Few women know that men also have discharge.Men, like women, live them normally and are odorless.Only in women it is called "leucorrhoea" and comes from the vagina, and in men from the urinary tract.Of course, any pathological discharge indicates poor health and requires consultation with a doctor.
Physiological secretions
A man's health is expressed by the physiological discharge from the urethral outlet, which is observed in the following cases:
Libidinal or physiological urethral
This condition is observed during sexual awakening or in the morning when clear discharge appears immediately after sleep.Their number varies between different men and directly depends on the intensity of sexual arousal.But in any case, it should be remembered that such discharge contains a small amount of sperm when it wakes up, so there is a risk of pregnancy if it enters the partner's genitals.The function of the described secretions is to ensure that the sperm pass through the urethra and vagina of the woman, where there is an acidic environment that is harmful to "living things", and they enter the uterine cavity and tubes in a live form to fertilize the egg.
Defecation prostatorrhea
During increased intra-abdominal pressure (during distention), clear, odorless discharge with possible gray-white streaks may be seen at the head of the penis.Such discharge is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostate secretion and seminal vesicles.A similar discharge can appear after the end of urination, in which case they talk about urinary prostaterhoea.In exceptional cases, such discharge appears with a strong cough.They are not considered an organic pathology, but indicate a violation of the autonomous regulation of the work of the genitals.
Smegma
Smegma (preputial lubricant) is a secretion consisting of the secretions of 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 cause concern, because it is mechanically washed off with water.However, if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply, which serves as a source of unpleasant odor.
Release of sperm
Sperm, containing large numbers of sperm, are normally released spontaneously at the end of intercourse (ejaculation) or during sleep (emission).Spotting 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 discharge of sperm from the urethra without intercourse and orgasm, indicates pathology when the tone of the vas deferens muscle layer is disturbed due to chronic inflammation or brain diseases.
Pathological discharge
All other discharges that are beyond physiological are pathological and primarily indicate inflammation of the urethra or urethritis.The causes of urethritis in men are varied;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.
- Non-specific 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 with chemicals
- trauma, narrowing of the urethra.
Male ejaculation can vary in clarity and color.These parameters are influenced by the intensity of the inflammatory process, its stage and etiological factor.Discharge consists of fluid, mucus, and various cells.
- Cloudy - if there are a lot of cells, the discharge has a cloudy color.
- Gray or thick - when epithelial cells predominate in secretions, they become gray and thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - when the discharge contains a large number of leukocytes, it turns yellow or even green;they are also called purulent discharge.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the nature of discharge changes over time.
White discharge
White discharge in men is caused by several reasons.First, candidiasis should be ruled out.The following symptoms are observed with this disease:
- the head of the penis has an unpleasant smell 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 red 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 not noted only during urination;
- the partner complains of itching and burning, pain during intercourse, and a cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and / or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and is also characterized by inflammation of the prostate gland:
- difficulty and intermittent urination;
- burning sensation in the perineum and urethra;
- discomfort during bowel movements;
- frequent urge to urinate;
- sexual disorders (decrease in libido and erection, rapid ejaculation, loss of orgasm).
For men, it is important to remember that advanced prostatitis can cause not only persistent erectile dysfunction, but also infertility.
Clear options
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - in the chronic stage of the disease, clear mucous discharge is possible with chlamydia or ureaplasma urethritis.As the process worsens, the number of leukocytes in the excreta increases and they take on a greenish or yellowish color.
- Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea - a large amount of transparent, abundant discharge observed during the day is possible at 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 a long-term refusal to urinate.
Yellow discharge
Purulent discharge containing the desquamated epithelium of the urethra, a significant number of leukocytes and the mucous membrane of the urethra has a yellowish or greenish color.Yellow discharge or mixed with green is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant rotten smell, it is observed during the day and is accompanied by pain when urinating.If a man has the classic pair of symptoms, he should first think about a gonorrhea infection: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis - even with yellow discharge, although it is often asymptomatic, trichomoniasis cannot be excluded.With severe symptoms of Trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, a man is disturbed by burning and pain during urination, frequent and irresistible urge to urinate, heaviness in the lower abdomen and discomfort in the perineum.
Discharge with smell
Poor hygiene
In particular, the unpleasant smell of the perineum and penis can also be observed if intimate hygiene conditions are not followed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for foul-smelling microorganisms if the external genitalia are not thoroughly washed regularly as microorganisms multiply and die.
- In addition, if there is a metabolic disorder (for example, diabetes mellitus in men), smegma itself can have an unpleasant smell.At this time, the secretion of smegma is so intense that it is absorbed through the underwear.
Infections
Discharge with a smell is most often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.First of all, you should rule out gonorrheal urethritis - thick, yellow or green discharge observed during the day.
The sour smell of discharge is a pathognomonic sign of urogenital candidiasis.Infection with fungi of the genus Candida causes the appearance of cheesy or milky-white discharge.
A fishy smell characteristic of gardnerellosis, which is more characteristic for women (called bacterial vaginosis), is also possible, and the development of this disease in men is quite nonsense.Gardnerella is a conditionally pathogenic microorganism and actively reproduces only under certain conditions:
- weakened immunity;
- accompanying inflammatory processes of 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.
It can also occur due to diseases such as discharge with an unpleasant smell:
- balanitis (inflammation of the head of the penis)
- balanoposthitis (inflammation of the inner surface of the foreskin).
But along with the discharge (not from the urethra, but smegma), these diseases are accompanied by hyperemia and itching, pain in the penis, and ulcers and wrinkles on the head.
Bloody discharge
Infections
Bloody discharge or streaked discharge with blood is often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.Blood mixture is characteristic of gonorrhea, trichomonas or candidal urethritis.Moreover, the amount of blood directly depends on the intensity of inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra is relaxed and responds with contact bleeding to the slightest irritation, including passing through the urethra).
Medical manipulations
Another reason for this is damage to the urethra during medical procedures.Bleeding may occur immediately after gross bougienage, catheter insertion and removal, cystoscopy, or smear removal.They are distinguished by the fact that the blood is red in color, does not clot, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
Passing stones, sand
Among other things, small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) may pass through the urethra with blood.The hard surface of microliths damages the mucous membrane and walls of blood vessels, causing bleeding.In this case, blood is most noticeable during urination, 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 trinity of symptoms: general hematuria, edema, arterial pressure.
Malignant tumors
One of the signs of malignant tumors of the genitourinary system (cancer of the prostate gland, penis, testicle, etc.) is the appearance of blood in a man.In this case, the blood will be brown or dark, and clots may appear.
Bleeding with semen
We must not forget such a symptom as blood discharge with sperm (hematospermia).There is false and true hematospermia.In the wrong cases, blood is mixed with sperm as it passes through the urethra.True, blood enters the ejaculate before passing 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:
- excessively active sex life or vice versa,
- long-term sexual abstinence, rupture of vascular walls occurs in the tissues of the genital organs during sexual intercourse.
- previous surgery or biopsy can also cause blood in the semen
- hematospermia appears in benign and malignant neoplasms of the genitourinary organs
- in the presence of stones in the testicles and vas deferens
- with varicose veins of the pelvic organs.