Colorless discharge, the so-called leukorrhea, occurs in every woman. Their appearance is considered normal. Few people know this, but the male body is also capable of excreting fluids. Men, as a rule, pay less attention to this than women, but only until whites become particularly abundant and begin to cause some discomfort.
What discharge in men is considered normal
Discharge in men is the appearance of a liquid of various colors or mucus from the external opening of the urethra. This phenomenon is most often the norm, but in some cases it can indicate the presence of a disease.
It is quite easy to notice the appearance of abundant secretions. They can appear during the day, after a long sleep or urination. Poor discharge from the urethra can be seen by the appearance of small flesh-colored or white spots on the underpants.
The process is considered normal in the following cases:
- With strong sexual arousal, against the background of an erection (smegma, natural lubrication);
- During a wet dream (spontaneous rash of sperm);
- With attempts during defecation;
It should be noted that the appearance of a small amount of white or transparent liquid on the head of the penis during strong arousal is not considered a deviation from the norm, but, on the contrary, indicates the reproductive health of a man.
Worry should cause leukorrhea to appear outside of sexual contact, when the penis is not in an aroused state. Their appearance very often indicates the presence of any inflammatory processes in the organs of the reproductive system. A specialist can establish an accurate diagnosis by conducting a diagnostic examination. Often the appearance of discharge from the urethra is one of the main symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease such as chlamydia. Often they make fun of such a phenomenon, they say: "drips from the end", but there is nothing funny in the presence of the disease.
White, cheesy, gray, yellow or clear - which can mean color
Male discharge, as well as female, can differ in color, transparency and texture. These signs vary according to the disease that led to the appearance of whites, its intensity and stage. The discharge is usually a combination of cells, fluid, and mucus. Transparency usually depends on the number of cells present in them. Turbidity of whites indicates the presence of a large number of cells in them, with a large number of epithelial cells, the fluids become dense and acquire a gray tint. Greenish and yellow color is a sign of the predominance of leukocytes in them. White, cheesy discharge from the urethra indicates the presence of a disease such as candidiasis (thrush).
Male candidiasis is a rare phenomenon. Its cause may be a decrease in immunity due to the uncontrolled use of antibiotics, chemotherapy treatments, etc. A man whose immunity is normal will never get candidiasis from his sexual partner. Therefore, the appearance of its main symptom is the reason for contacting specialists and undergoing a complete diagnosis of the body.
When a patient complains of a discharge from the urethra, the doctor usually sends him for an analysis. Under laboratory conditions, they are carefully studied. Using a microscope, it is possible to determine the presence in the patient's body of Trichomonas, gonococci, yeast fungi. If bacteria are detected that cannot be identified by a microscopic method, sowing of secretions on a nutrient medium is assigned. Treatment is often done with antibiotics, however, until a correct diagnosis is established, taking medications doesn't make much sense. In such cases, the doctor prescribes broad-spectrum antibiotics and, when making a diagnosis, takes specialized medications. Self-medication usually does not bring a positive result, but, on the contrary, contributes to the transition of the disease into a latent chronic form.
Fluids from the urethra are secreted as the body's response to the presence of any infection within it. By their abundance, one can judge the extent of the development of this infection. Often the main reason for the appearance of leukorrhea in a man is the development of a disease called urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). In this case, the mucous membrane produces a large amount of mucus and red blood cells, which are protective factors. The fluid that accumulates at the site of inflammation is also mixed with the secretions.
The second most common cause of discharge in a man is mechanical damage to the urethra contained in the urine of chemicals, salt crystals. The release of small kidney stones also contributes to damage to the inner wall of the urethra.
White liquid, itching and burning: what is it?
White discharge from the urethra, accompanied by severe itching and burning, is a sign of:
- chlamydia (an infectious disease transmitted through unprotected sexual contact, the causative agent of which is considered to be chlamydia);
- mycoplasmosis (a widespread infectious disease caused by mycoplasma - organisms between bacteria and viruses);
- ureaplasmosis (a sexually transmitted infectious disease, the main causative agent of which is considered to be unicellular organisms - ureaplasmas).
White discharge, which has a frothy consistency, often indicates the presence in the body of the most common infectious sexually transmitted disease in the world - trichomoniasis.
And, finally, the appearance of white fluids from the urethra can be one of the symptoms of a very unpleasant and dangerous disease - prostatitis. In this case, the appearance of leukorrhea is usually accompanied by difficulties in the process of urination and disorders of sexual life. Sometimes the discharge can indicate prostorrhea or urethrorrhea. An accurate diagnosis is always made only by a urologist.
As you can see, in many cases, the appearance of discharge in men is a significant cause for concern and immediate medical attention, because the treatment of most diseases of the genitourinary system that is not started at that time can lead to consequences as severe as impotence or infertility.