There are few women who know that men also have discharge.Men find them normal, just like women, and they are odorless.In women only, it is called “leucorrhea” and comes from the vagina, while in men, discharge comes from the urethra.Of course, any pathological discharge indicates poor health and requires consultation with a doctor.
Physiological secretions
A man's health status is indicated by physiological discharge from the urethral opening, which is observed in the following cases:
Libidinal or physiological urethral rhea
This condition is observed when significant discharge occurs during sexual arousal or in the morning immediately after sleep.Their number varies in different men and is directly related to the severity of sexual arousal.However, in any case, it is important to remember that such discharge, when aroused, contains a small amount of sperm.So if it gets into the partner's genitals, there is 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 harmful to the “living”, and they enter the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes in a viable form for fertilization of the egg.
Defecation prostatorrhea
If intra-abdominal pressure increases (during straining), a clear, odorless discharge with possibly gray-white streaks may appear on the glans.This discharge is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostate secretion and seminal vesicles.A similar discharge may occur after cessation of urination.In this case it is called micturition prostateorrhea.In exceptional cases, such discharge occurs with a strong cough.They are not considered organic pathologies, but simply indicate a violation of the autonomous regulation of the functioning of the sexual organs.
Smegma
Smegma (preputial lubricant) is a secretion consisting of secretions from the sebaceous glands of the glans and foreskin.If a man follows the rules of personal hygiene, such discharge usually does not cause inconvenience, as it is washed off mechanically with water.However, if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, which serves as a source of unpleasant odors.
Sperm release
Sperm cells containing a large amount of sperm are usually released during ejaculation (ejaculation), at the end of sexual intercourse or spontaneously during sleep (emission).Soiling is seen in teenage boys and occurs 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 initially indicate urethritis or urethritis.The causes of urethritis in men are different;They can be both contagious and non-contagious.
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;
- Candida 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 the etiological factor.The discharge consists of fluid, mucus and various cells.
- Cloudy – if there are many cells present, the discharge will be cloudy in color.
- Gray or thick – when epithelial cells predominate in the secretions, they turn gray in color and become thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - if the discharge contains a large number of leukocytes, they turn yellow and even green;it is 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 has several reasons.First, candidiasis should be ruled out.With this disease, the following symptoms are observed:
- the acorn smells unpleasantly like 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 on the inside 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 intercourse and cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and/or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and also speak of inflammation of the prostate, characterized by:
- difficulty and intermittent urination;
- Burning in the perineum and urethra;
- Difficulty with 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 selection
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - with chlamydia or ureaplasma urethritis in the chronic stage of the disease, clear mucous discharge is possible.As the process worsens, the number of leukocytes in the discharge increases and they acquire a greenish or yellowish color.
- Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea - also clear, copious discharge with a lot of mucus, observed during the day, is possible in the initial stages of infection with Trichomonas or gonococci.With chlamydia (ureaplasmosis), subjective sensations (pain, itching, burning) are often absent and clear discharge occurs after a prolonged urge to urinate.
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 discharge mixed with green is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea – the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid odor, which is observed throughout the day and is accompanied by pain during urination.A man should first think about a gonorrhea infection if he has the classic pair of symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis – even with yellow discharge, trichomoniasis cannot be ruled out, although it often has no symptoms.With severe symptoms of Trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, a man may experience 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 smell
Poor hygiene
An unpleasant odor, especially on the perineum and penis, can also be observed if intimate hygiene conditions are not observed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms that produce an unpleasant odor as they multiply and die if the external genitalia are not thoroughly washed regularly.
- In addition, smegma itself can 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 penetrates through the underwear.
Infections
Discharge with odor is most often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.First, you should rule out gonorrheic 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 leads to the appearance of cheesy or milky-white discharge.
A fishy smell of discharge is also possible, which is inherent in gardnerellosis (bacterial vaginosis), which is more typical for women, and in men the development of this disease is rather nonsensical.Gardnerella is a conditionally pathogenic microorganism and begins to actively reproduce only under certain conditions:
- weakened immunity;
- accompanying inflammatory processes of the urogenital organs;
- intestinal dysbiosis;
- use of condoms with spermicides;
- Long-term treatment with antibiotics or immunosuppressants (cytostatics, corticosteroids);
- tight underwear made from synthetic fabrics;
- promiscuous sex life.
In addition, discharge with an unpleasant odor may occur due to diseases such as:
- Balanitis (inflammation of the glans)
- Balanoposthitis (inflammation of the inner surface of the foreskin).
But in addition to discharge (not from the urethra, but from smegma), these diseases are accompanied by hyperemia and itching, pain in the penis and ulcers and wrinkling on the head.
Bloody discharge
Infections
With an infectious lesion of the urethra, bloody or bloody discharge is often observed.An admixture of blood is characteristic of gonorrhea, trichomonas or candidiasis urethritis.In addition, the amount of blood is directly related to the intensity of the inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra is loosened and reacts with contact bleeding to the slightest irritation, including the passage of urine through the canal).
Medical manipulations
Another reason for this is injuries to the urethra during medical procedures.Immediate bleeding may occur during gross bougienage, insertion and removal of a catheter, cystoscopy, or swab taking.They differ in that the blood is scarlet, has no clots, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
Past stones, sand
Among other things, discharge with blood can be observed when small stones or sand (from the kidney or bladder) pass through the urethra.The hard surface of microliths damages the mucous membrane and the walls of blood vessels, causing bleeding.In this case, the blood is most noticeable during urination, which is accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
Macrohematuria (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, penis, testicles and others) is the appearance of blood in a man.In this case, the blood is brown or dark and blood clots may form.
Discharge of blood with semen
We must not forget about a symptom such as the release of blood with sperm (hematospermia).There is false and true hematospermia.In false cases, blood mixes with the sperm as they pass through the urethra.And with true, blood enters the ejaculate before it passes the urethra.Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain during ejaculation;
- urinary tract diseases;
- 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,
- With prolonged sexual abstinence, the vascular walls in the tissue of the sexual organs break during sexual intercourse
- Previous surgery or biopsy can also result in blood in the semen
- Hematospermia occurs in benign and malignant neoplasms of the urogenital organs
- in the presence of stones in the testicles and vas deferens
- with varicose veins of the pelvic organs.