Few women know that men also have a discharge. As in women, in men they also occur normally and are odorless. Only in women is it called "leucorrhoea" and they appear through the vagina, while in men they flow through the urethra. Of course, any pathological discharge indicates poor health and requires a visit to a doctor.
Physiological discharge
The health of a man is evidenced by the physiological discharge from the outlet of the urethra, which is observed in the following cases:
Libid or physiological urethritis
This condition is observed when a transparent discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleeping. Their number in different men is different and is directly related to the severity of sexual arousal. But in any case, it is important to remember that this secretion, when excited, contains a small amount of sperm, so if they reach the partner's genitals, they run the risk of becoming pregnant. The function of the secretions described is to ensure the passage of sperm through the urethra and vagina of a woman, where there is an acidic environment that is destructive to the "gums", and to carry them in a viable way to the cavity and tubes uterine. for fertilization of the ovum.
Defective prostatorrhea
During increased intra-abdominal pressure (on exertion), a clear, odorless discharge with possible grayish-white streaks may appear on the head of the penis. Such secretion is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostatic secretions and seminal vesicles. Such discharge may appear at the end of urination, in which case we speak of a vocal prostatorrhea. In exceptional cases, such discharge appears with a strong cough. They are not considered an organic pathology, but only indicate a violation of the autonomous regulation of the functioning of the genital organs.
Smegma
Smegma (foreskin lubrication) is a secret that consists of secretions from the sebaceous glands of the head of the penis and the foreskin. Normally, if a man observes the rules of personal hygiene, then such a discharge does not create inconvenience, since it is mechanically washed with water. But if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, serving as a source of an unpleasant odor.
Sperm isolation
Sperm, which contain a large number of sperm, are normally secreted during ejaculation (ejaculation) at the end of intercourse or spontaneously, during sleep (wet dreams). Pollution occurs in male adolescents and occurs several times a month or 1 to 3 a week (hormonal changes).
In some cases, spermatorrhea, that is, the exit of sperm from the urethra without intercourse or orgasm, indicates a pathology when the tone of the muscular layer of the vas deferens is disturbed in the presence of chronic inflammation or diseases of the brain.
Pathological discharge
All other secretions that go beyond the physiological are pathological and mainly indicate 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 such as 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 inflammation factors include:
- allergic reactions
- mechanical damage to the urethral mucosa
- irritation of the urethra with chemicals
- trauma, narrowing of the urethra.
Male discharge can vary in transparency and coloration. These parameters are influenced by the intensity of the inflammatory process, its stage and etiological factor. Secretions are formed from fluid, mucus, and various cells.
- Cloudy - If there are a large number of cells, the discharge has a cloudy color.
- Gray or thick: with a predominance of epithelial cells in the secretions, they become gray and thick.
- Yellow, green or greenish-yellow: When the secretions contain a large number of leukocytes, they turn yellow and even green, they are also called purulent secretions.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the nature of the discharge changes over time.
White discharge
White discharge in men is due to various reasons. First of all, candidiasis should be excluded. With this disease, the following symptoms are observed:
- the head of the penis smells unpleasantly of sour bread or yeast;
- the head of the penis is covered with a whitish coating;
- itching, burning and even pain is noted in the penis and in the perineal region;
- discharge appears when urinating;
- there are reddish spots (irritation, inflammation) on the head and the inner surface of the foreskin;
- pain occurs during intercourse, discomfort is felt in the head and foreskin;
- white discharge is noted, not only when urinating;
- partner complains of itching and burning, pain during intercourse, has a cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and / or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and there is also talk of inflammation of the prostate gland, characterized by:
- Difficulty and intermittent urination.
- a burning sensation in the perineum and urethra;
- discomfort during bowel movements;
- frequent need to urinate;
- sexual disorders (decreased libido and erection, rapid ejaculation, fuzzy orgasm).
It is important for men to remember that neglected prostatitis can lead not only to persistent erectile dysfunction, but also to infertility.
