Few women know that men also have discharge.Like women, men also experience them normally and without odor.Only in women is it called “leukemia” and it originates from the vagina, while in men the discharge comes from the urethra.Of course, any pathological discharge indicates poor health and requires consultation with a doctor.
Physiological secretions
The health of a man is indicated by physiological secretions from the output of the urethra, which are observed in the following cases:
Free or physiological urology
This condition is observed when discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleep.Their number varies in different men and is directly related to the level of sexual arousal.But in any case, it is important to remember that that fluid, when aroused, contains a small amount of sperm, so if it gets on the genitals of her partner, she risks becoming pregnant.The function of the described secretions is to ensure that sperm move through the urethra and vagina of a woman, whose acidic environment is detrimental to “living organisms,” and that they enter the uterine cavity and tubes in living form to fertilize the egg.
Prostate defecation
During increased intra-abdominal pressure (when stressed), the fluid is clear, odorless, and gray-white streaks may appear on the tip of the penis.Such secretions are viscous and consist of a mixture of prostatic and seminal vesicle secretions.Similar discharge may appear after urination, in this case people talk about prostatic hypertrophy during urination.In exceptional cases, such secretions appear accompanied by severe coughing.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 (foreskin lubricant) is a secretion consisting of secretions from the sebaceous glands at the head of the penis and foreskin.Usually, if a man complies with the rules of personal hygiene, such discharge does not cause inconvenience because it is mechanically washed off with water.But if hygiene is not paid attention to, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, creating an unpleasant odor.
release sperm
Sperm, which contains large amounts of sperm, is usually released during ejaculation (ejaculation) at the end of intercourse or naturally during sleep (ejaculation).Pollution is observed in teenage boys and occurs several times a month or 1–3 times a week (hormonal changes).
In some cases, spermatorrhea, that is, the release 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 brain diseases.
Discharge of pathology
All other discharges that go beyond physiological are pathological and are, first of all, signs of urethritis or urethritis.The causes of urethritis in men vary widely;they can be both infectious and non-infectious.
Infectious causes are divided into specific and non-specific.
- Specific etiological factors include sexually transmitted diseases - trichomoniasis.
- Nonspecific infectious urethritis is caused by opportunistic bacteria, viruses and fungi:
- urethritis caused by chlamydia;
- ureaplasma and mycoplasma urethritis;
- Fungal urethritis or urogenital candidiasis in men;
- Herpetic urethritis and other diseases (Escherichia coli, streptococci, staphylococci).
Non-infectious inflammatory factors include:
- allergic reaction
- Mechanical damage to the urethral mucosa
- Chemical irritation of the urethra
- trauma, urethral stricture.
Discharge in men can vary in clarity and color.These parameters are influenced by the intensity of the inflammatory process, its stage and etiological factors.Waste is formed from fluids, mucus, and various cells.
- Cloudy - if there are many cells, the secretion is cloudy.
- Gray or thick - when epithelial cells predominate in the secretions, they take on a gray color and become thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - when the secretions contain a large number of leukocytes, they turn yellow and even green;they are also called purulent discharge.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the properties of secretions change over time.
White discharge
White vaginal discharge in men has many causes.First of all, it is necessary to exclude candidiasis.The following symptoms are observed with this disease:
- The tip of the penis has an unpleasant sour bread or yeasty smell;
- The head of the penis is covered with a white coating;
- there is itching, burning and even pain in the penis and perineum;
- discharge appears when urinating;
- red spots (irritation, inflammation) on the tip and inner surface of the foreskin;
- pain occurs during intercourse, discomfort in the head and foreskin area;
- White discharge is not only noted during urination;
- The partner complains of itching and burning, pain during sex, and a viscous discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and/or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and also refers to prostatitis, 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 sexual desire and erection, rapid ejaculation, loss of orgasm).
It is important for men to remember that progressive prostatitis can lead not only to persistent erectile dysfunction but also to infertility.
Choose transparency
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - mucous discharge is possible during urethritis caused by chlamydia or ureaplasma in the chronic stage of the disease.As the process worsens, the number of leukocytes in the secretions increases and they acquire a green or yellowish color.
