There are few women who know that men also have discharge.Like women, men also experience them normally and are odorless.Only in women it is called “leucorrhoea” and it comes from the vagina, while men’s leaks come from the urethra.Of course, any pathological discharge indicates ill health and requires consultation with a doctor.
Physiological secretions
The health of a man is indicated by physiological discharge from the outlet of the urethra, which is observed in the following cases:
Libidinal or physiological urethrorrhea
This condition is observed when clear discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleep.Their number varies among different men and is directly related to the severity of sexual arousal.But in any case, it is important to remember that such discharge, when aroused, contains a small amount of sperm, so if it gets on the partner’s genitals, she has a risk of becoming pregnant.The function of the described secretions is to ensure the passage of sperm through the urethra and vagina of a woman, where there is an acidic environment that is detrimental to the “live ones,” and they enter in a viable form into the uterine cavity and tubes for fertilization of the egg.
Defecational prostatorrhea
During an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (during straining), a transparent, odorless discharge with possible gray-white streaks may appear on the head of the penis.Such discharge is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostate secretion and seminal vesicles.Similar discharge may appear upon completion of urination, in which case they speak of micturition prostateorrhea.In exceptional cases, such discharge appears with a strong cough.They are not considered an organic pathology, but only indicate a violation of the autonomic regulation of the functioning of the genital organs.
Smegma
Smegma (preputial lubricant) is a secretion that consists of secretions from the sebaceous glands of the head of the penis and the foreskin.Normally, if a man follows the rules of personal hygiene, such discharge does not create inconvenience, since it is mechanically washed off with water.But if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates, and microorganisms multiply in it, which serves as a source of unpleasant odor.
Sperm release
Sperm, which contains a large number of sperm, is normally released during ejaculation (ejaculation) at the end of sexual intercourse or spontaneously during sleep (emission).Pollutions are observed in teenage boys and occur either several times a month or 1–3 times a week (hormonal changes).
In some cases, spermatorrhea, that is, the discharge of sperm from the urethra without sexual intercourse and orgasm, indicates a pathology when the tone of the muscular layer of the vas deferens is disturbed due to chronic inflammation or diseases of the brain.
Pathological discharge
All other discharges that go beyond the physiological are pathological and indicate, first of all, inflammation of the urethra or urethritis.The causes of urethritis in men are different; they can be both infectious and non-infectious.
Infectious causes are divided into specific and nonspecific.
- Specific etiological factors include diseases that are sexually transmitted - trichomoniasis.
- Nonspecific infectious urethritis is caused by opportunistic bacteria, viruses and fungi:
- chlamydial urethritis;
- ureaplasma and mycoplasma urethritis;
- candidal urethritis or urogenital candidiasis in men;
- herpetic urethritis and others (Escherichia coli, streptococci, staphylococci).
Non-infectious inflammatory factors include:
- allergic reactions
- mechanical damage to the urethral mucosa
- irritation of the urethra by chemicals
- trauma, narrowing of the urethra.
Male discharge can vary in clarity and color.These parameters are influenced by the intensity of the inflammatory process, its stage and etiological factor.Discharge is formed from fluid, mucus and various cells.
- Cloudy - if there are a large number of cells, then the discharge has a cloudy color.
- Gray or thick - when epithelial cells predominate in the secretions, they acquire a gray color and become thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - when the discharge contains a large number of leukocytes, they become yellow and even green in color; they are also called purulent discharge.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the nature of the discharge changes over time.
White discharge
White discharge in men is due to several reasons.First of all, candidiasis should be excluded.The following symptoms are observed with this disease:
- the head of the penis smells unpleasantly of sour bread or yeast;
- the head of the penis is covered with a whitish coating;
- there is itching, burning and even pain in the penis and perineum;
- discharge appears when urinating;
- there are reddish spots (irritation, inflammation) on the head and inner surface of the foreskin;
- pain occurs during coitus, discomfort is felt in the area of the head and foreskin;
- white discharge is noted not only during urination;
- the partner complains of itching and burning, pain during sexual intercourse, and has a cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and/or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and also talk about inflammation of the prostate gland, which is characterized by:
- difficulty and intermittent urination;
- burning sensation in the perineum and urethra;
- discomfort during bowel movements;
- frequent urge to urinate;
- sexual disorders (decreased libido and erection, rapid ejaculation, lost orgasm).
It is important for men to remember that advanced prostatitis can lead not only to persistent erectile dysfunction, but also to infertility.
Transparent selections
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - clear mucous discharge is possible with chlamydial or ureaplasma urethritis in the chronic stage of the disease.As the process worsens, the number of leukocytes in the discharge increases, and they acquire a greenish or yellowish color.
- Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea - also clear, profuse discharge with a large amount of mucus, which is observed during the day, is possible in the initial stage of infection with Trichomonas or gonococci.In the case of chlamydia (ureaplasmosis), subjective sensations are often absent (pain, itching, burning), and clear discharge appears after prolonged abstinence from urination.
Yellow discharge
Purulent discharge, which includes desquamated epithelium of the urethra, a significant number of leukocytes and urethral mucus, has a yellowish or greenish tint.Yellow discharge or mixed with greenery is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid odor, observed throughout the day and accompanied by pain when urinating.A man should first think about a gonorrheal infection if he has the classic pair of symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis - also with yellow discharge, trichomoniasis cannot be ruled out, although it is often asymptomatic.With severe symptoms of trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, a man is bothered by burning and pain during urination, frequent and irresistible urge to urinate, a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and discomfort in the perineum.
Discharge with odor
Poor hygiene
An unpleasant odor of the perineum and penis in particular can also be observed if intimate hygiene conditions are not observed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms that, as they multiply and die, create an unpleasant odor if the external genitalia are not thoroughly washed regularly.
- In addition, smegma itself may have an unpleasant odor if there is a metabolic disorder (for example, diabetes mellitus in men).In this case, the secretion of smegma is so intense that it soaks through the underwear.
Infections
Discharge with an odor is most often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.First of all, you should exclude gonorrheal urethritis - thick, yellow or green discharge that is observed throughout the day.
The sour smell of discharge is a pathognomic symptom of urogenital candidiasis.Infection with fungi of the genus Candida provokes the appearance of cheesy or milky-white discharge.
A fishy smell of discharge is also possible, which is inherent in gardnerellosis, which is more typical for women (called bacterial vaginosis), and in men the development of this disease is rather nonsense.Gardnerella is a conditionally pathogenic microorganism and begins to actively reproduce only under certain conditions:
- weakened immunity;
- concomitant inflammatory processes of the genitourinary organs;
- intestinal dysbiosis;
- use of condoms with spermicides;
- long-term treatment with antibiotics or immunosuppressants (cytostatics, corticosteroids);
- tight underwear made of synthetic fabrics;
- promiscuous sex life.
Also, discharge with an unpleasant odor can occur due to diseases such as:
- balanitis (inflammation of the head of the penis)
- balanoposthitis (inflammation of the inner surface of the foreskin).
But in addition to discharge (not from the urethra, but smegma), these diseases are accompanied by hyperemia and itching, pain in the penis, and ulcers and wrinkling are found on the head.
Bloody discharge
Infections
Bloody discharge or discharge streaked with blood is often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.An admixture of blood is characteristic of gonorrheal, trichomonas or candidiasis urethritis.Moreover, the amount of blood is directly related to the intensity of inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra is loosened and responds with contact bleeding to the slightest irritation, including the passage of urine through the canal).
Medical manipulations
Another reason for this is injury to the urethra during medical procedures.In the case of rough bougienage, installation and removal of a catheter, cystoscopy or taking a smear, immediate bleeding may be observed.They differ in that the blood is scarlet, has no clots, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
Passing stones, sand
Among other things, bloody discharge can be observed when small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) pass through the urethra.The hard surface of microliths damages the mucous membrane and walls of blood vessels, causing bleeding.In this case, the blood is most noticeable when urinating, which is accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
Gross hematuria (blood in the urine, visible when urinating) is also possible in the presence of glomerulonephritis.In this case, there is a triad of symptoms: gross hematuria, edema, increased blood pressure.
Malignant tumors
One of the signs of malignant tumors of the genitourinary system (cancer of the prostate gland, penis, testes and others) is the appearance of blood in a man.In this case, the blood will be brown or dark, and clots may appear.
Discharge of blood with sperm
We must not forget about such a symptom as the release of blood with sperm (hematospermia).There are false and true hematospermia.In false cases, blood is mixed with the sperm as it passes through the urethra.And with true, blood enters the ejaculate even before it passes through the urethra.Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain during ejaculation;
- urinary disorders;
- pain and/or swelling in the genitals (testicles and scrotum);
- discomfort and pain in the lower back;
- increase in body temperature.
One of the causes of hematospermia is:
- overly active sex life or vice versa,
- long-term sexual abstinence, during sexual intercourse rupture of the vascular walls in the tissues of the genital organs occurs
- previous surgery or biopsy may also cause blood in semen
- hematospermia appears in benign and malignant neoplasms of the genitourinary organs
- in the presence of stones in the testes and vas deferens
- with varicose veins of the pelvic organs.