Discharge from the genital organs can bother not only girls, but also men. Males have normal, odorless secretions. Their source is the urethra. In women, the discharge is called leukorrhea. If you notice unhealthy discharge, go to an in-person appointment with a urologist immediately.
Normal or pathological?
The urethra is the male urethra. From there they appear from time to time. There is something called urethrorrhea. It can be physiological or libidinal. A transparent secretion appears from the urethral outlet. This happens in the morning, immediately after 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 also protect yourself during foreplay with the genitals. Discharge in men helps sperm pass through the urethra and into and past the partner's vagina. After all, the environment is acidic and this is harmful to the life of sperm.
Pathological discharge
The physiological discharge that normally occurs in boys and men is described above. Here we will look at discharge associated with health problems. Mostly pathological discharge from the urethra worries menfor urethritis. This is an inflammatory process that develops in the urethra. Urethritis can be caused by an 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 discharge from the genital tract:
- trauma, narrowing of the urethra
- irritation from chemical factors
- mechanical damage to the mucosa
- influence of allergens
Secretions from the genital tract in males can vary in color and transparency. It depends on how active the inflammation is, what stage it is at and what flora is causing it.Discharge from the penis includes::
- slime
- liquid
- cells of various origins
If there is a lot of the last component, the discharge becomes cloudy, which can be visually observed by the man himself. If epithelial cells appear in large numbers in the discharge, the discharge thickens and acquires a gray tint.
If you find yourselfyellow-green, greenish, or yellowish dischargeMost likely they contain many leukocytes. This means that the secretions contain purulent masses, which are a consequence of the inflammatory process. In the same disease the secretions can be of different thickness, quantity and nature. For example, at the beginning of the disease they may be thicker and then gradually become more and more liquid. This is such an individual process that during the examination the doctor will not be able to determine your disease, and you will have to undergo a series of tests.
Discharge in menwhitethey may have different reasons. The first thing that doctors assume is the proliferation of the Candida fungus. The disease is called accordingly -. You've probably heard that women get thrush. It also happens in men, but mostly it happens in a hidden form. But in rare cases, white discharge from the genitals may occur.
Discharge with odor
The first possible reason (and the most harmless) is poor hygiene. As mentioned above, smegma is a normal male discharge (which does not indicate disease). If you don't wash regularly, at least once a day, smegma accumulates, bacteria multiply inside it, causing unpleasant odors. These smells may differ for different men.
If you follow good hygiene practices and still have an unpleasant odor, your doctor may suspect a metabolic disorder. In these 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 smelly 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 secretions from the penis in men have a sour odor, it is very likely that urogenital candidiasis is developing.
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 such a symptom, but not necessarily. In these cases urethritis is mainly caused by candida, trichomonas or gonorrhea 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 loosens. If an irritant acts, the membrane is damaged and blood begins to leak. Urination can also be irritating.
Probable reason number two is that medical procedures are performed carelessly. The urethra is damaged, which is why blood is released. Procedures that can cause damage to the urethra:
- catheter installation
- removal of the catheter
- bougienage
- making a smear
- cystoscopy
The blood flow 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, damage the mucosa and walls of blood vessels, which become the direct cause of bleeding. Pain also occurs.
Blood loss with semen
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 the sperm before passing through the urethra.
Hematospermia manifests itself with the following symptoms:(clinical picture):
- urinary disorders
- pain during ejaculation
- discomfort and pain in the lower back
- pain and/or swelling in the genitals
- high body temperature
Causes of blood loss with semen:
- long-term sexual abstinence
- excessively active sexual life (during intercourse, the walls of blood vessels break)
- 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 a discharge from your genitals that does not go away within a day or two, immediately go and see an experienced doctor in person. If discharge appears after unprotected sexual intercourse, there is no need to raise the alarm, but you need to go to the doctor and get tested as quickly as possible. Health to you and your sweetheart!
