Few women know that men can have discharge as well.Men can feel them normally, just like women, and they don't smell.Only in women it is called "leucorrhea" and it comes from the vagina, while in men leakage comes from the urethra.Of course, any pathological discharge is a sign of poor health and requires consultation with a doctor.
physiological secretions
The health status of men is judged by the physiological secretions from the urethral outlet, which can be observed under the following conditions:
Sexual or physiological urethral leakage
This condition is observed when clear discharge occurs during sexual arousal or in the morning immediately after sleeping.The amount varies among men and is directly related to the severity of sexual arousal.But regardless, it's important to remember that this discharge contains a small amount of sperm when aroused, so if it gets into your partner's genitals, she's at risk of becoming pregnant.The function of said secretions is to ensure that sperm pass through the woman's urethra and vagina, where the acidic environment is not favorable for "viable sperm", and that they enter the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes in a viable form to fertilize the egg.
defecation prostatic leakage
During periods of increased intra-abdominal pressure (during straining), a clear, odorless discharge, possibly with grayish-white streaks, may appear on the glans penis.This secretion is thick and consists of a mixture of prostate secretions and seminal vesicles.A similar discharge may occur after urination, in which case they call it urinary prostatic leakage.In exceptional cases, this discharge may occur with severe coughing.They are not considered organic pathology, but merely indicate a violation of the autonomous regulation of the functions of the reproductive organs.
Smegma
Smegma (foreskin lubricant) is a secretion consisting of secretions from the sebaceous glands of the glans penis and foreskin.Usually, if a person follows the rules of personal hygiene, this discharge does not cause inconvenience, since it is mechanically flushed away by water.But if hygiene is neglected, smegma can accumulate and microorganisms can multiply in it, becoming the source of unpleasant odors.
sperm release
Sperm contains large amounts of sperm that are released spontaneously, usually during ejaculation at the end of sexual intercourse (ejaculation) or during sleep (ejaculation).Contamination has been observed in teenage boys, occurring several times a month or 1-3 times a week (hormonal changes).
In some cases, nocturnal emissions, that is, the discharge of sperm from the urethra without intercourse and orgasm, indicate a disturbance in the tone of the muscular layer of the vas deferens due to chronic inflammation or brain disease, which is a pathological phenomenon.
pathological secretions
All other discharges beyond the physiological range are pathological and first indicate inflammation of the urethra or urethritis.Causes of urethritis in men vary; they can be infectious or non-infectious.
Causes of infection are divided into specific and non-specific.
- Specific causes include the sexually transmitted disease trichomoniasis.
- Nonspecific infectious urethritis is caused by opportunistic bacteria, viruses, and fungi:
- Chlamydial urethritis;
- Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma urethritis;
- Candidal urethritis or urogenital candidiasis in men;
- Herpetic urethritis, etc. (E. coli, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus).
Non-infectious inflammatory factors include:
- allergic reaction
- Mechanical injury to urethral mucosa
- Chemical irritation of the urethra
- Trauma, urethral stricture.
Male discharge can vary in clarity and color.These parameters are influenced by the intensity, stage and etiological factors of the inflammatory process.Secretions are made of fluid, mucus, and various cells.
- Turbidity - If there are a large number of cells, the secretion will be cloudy in color.
- Gray or Thick – When epithelial cells dominate the secretions, they turn gray and become thick.
- Yellow, green, or chartreuse - When the discharge contains a large number of white blood cells, the color can change to yellow or even green; they are also called purulent discharge.
It should be noted that in the same pathological situation, the nature of the secretions can change over time.
white discharge
There are many reasons for white discharge in men.Candidiasis should first be ruled out.This disease causes the following symptoms:
- An unpleasant sourdough or yeasty smell from the glans penis;
- The glans penis is covered with a white coating;
- Itching, burning or even pain in the penis and perineum;
- Discharge during urination;
- Red spots on the head and inner surface of the foreskin (irritation, inflammation);
- Pain during sexual intercourse, discomfort in the head and foreskin area;
- White discharge doesn’t only occur during urination;
- The partner complains of itching, burning, pain, and cheesy discharge during intercourse.
In addition to genitourinary candidiasis, white discharge can also be caused by chlamydia and/or ureaplasmosis. Let us also talk about prostate inflammation, which is characterized by:
- Difficulty and intermittent urination;
- Burning sensation in perineum and urethra;
- Discomfort during defecation;
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- Sexual dysfunction (decreased libido and erection, rapid ejaculation, loss of orgasm).
For men, it is important to remember that advanced prostatitis can lead not only to persistent erectile dysfunction but also to infertility.
Transparent selection
- Chlamydia, Ureaplasma urealyticum – In the chronic phase of the disease, Chlamydia or Ureaplasma urethritis may present with a clear mucus discharge.As the process worsens, the number of white blood cells in the secretion increases and it becomes green or yellow in color.
