied by unpleasant sensations.
Symptoms indicating a deviation of the lubricant from the norm:
These signs are characteristic of pathological processes indicating the development of diseases.
Unhealthy discharge in men is divided into types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Spermatorrhea | Random leaking of semen without reaching orgasm. The cause of the process is a decrease in muscle tone of the vas deferens. Pathology develops due to chronic inflammation |
| Hematorrhea | Discharge of lubricant mixed with blood. Appears with injuries to the urethral mucosa |
| Leukocyte uretrorrhea | 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 discharge of pus in the morning, and yellow spots can be found on his underwear. Mucopurulent discharge appears when the urethra is damaged by bacteria: trichomonas, ureamicoplasma, 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 tint. Evidence of the development of gonococcal urethritis, which is formed against the background of chlamydia and gonorrhea |
The volume of mucus released can be abundant or small. It can be quite difficult to notice poor lubrication. To do this, you must press on the urethra so that 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 sponges in the urethra to stick to each other.
Causes of pathological discharge
Lubricant secretion that differs from the norm is in most cases due to sexually transmitted diseases, but there are a number of other conditions.
Sexually transmitted diseases
If pathological discharge appears with unpleasant symptoms, one should suspect the development of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Such diseases develop under the influence of unfavorable microflora, which settles on the mucous membrane of the urethra, external areas and cavities of the genitals and in the glands.
What changes indicate the disease
Various changes in pre-ejaculatory indicators are of concern. The reasons for immediately consulting a specialist are:
- Change in color of fluid - it can be grayish, with a green or yellow tint (which indicates the presence of purulent contents).
- Blood impurities.
- Cloudiness.
- Consistency similar to cottage cheese.
- Unpleasant, musty smell.
These signs indicate an inflammatory process. The following symptoms often appear:
- Pain in the lower abdomen.
- Frequent urge to go to the toilet.
- Heat.
- Hyperemia of skin areas.
- The appearance of purulent discharge from the urethra at rest (in the absence of sexual arousal).
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 fluid in the absence of an erection is one of the symptoms of a pathology, the causative agents of which are streptococci, staphylococci and E. coli. A similar situation is observed in case of infection with sexually transmitted infections. In such cases, note:
- Hyperemia of the external reproductive organs.
- Itching sensation in the penis and scrotum.
- Swelling of the lower limbs.
If a man notices cheesy inclusions in pre-ejaculate, he should urgently consult a qualified doctor, as this indicates the presence of candidiasis. This inflammatory disease is caused by fungi of the genus Candida, which constitute an opportunistic microflora. Under normal conditions, they exist in the body without causing 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 the pre-ejaculate, 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 sex, but also during foreplay.
Other reasons
The prostate plays a key 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 observe that when they are aroused, a large amount of lubricant comes out of the urethral opening. This is a prostate secretion which has a fairly close similarity to pre-ejaculate.
Excessive discharges during excitement may appear with the development of various inflammatory processes.
The appearance of clear mucus coming from the urethra may be observed after catheterization. This fluid is formed as a protective reaction of the body to the resulting microtrauma on the surface of the mucous membrane.
A copious amount of clear discharge during ejaculation may indicate the development of infertility.
To diagnose pathologies, not only the visual nature of the fluid is taken into account, but also its biological composition. The man must see a doctor for an examination.