Discharge from the genital organs in men is discharge from the urethra (urethra) and secretionpreputialglands found on the head of the penis, under the skin of the foreskin. The urethra opensejaculatoryduct, prostatic ducts,urethralANDbulbourethraliron
Variants of physiological secretions
Criteria for normal discharge,corresponding to the functions of the organs of the urogenital system:
- Urine- transparent, straw-yellow to golden yellow in colour, practically odourless, free of flakes or other inclusions;
- Secret of the prostateit has a viscous consistency and a whitish tint, there is a specific smell of sperm;
- Ejaculate:the sperm of the ejaculatory duct mixes with the secretions of the Littre (urethral), Cooper (bulbourethral) glands and with prostatic secretions, acquiring a greyish-white color and a mucous consistency;
- Fresh smegmafrom the preputial glands it appears as a thick white lubricant; it may become yellowish or greenish over time.
Preputial lubrication –smegma– constantly stands out, accumulating under the inner layer of the foreskin and in the coronary sulcus of the penis. The lubricant consists 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 puberty period; with age the secretion decreases and with old age it stops completely.
Urethrorrhea, mucous and colorless dischargefrom the bulbourethral and urethral glands. They appear only with arousal associated with libido. The excretion of clear mucus is intended to lubricate the urethra and improve the passage of sperm. The amount of secretion varies from scanty to abundant; these parameters are related to the individual characteristics of the body and the frequency of sexual activity. After prolonged abstinence, the volume of secretions increases.
Emission - spontaneous release of sperm, not associated with sexual intercourse. Usually observed in the morning, when testosterone levels increase. It depends on age and the 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 greyish-white inclusions. It occurs after straining your abdominal muscles (for example, if you are constipated) or after urinating. The secretion is made up of a mixture of seminal fluid and prostatic secretion; enlargement and cloudiness may be signs of prostatitis.
Pathological discharge
In men, the causes of discharge from the penis can be sexually transmitted diseases, 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 scarce, perhaps moderate);
- By color and transparency (from white to yellow-green, cloudy);
- From impurities (blood, pus, lumps of mucus);
- Consistency (very liquid or too thick and sticky);
- From the smell (sour, putrid, fishy);
- According to the frequency of appearance (depending on the time of day, constant or episodic secretion);
- In connection with 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 disorders, as well as the severity and duration of the inflammation (acute or chronic).
If you notice a change in the quantity, density or color of the secretions, or if an unpleasant odor appears, it is recommended to consult a doctor and carry out tests. There is no point in self-diagnosing, it is very difficult to correctly recognize the disease based on just one symptom.
Penis discharge associated with sexually transmitted diseases
Mucous: transparent secretion, viscous and small in quantity, occurs 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. With 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, epithelial cells of the urethra and many leukocytes are visible in the material.
Symptoms accompanying gonorrheal urethritis: constant, heavy discharge; particularly strong during urination.
With sexually transmitted diseases, combined infections are often observed, which combine several pathogens at the same time. Gonorrhea and are accompanied by chlamydia, mycoplasmosis and ureaplasmosis usually occur "in pairs". The symptoms of such diseases differ from classical manifestations; urethral secretion 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 case of problems with the body's immune defense. Streptococci and staphylococci, fungi of the genusCandidaand E. coli are always present on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes, but begin to actively multiply and displace beneficial bacteria after hypothermia, prolonged stress, uncontrolled treatment with antibiotics, after courses of radiation and chemotherapy.
Secretion not associated with inflammation
Spermatorea - secretion in the form of sperm flowing passively,they 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 long-term inflammation of the genital area. Spermatorea is associated with impaired innervation and decreased tone of the vas deferens.
Hematorrhea,bloody matters. Often appears with injuries of the urethral canal received duringbougienage, after productioncatheteror when taking a smear from the mucosa. 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). Discharge of blood duringhematuria form of glomerulonephritis(inflammation of the renal glomeruli) are combined with edema and persistently high blood pressure, appearance of protein in the urine.
The discharge is brown, with clots of blood or mucus, mixed with pus, appear with malignant tumors originating from the prostate, urethra, or bladder. During the healing of wounds, brownish mucus may form on the mucous membranes, which is released during polyposis of the urethra and/or bladder.
Prostatorrhea- secretion from the prostate gland flowing from the urethra. Occurs in chronic prostatitis, prostatic 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 goal is to identify deformations of the genital organs, traces of lesions, signs of external inflammation, secretions, rashes, etc. Traces of secretions are sometimes visible on underwear.