- Trichomoniasis, Gonorrhea - During the initial stages of a Trichomonas or Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection, clear, profuse discharge may also be observed during the day, along with copious amounts of mucus.With chlamydia (ureaplasmosis), there are usually no subjective sensations (pain, itching, burning) and a clear discharge occurs after prolonged abstinence.
yellow discharge
Purulent discharge is yellow or green and contains sloughed urothelium, large amounts of white blood cells, and urethral mucus.Yellow discharge or mixed with green discharge is a characteristic symptom of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - Thick discharge with an unpleasant rancid odor that is visible throughout the day and is accompanied by pain during urination.If a man has typical symptoms: discharge and itching, he should first consider gonorrhea infection.
- Trichomoniasis - Also associated with yellow discharge, trichomoniasis cannot be ruled out, although it is often asymptomatic.With severe symptoms of trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, men may also experience symptoms such as burning pain during urination, painful urination, frequent and irresistible urge to urinate, heaviness in the lower abdomen, and perineal discomfort.
There is a peculiar smell in the discharge
Poor sanitary conditions
Especially unpleasant odors in the perineum and penis can also be observed if intimate hygiene is not observed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms that can produce unpleasant odors as they multiply and die if the external genitalia are not cleaned thoroughly and regularly.
- Additionally, if a metabolic disorder is present (such as male diabetes), the smegma itself may cause an unpleasant odor.In this case, the secretion of smegma is so intense that it soaks through underwear.
Infect
Odorful discharge is most common in infectious lesions of the urinary tract.First, you should rule out gonorrheal urethritis - thick, yellow or green discharge observed throughout the day.
The sour smell of secretions is a pathological symptom of genitourinary candidiasis.Fungal infections of the genus Candida can cause cheese-like or milky white discharge.
The discharge may also have a fishy smell, which is inherent to Gardnerella's disease, which is more common in women (called bacterial vaginosis), while in men it develops rather unprovoked.Gardnerella is an opportunistic pathogenic microorganism that begins to actively multiply only under certain conditions:
- Decreased immunity;
- Accompanying inflammatory processes in the genitourinary organs;
- Intestinal flora imbalance;
- Use condoms containing spermicide;
- Long-term treatment with antibiotics or immunosuppressants (cytostatics, corticosteroids);
- Tight undergarments made of synthetic fibers;
- Sex life is messy.
In addition, discharge with an unpleasant odor may occur due to the following diseases:
- Balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis)
- Balanoposthitis (inflammation of the inner surface of the foreskin).
But these diseases, in addition to discharge (not from the urethra, but from smegma), are also accompanied by congestion and itching, pain in the penis, ulcers and wrinkles on the head.
bloody discharge
Infect
Bloody discharge or blood-streaked discharge often occurs in urinary tract infections.A mixture of blood is characteristic of gonorrhea, trichomonal urethritis, or candidal urethritis.Moreover, the amount of blood is directly related to the severity of inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra is loose and contact bleeding occurs in response to the slightest irritation, including the passage of urine through the urethra).
medical treatment
Another cause is injury to the urethra during medical procedures.Bleeding may be observed immediately during gross probing, installation and removal of catheters, cystoscopy, or smear tests.They differ in that the blood is scarlet red, there are no clots, and the bleeding stops quickly.
passing stones and sand
Apart from this, bloody discharge can be observed when small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) pass through the urethra.The hard surface of microstones can damage mucous membranes and blood vessel walls, causing bleeding.In this case, blood is most noticeable during urination and is accompanied by pain.
glomerulonephritis
Gross hematuria (blood in the urine, visible during urination) may also occur with glomerulonephritis.In this case, a triad of symptoms occurs: gross hematuria, edema, and elevated blood pressure.
malignant tumor
One of the symptoms of genitourinary malignancies (prostate cancer, penile cancer, testicular cancer, etc.) is the appearance of blood in men.In this case, the blood will appear brown or dark and clots may occur.
Blood is discharged together with sperm
We cannot forget symptoms such as blood in the sperm (hemospermia).Blood semen can be divided into false and true.In the wrong case, blood mixes with sperm as it passes through the urethra.Indeed, blood enters the ejaculate even before passing through the urethra.Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain during ejaculation;
- urinary tract disorders;
- Pain and/or swelling in the genitals (testicles and scrotum);
- Lower back discomfort and pain;
- Increased body temperature.
One of the causes of hematospermia is:
- Sexually overactive and vice versa,
- During long-term abstinence, the blood vessel walls in the reproductive organ tissue may rupture during sexual intercourse.
- Previous surgery or biopsy may also cause blood in semen
- Hematospermia occurs in benign and malignant tumors of the urogenital organs
- The presence of stones in the testicles and vas deferens
- Suffering from pelvic varicose veins.