Transparent selections
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - Clear mucous discharge is possible with chlamydial or ureaplasmic urethritis in the chronic stage of the disease. With an exacerbation of the process, the number of leukocytes in the secretions increases, and they acquire a greenish or yellowish color.
- Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea - also a clear and abundant discharge with a lot of mucus, observed during the day, is possible in the initial stage of Trichomonas or gonococci infection. In the case of chlamydia (ureaplasmosis), subjective sensations are often absent (pain, itching, burning) and a transparent discharge appears after prolonged abstinence from urination.
Yellow discharge
The purulent discharge, which includes the desquamated epithelium of the urethra, a significant number of leukocytes, and urethral mucus, is yellowish or greenish. Yellow discharge or mixed with vegetation is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea: the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid smell, it is observed during the day and is accompanied by pain when urinating. A man should think about a gonorrhea infection first if there are a couple of classic symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis: also with yellow discharge, trichomoniasis is not excluded, although it is often asymptomatic. With severe symptoms of Trichomonas infection, in addition to pus-like discharge, a man is concerned with burning and stinging when urinating, frequent and irresistible urges to urinate, a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, and discomfort in the perineum.
Smelling discharge
Hygiene violation
An unpleasant odor from the perineum and penis can be observed, in particular, if the conditions of intimate hygiene are not followed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms that, by multiplying and dying, create an unpleasant odor if the external genitalia are not thoroughly washed regularly.
- Also, smegma itself can have an unpleasant odor in metabolic disorders (for example, diabetes mellitus in men). At the same time, the release of smegma is so intense that it soaks through the underwear.
Infections
Odorous discharge is most often seen with an infectious lesion of the urethra. First of all, gonorrheic urethritis should be excluded: thick, yellow or green discharge seen throughout the day.
The sour smell of discharge is a pathognomic symptom of urogenital candidiasis. Candida fungal infection causes a milky or cheesy white discharge to appear.
A fishy smell from the secretions is also possible, which is inherent in gardnerellosis, which is more characteristic of women (called bacterial vaginosis), and in men, the development of this disease is quite absurd. Gardnerella belongs to conditionally pathogenic microorganisms and begins to actively multiply only under certain conditions:
- weakening of immunity;
- concomitant inflammatory processes of the genitourinary organs;
- intestinal dysbiosis;
- the use of condoms with spermicides;
- long-term treatment with antibiotics or immunosuppressants (cytostatics, corticosteroids);
- tight-fitting underwear of synthetic fabrics;
- promiscuous sex life.
Also, discharge with an unpleasant smell can be with such diseases 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 on the head.
Discharge with blood
Infections
Bloody discharge or discharge with streaks of blood is often seen with an infectious lesion of the urethra. A mixture of blood is characteristic of gonorrhea, Trichomonas or candidiasis urethritis. Also, the amount of blood is directly related to the intensity of the inflammation.
Blood is often seen in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane 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 trauma to the urethra during medical procedures. In the case of rough bougienage, insertion and removal of a catheter, cystoscopy, or smear, spotting can occur immediately. They differ in that the blood is scarlet, does not have clots, and the bleeding stops very quickly.
Step of stones, sand
Among other things, bloody discharge can be seen when small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) pass through the urethra. The hard surface of the microliths damages the mucous membranes and vascular walls, causing bleeding. In this case, the blood is more noticeable when urinating, 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 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 will be brown or dark and clots may appear.
Isolation of blood with semen.
We should not forget about a symptom such as the release of blood with sperm (hematospermia). Distinguish between true and false hematospermia. When it is false, the blood mixes with the semen during its passage through the urethra. And with real blood it enters the ejaculation even before passing through the urethra. Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain during ejaculation;
- urination 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 hematospermia is:
- excessively active sex life or vice versa,
- prolonged sexual abstinence, while during sexual intercourse there is a breakdown of the vascular walls in the tissues of the genital organs
- Previous surgery or biopsy can also cause blood to appear in the semen.
- Hematospermia appears in benign and malignant neoplasms of the genitourinary organs.
- in the presence of stones in the testes and vas deferens
- with varicose veins of the pelvic organs.