There are few women who know that men also have discharge. As in women, they are usually found in men and are odorless. Only in women is it called "leukorea" and they appear from the vagina, while in men it appears from the urethra. Of course, any abnormal discharge indicates poor health and requires a visit to the doctor.
Physiological discharge
Men's health is confirmed by a physiological discharge from the urethra, which is observed in the following cases:
Libido or physiological urethra
This condition is observed when a transparent discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleep. Their number is different in different men and is directly related to the severity of sexual arousal. In any case, it is important to remember that such discharge, when aroused, contains a small amount of sperm, so if they get on the partner's genitals, she has a risk of pregnancy. The function of the described secretion is to ensure the passage of sperm into a woman’s urethra and vagina, where there is an acidic environment that is destructive to the "gums, " and their viable form enters the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes. For egg fertilization.
Prostate defect
During an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (tension), a transparent odorless discharge with possible gray-white spots may appear on the top of the penis. Such a discharge is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostate secretion and seminal vesicles. Such discharges may appear at the end of urination, in which case they speak of a vocal prostate. In exceptional cases, such a discharge occurs 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 genitals.
Smegma
Smegma (preputial lubrication) is a secretion consisting of the secretion and precursor of the sebaceous glands of the penis. Usually, if a person follows the rules of personal hygiene, such a discharge does not create discomfort because it is mechanically rinsed with water. But if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, which serves as a source of unpleasant odor.
Isolation of sperm
Sperm containing a large amount of sperm is usually released during ejaculation (ejaculation) at the end of sexual intercourse or spontaneously, during sleep (wet dreams). Contamination occurs in adolescent boys and occurs several times a month or 1 to 3 times a week (hormonal changes).
In some cases, spermatorrhea, or the outflow of sperm from the urethra without sexual intercourse and orgasm, indicates pathology when the tone of the muscular layer of blood vessels is disturbed in the presence of chronic inflammation or brain disease.
Abnormal discharge
All other secretions that go beyond physiology are pathology and indicate primarily 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 sexually transmitted diseases such as trichomoniasis.
- Nonspecific infectious urethritis is caused by opportunistic bacteria, viruses and fungi:
- Chlamydial urethritis;
- Urethroplasm and mycoplasma urethritis;
- Candidal urethritis or urogenital candidiasis in men;
- Herpetic urethritis and others (Escherichia coli, streptococci, staphylococci).
Non-infectious factors of inflammation include:
- Allergic reactions
- Mechanical damage to the urethral mucosa
- Irritation of the urethra with chemicals
- Trauma, urethral stricture.
Male discharge may vary in transparency and coloration. These parameters are influenced by the intensity of the inflammatory process, its stage and etiological factor. The secretion is produced 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 - With the predominance of epithelial cells in the secretion, they become gray and thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - When there are large numbers of leukocytes in the secretion, they turn yellow and even turn green, they are also called purulent secretions.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the nature of the discharge changes over time.
White discharge
White discharge in men is caused by several reasons. First of all, candidiasis should be ruled out. With this disease, the following symptoms are observed:
- The head of the penis has an unpleasant odor from sour bread or yeast;
- The head of the penis is covered with a whitish coating;
- Itching, burning, and pain in the penis and perineal area are also noted;
- Discharge occurs when urinating;
- There are reddish spots (irritation, inflammation) on the head and anterior surface;
- Pain occurs during coitus, discomfort is felt in the head and bark;
- White discharge is observed not only during urination;
- The partner complains of itching and burning, pain during intercourse, has a cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and / or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, as well as 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, vague orgasm).
It is important for men to remember that neglected prostatitis can cause not only permanent erectile dysfunction but also infertility.
Transparent choice
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - Transparent mucosal discharge is possible in the chronic stage of chlamydial or ureaplasmic urethritis. As the process intensifies, the number of leukocytes in the secretion increases and they acquire a greenish or yellowish color.
- Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea - also a transparent, abundant discharge with a lot of mucus that is observed during the day, possibly in the early stages of Trichomonas or gonococcal infection. In the case of chlamydia (ureaplasmosis) subjective sensations are often absent (pain, itching, burning) and a transparent discharge appears after prolonged abstinence from urination.