- Palpation of 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 recommended to refrain from urinating for 1-2 hours. With prostatic adenoma, its lobes are enlarged approximately equally, dense cords are palpable. Irregular growths and their consistency are typical of a malignant tumor; During palpation of the prostate, blood with clots may come out of 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 number of white blood cellscharacteristic of acute urethritis or exacerbation of chronic inflammation,eosinophils– for urethritis with allergies.Red blood cellsis found in severe inflammation, tumors, lesions of the genitourinary organs and urolithiasis.Large amount of epithelium– a sign of chronic urethritis, urethral leukoplakia. When spermatorrhea is found in a smearspermatozoa, with urethrorrhea –slime, easier -lipid granules.
- General clinical blood test,blood for sugar- in the morning, on an empty stomach.Detailed urine analysis(morning portion, 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 the bleeding are indicated. Suspicion of a malignant tumor can only be confirmed by the result of a biopsy; the definitive diagnosis is made on the basis of histological examination.
Important:
- Discharge from the penis is only one symptom that cannot be used as a guide to diagnosis.
- Unacceptableindependent prescription of drugs. 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 guy. Maximum concentration is achieved with a strong sexual desire.The normal amount of liquid is 5 ml.
Some representatives of the stronger sex are physiologically unable to secrete lubricant. The absence of preejaculation during erection reduces the ability to conceive.
Healthy pre-ejaculate has the following characteristics:
Pre-seed performs cleaning functions, so its consistency may change. A man may experience lubricant clouding with repeated sexual intercourse, lack of hygiene, or before ejaculation. He 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 discharge in men differs from healthy one 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 that indicate the development of diseases.
Unhealthy secretions in men are divided into types:
| Guy | Description |
|---|---|
| Spermatorrhea | Random loss of sperm without reaching orgasm. The cause of the process is the decrease in muscle tone of the vas deferens. The pathology develops due to chronic inflammation |
| Hematorrhea | Spillage of lubricant mixed with blood. It appears with lesions to 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 during the night. A man notices pus discharge 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 may be large or small. It can be quite difficult to notice poor lubrication. To do this, you need to press on the urethra so that the liquid flows out of the opening. It dries quickly, forming a film on the membrane of the head of the penis. The viscous consistency makes the urethral sponges stick together.
Causes of pathological discharge
Unusual lubricant secretion is most often due to sexually transmitted diseases, but there are numerous other conditions.
Sexually transmitted diseases
If pathological discharge appears with unpleasant symptoms, the development of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) should be suspected. Such diseases develop under the influence of unfavorable microflora, which is deposited on the mucosa of the urethra, on the external areas and cavities of the genital organs and in the glands.
What changes indicate the disease
Various changes in preejaculatory indicators are cause for concern. The reasons to immediately visit a specialist are:
- Change in the color of the liquid: it can be grayish, with a green or yellow tint (indicating the presence of purulent contents).
- Blood impurities.
- Cloudiness.
- Consistency similar to ricotta.
- Unpleasant and musty smell.
These signs indicate an inflammatory process. The following symptoms often appear:
- Lower abdominal pain.
- Frequent urge to go to the bathroom.
- Heat.
- Hyperemia of the 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 interventions on the prostate and other organs of the genitourinary system.
The release of clear liquid in the absence of 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 limbs.
If a man notices cheesy inclusions in the preejaculate, he urgently needs to consult a qualified doctor, as this indicates the presence of candidiasis. This inflammatory disease is caused by fungi of the Candida genus, which are an opportunistic microflora. Under normal conditions, they exist in the body without causing any harm. The action of negative external factors and weakened immunity contribute to the rapid proliferation of fungi and their transition to a pathogenic form.
In the pre-ejaculate there are some spermatozoa that make conception possible. Therefore, if a couple is not planning a pregnancy, they should take the contraceptive pill or otherwise protect themselves not only during sexual intercourse, but also during foreplay.
Other reasons
The prostate gland 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 copious amount of lubricant leaks from the urethral opening. This is a prostatic secretion that has a fairly high resemblance to pre-ejaculate.
Excessive discharge during excitement can manifest itself in the development of various inflammatory processes.
After probing you can observe the appearance of clear mucus from the urethra. This fluid is formed as a protective reaction of the body to the resulting microtraumas on the surface of the mucosa.
An abundant amount of clear secretions 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 an examination.