- Trichomonas, gonorrhea - also abundant, transparent discharge with a large amount of mucus, observed during the day, can occur in the early stages of infection with Trichomonas or gonococci.In 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, consisting of sloughed urethral epithelium, a significant number of leukocytes, and urethral mucus, is yellowish or green in color.Yellow or mixed with green discharge is a typical sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid smell, observed throughout the day and is accompanied by pain when urinating.A man should first think about a gonorrhea infection if he has two classic symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis - also with yellow discharge, trichomoniasis cannot be ruled out, although it is often asymptomatic.With severe symptoms of trichomoniasis, in addition to purulent discharge, a man also feels discomfort from burning and pain when urinating, a frequent and irresistible urge to urinate, a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and discomfort in the perineum.
Discharge smells
Poor hygiene
In particular, unpleasant odors in the perineum and penis may also appear if the intimate hygiene conditions are not followed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms that, when they multiply and die, create an unpleasant odor if the external genitals are not thoroughly washed regularly.
- In addition, smegma itself can have an unpleasant odor if there are metabolic disorders (for example, diabetes in men).In this case, the secretion of smegma is so strong that it seeps through the underwear.
Infection
Odorless discharge is most often observed with infectious lesions in the urethra.First of all, you should rule out gonococcal urethritis - thick, yellow or green discharge that flows throughout the day.
Sour-smelling vaginal discharge is a pathological symptom of urogenital candidiasis.Fungal infections of the genus Candida cause the appearance of milky white or viscous discharge.
Fishy-smelling discharge can also occur, which is inherent in gardnerellosis, more characteristic of women (so-called bacterial vaginosis), and in men the development of this disease is quite meaningless.Gardnerella is a conditionally pathogenic microorganism and begins to actively reproduce only under certain conditions:
- weakened immunity;
- simultaneous inflammatory process of genital organs;
- intestinal physiological disorders;
- Use condoms with spermicide;
- long-term treatment with antibiotics or immunosuppressants (cytostatic drugs, corticosteroids);
- tight underwear made of synthetic fabric;
- promiscuous sex life.
In addition, vaginal 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 from smegma), these diseases are also accompanied by congestion and itching, pain in the penis, ulcers and wrinkles on the head.
Bleed
Infection
Bleeding or bleeding with streaks of blood is often observed in an infected lesion of the urethra.An admixture of blood is characteristic of urethritis caused by gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or candidiasis.Furthermore, blood volume is directly related to the intensity of inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra loosens and reacts with bleeding when exposed to the slightest irritation, including the passage of urine through the tube).
Medical manipulation
Another reason for this is injury to the urethra during medical treatment.In the case of rough cuts, catheter insertion and removal, cystoscopy or smear sampling, bleeding may be seen immediately.They differ in that the blood is bright red, there are no clots, and the bleeding stops very quickly.
Go over rocks and sand
Among other phenomena, bloody discharge may be observed when small stones or sand (from the kidney or bladder) pass through the urethra.The hard surface of the microlith damages mucous membranes and blood vessel walls, causing bleeding.In this case, blood is most noticeable during urination, accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
Gross hematuria (blood in the urine, visible during urination) can also occur with glomerulonephritis.In this case, there is a trio of symptoms: hematuria, edema, and hypertension.
Malignant tumor
One of the signs of malignant tumors of the genitourinary system (cancer of the prostate, penis, testicles and others) is the appearance of blood in men.In this case, the blood will be brown or dark and clots may appear.
Discharge of blood along with sperm
We must not forget such a symptom as bleeding with sperm (bloody sperm).There is sperm and real and fake blood.In cases of pseudomeningocele, blood is mixed with sperm as it passes through the urethra.And with truth, blood will enter the semen even before it passes through the urethra.Hematospermia comes with 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;
- increased body temperature.
One of the causes of bleeding is:
- too active sex life or vice versa,
- Long-term abstinence from sexual intercourse. During sexual intercourse, blood vessel walls break in the tissues of the genital organs.
- Previous surgery or biopsy can also cause blood in the semen
- blood appears in benign and malignant tumors of the genital organs
- with the presence of stones in the testicles and vas deferens
- with varicose veins of the pelvic organs.