Few women know that men have secretions too.Like women, men also experience them normally and they are odorless.Only in women is it called "leucorrhoea" and comes from the vagina, while discharge in men 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 discharge from the outlet of the urethra, which is observed in the following cases:
Libidinal or physiological urethrorrhea
This condition is observed when clear discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleep.Their number varies between different men and is directly related to the severity of sexual arousal.But in any case, it is important to remember that such secretions, when excited, contain a small amount of sperm, so if they get into the partner's genitals, she runs the risk of becoming pregnant.The function of the secretions described is to ensure the passage of spermatozoa through the urethra and vagina of a woman, where there is an acidic environment harmful to the "living", and they enter in a viable form into the uterine cavity and into the tubes for fertilization of the egg.
Defecational prostatorrhea
In case of increased intra-abdominal pressure (during effort), a transparent, odorless secretion with possible gray-white streaks may appear on the head of the penis.This secretion is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostatic secretion and seminal vesicles.Similar secretions may appear at the end of urination, in which case it is called urinary prostaterrhea.In exceptional cases, such secretion appears 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 genital organs.
Smegma
Smegma (preputial lubricant) is a secretion made up of secretions from the sebaceous glands of the head of the penis and foreskin.Normally, if a man follows the rules of personal hygiene, such discharge does not cause discomfort, since it is washed off mechanically with water.But if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, which serves as a source of unpleasant odor.
Sperm release
Semen, which contains a large number of sperm, is normally released during ejaculation (ejaculation) at the end of sexual intercourse or spontaneously during sleep (emission).Pollutions are observed in adolescents and occur 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 secretions that go beyond the physiological are pathological and indicate, first of all, 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 non-specific.
- Specific etiological factors include sexually transmitted diseases: trichomoniasis.
- Nonspecific infectious urethritis is caused by opportunistic bacteria, viruses, and fungi:
- chlamydial urethritis;
- urethritis due to ureaplasma and mycoplasma;
- 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 by chemicals
- trauma, narrowing of the urethra.
Male secretions 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 is made up of fluid, mucus, and various cells.
- Cloudy: If there are a large number of cells, the discharge has a cloudy color.
- Gray or thick: When epithelial cells predominate in secretions, they acquire a gray color and become thick.
- Yellow, green, or yellow-green: When secretions contain a large number of leukocytes, they become yellow and even green;they are also called purulent secretions.
It should be noted that with the same pathology the nature of discharge changes over time.
White discharge
White discharge in men is due to several reasons.First of all, candidiasis should be excluded.With this disease the following symptoms are observed:
- the head of the penis has an unpleasant odor 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 during urination;
- there are reddish spots (irritation, inflammation) on the head and internal surface of the foreskin;
- pain occurs during coitus, discomfort is felt in the area of the head and foreskin;
- white discharge is noticed not only during urination;
- the partner complains of itching and burning, pain during sexual intercourse and cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white secretions can be caused by chlamydia and/or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and there is also talk of 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 need to urinate;
- sexual disorders (decreased libido and erection, rapid ejaculation, loss of orgasm).
It is important for men to remember that advanced prostatitis can lead not only to persistent erectile dysfunction, but also infertility.
Transparent selections
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis: clear mucous discharge is possible with chlamydial or ureaplasma urethritis in the chronic phase of the disease.As the process worsens, the number of leukocytes in the discharge increases and they acquire a greenish or yellowish color.
- Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea - also clear, abundant discharge with a large amount of mucus, observed during the day, is possible in the initial stage of infection with Trichomonas or gonococci.In the case of chlamydia (ureaplasmosis), subjective sensations are often absent (pain, itching, burning), and after prolonged abstinence from urination, clear secretions appear.
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 or mixed with green discharge is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea: The secretions are thick and have an unpleasant putrid odor, observed during the day and 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 in the case of yellow discharge, trichomoniasis cannot be ruled out, even if it is often asymptomatic.With severe symptoms of trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, a man is bothered by burning and pain when urinating, frequent and irresistible urge to urinate, feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and discomfort in the perineum.
Discharge with odor
Poor hygiene
An unpleasant odor from the perineum and penis in particular can also be observed if the conditions of intimate hygiene are not respected:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms which, multiplying and dying, create an unpleasant odor if the external genitals are not washed thoroughly and regularly.
- In addition, smegma itself may have an unpleasant odor if there is a metabolic disorder (for example, diabetes mellitus in men).In this case, the smegma secretion is so intense that it penetrates through the underwear.
Infections
Discharge with an odor is most often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.First of all, you should exclude gonorrheal urethritis - thick, yellow or green discharge that is observed during the day.
The acrid odor of secretions is a pathognomic symptom of urogenital candidiasis.Infection with fungi of the genus Candida causes the appearance of cheesy or milky white secretions.
A fishy odor of discharge is also possible, which is inherent in gardnerellosis, which is more typical for women (called bacterial vaginosis), and in men the development of this disease is rather senseless.Gardnerella is a conditionally pathogenic microorganism and begins to actively reproduce only under certain conditions:
- weakened immunity;
- concomitant inflammatory processes of the 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 sexual life.
In addition, secretions with an unpleasant odor may 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 accompanied by hyperemia and itching, pain in the penis, and ulcers and wrinkles are found on the head.
Bloody discharge
Infections
Bloody or blood-streaked discharge is often seen with an infectious lesion of the urethra.A mixture of blood is characteristic of gonorrheal urethritis, trichomonas or candidiasis.Furthermore, the amount of blood is directly related to the intensity of the inflammation.
Blood is often seen in chronic urethritis (the lining of the urethra becomes loose and responds with contact bleeding to the slightest irritation, including the passage of urine through the canal).
Medical manipulations
Another reason for this is injury to the urethra during medical procedures.In case of gross bougienage, installation and removal of a catheter, cystoscopy or taking a smear, immediate bleeding may be observed.They differ in that the blood is scarlet, it has no clots, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
Passage of stones, sand
Among other things, a bloody discharge may be observed when small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) pass through the urethra.The hard surface of the microliths damages the mucosa and blood vessel walls, causing bleeding.In this case, blood is most noticeable during urination, which is accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
In the presence of glomerulonephritis, macroscopic hematuria (blood in the urine, visible during urination) is also possible.In this case, there is a triad of symptoms: macroscopic 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 will be brown or dark and clots may appear.
Blood loss with semen
We must not forget about such a symptom as the release of blood with sperm (hematospermia).There are false and true hematospermias.In false cases, blood is mixed with semen as it passes through the urethra.And with truth, the blood enters the ejaculate even before passing through the urethra.Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain during ejaculation;
- urinary disorders;
- pain and/or swelling in the genitals (testes and scrotum);
- discomfort and pain in the lower back;
- increase in body temperature.
One of the causes of hematospermia is:
- excessively active sexual life or vice versa,
- long-term sexual abstinence, during sexual intercourse rupture of the vascular walls in the tissues of the genital organs occurs
- Previous surgery or a 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.