Yellow discharge
A purulent discharge involving the desquamation epithelium of the urethra, a significant amount of leukocytes and urethral mucus, is yellowish or greenish. Yellow discharge or mixed greenery is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid odor, is observed during the day and is accompanied by pain when urinating. A man should first think about a gonorrhea infection if there is a classic pair of symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis - Also with a yellow discharge, trichomoniasis is not ruled out, although it is often asymptomatic. With severe symptoms of Trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, the person is concerned about burning and pain when urinating, frequent and irresistible urination needs, feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, and discomfort in the perineum.
Discharge by odor
Violation of hygiene
Unpleasant odor of the perineum and penis, in particular, can be observed if the conditions of intimate hygiene are not observed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms that multiply and die, creating an unpleasant odor if you do not wash the external genitalia regularly.
- In addition, smegma itself may have an unpleasant odor in the case of metabolic disorders (e. g. , diabetes mellitus in men). At the same time, the secretion of smegma is so intense that it absorbs the underwear.
Infections
Odor discharge is most often marked by infectious lesions of the urethra. First of all, gonorrheal urethritis should be ruled out - a thick, yellow or green discharge that is observed throughout the day.
The sour smell of the discharge is a pathognomonic symptom of urogenital candidiasis. Infection with fungi of the genus Candida provokes the appearance of a cheese or milky white discharge.
It is also possible to secrete a fishy odor that is congenital in Gardnerella, which is more common in women (called bacterial vaginosis), while in men, the development of this disease is quite pointless. Gardnerella belongs to the conditionally pathogenic microorganisms and begins to actively multiply only under certain conditions:
- Weakening of immunity;
- Inflammatory processes accompanying the genitourinary system;
- Intestinal dysbiosis;
- Condom use with spermicides;
- Long-term treatment with antibiotics or immunosuppressants (cytostatics, corticosteroids);
- Tight underwear made of synthetic fabrics;
- Obscene sex life.
Also, the discharge with an unpleasant odor can be due to diseases such as:
- Balanitis (inflammation of the head of the penis)
- Balanoposthitis (inflammation of the inner surface of the cortex).
But in addition to discharge (not from the urethra, but from the smegma), these diseases are accompanied by hyperemia and itching, pain in the penis, and ulcers and wrinkles on the head.
Discharge of blood
Infections
Bloody discharge or discharge with blood flow is often marked by infectious damage to the urethra. The blood mixture is typical for gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or candidal urethritis. Moreover, the amount of blood is directly related to the intensity of inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the urethral mucosa is weakened and responds to minor irritation with contact bleeding, including through the urethra).
Medical manipulations
Another reason for this is urethral trauma during medical procedures. In the case of gross bugenesis, catheter insertion and removal, cystoscopy or smear, spots may appear simultaneously. They differ in that the blood is scarlet, has no clotting, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
The passage of stones, sand
Among other things, a bloody discharge may be noticed when small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) pass into the urethra. The hard surface of the microliths damages the mucous membrane and blood vessel walls, causing bleeding. In this case the blood is most noticeable when urinating, accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
Rough hematuria (blood in the urine, visible during urination) is also possible in the presence of glomerulonephritis. In this case, there is a triad of symptoms: rough hematuria, edema, increase in blood pressure.
Malignant tumors
One of the signs of malignant tumors of the genital system (cancer of the prostate gland, penis, testicles, etc. ) is the appearance of blood in men. In this case, the blood will be brown or dark and a clot may appear.
Separation of blood by sperm
Do not forget about a symptom such as bleeding from the sperm (hematospermia). Distinguish between false and true hematospermia. When fake, blood is mixed with sperm as it passes into the urethra. True blood enters the ejaculate even before it passes into the urethra. Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain during ejaculation;
- Urinary incontinence;
- Pain and / or swelling in the genitals (testicles and testicles);
- Discomfort and pain in the lower back;
- Increased body temperature.
One of the causes of hematospermia is:
- Over-active sex life or vice versa,
- Prolonged sexual abstinence, while during sexual intercourse there is a rupture of blood vessel walls in the tissues of the genitals
- Previous surgery or biopsy may also result in blood in the semen
- Hematospermia is manifested in benign and malignant neoplasms of the genitals
- In the presence of testicular and vascular stones
- With varicose veins of the pelvic organs.