Few women know that men also have losses.Like women, men feel them normally and are odorless.Only in women it is called “leukorrhea” and it comes from the vagina, while in men the leaks come from the urethra.Of course, any pathological discharge indicates poor health and requires consultation with a doctor.
Physiological secretions
A man's health is indicated by physiological discharge at the exit from the urethra, which is observed in the following cases:
Libidinal or physiological uretrorrhea
This condition is observed when clear discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleep.Their number varies between men and is directly linked to the severity of sexual arousal.But in any case, it is important to remember that such discharge, when excited, contains a small amount of sperm, so if it reaches the genitals of the partner, there is a risk of getting pregnant.The function of the described secretions is to ensure the passage of spermatozoa through the urethra and vagina of a woman, where an acidic environment detrimental to the "living" reigns, and they enter in a viable form into the uterine cavity and tubes for fertilization of the egg.
Defecational prostatorrhea
When intra-abdominal pressure increases (during exercise), a transparent, odorless discharge with possible gray-white streaks may appear on the head of the penis.Such discharge is viscous and consists of a mixture of prostatic secretions and seminal vesicles.A similar discharge may appear at the end of urination, in which case it is called urinating prostateorrhea.In exceptional cases, such discharge appears accompanied by 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 (preputial lubricant) is a secretion made up 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, such discharge does not create inconvenience, since it is washed mechanically with water.But if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, which is 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).Pollution is observed in adolescents and occurs either several times a month or 1 to 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 pathology when the tone of the muscular layer of the vas deferens is disturbed due to chronic inflammation or brain diseases.
Pathological discharge
All other discharges beyond the physiological framework are pathological and indicate, above 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 nonspecific.
- Specific etiological factors include sexually transmitted diseases - trichomoniasis.
- Nonspecific 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 by chemicals
- trauma, stricture 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 its etiological factor.Secretions are made up of fluid, mucus and various cells.
- Cloudy - if there is a large number of cells, the discharge has a cloudy color.
- Gray or thick - when epithelial cells predominate in the secretions, they acquire a gray color and become thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - when the discharge contains a large number of leukocytes, they turn yellow and even green;they are also called purulent discharge.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the nature of the flow changes over time.
White discharge
White discharge in men is due to several reasons.First of all, candidiasis must be excluded.The following symptoms are observed with this disease:
- the head of the penis smells unpleasantly of sour bread or yeast;
- the head of the penis is covered with a whitish layer;
- 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 inner surface of the foreskin;
- pain occurs during coitus, discomfort is felt in the head and foreskin;
- white discharge is noted not only during urination;
- the partner complains of itching and burning, pain during sexual intercourse and has cheesy discharge.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and/or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and also talk about inflammation of the prostate, characterized by:
- difficulty and intermittent urination;
- burning sensation in the perineum and urethra;
- discomfort during bowel movements;
- frequent urge 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 to infertility.
Transparent selections
- Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis - clear mucous discharge is possible with chlamydial or ureaplasma urethritis in the chronic stage 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 - clear, abundant discharge with a large amount of mucus, observed during the day, is also 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 prolonged abstinence from urinating.
Yellow discharge
Purulent discharge, which includes the desquamated epithelium of the urethra, a significant number of leukocytes and urethral mucus, has a yellowish or greenish tint.Discharge that is yellow or mixed with greenery is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid odor, observed throughout the day and accompanied by pain when urinating.A man should first think about a gonorrheal infection if he experiences the classic pair of symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis - also accompanied by yellow discharge, trichomoniasis cannot be ruled out, although it is often asymptomatic.With severe symptoms of Trichomonas infection, in addition to purulent discharge, a man is bothered by burning and pain during urination, a frequent and irresistible urge to urinate, a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and discomfort in the perineum.
Discharge with odor
Bad hygiene
An unpleasant odor from the perineum and penis in particular can also be observed if intimate hygiene conditions are not respected:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms, which, multiplying and dying, create an unpleasant odor if the external genitalia are not thoroughly washed regularly.
- In addition, smegma itself may have an unpleasant odor in cases of metabolic disorders (for example, diabetes mellitus in humans).In this case, the secretion of smegma is so intense that it penetrates through the underwear.
Infections
Odorous discharge is most often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.First of all, you need to exclude gonorrheal urethritis - thick, yellow or green discharge observed throughout the day.
The sour odor of discharge is a pathognomic symptom of urogenital candidiasis.Infection with fungi of the genus Candida causes the appearance of cheesy or milky-white discharge.
A fishy smell is also possible, inherent in gardnerellosis, more typical for women (called bacterial vaginosis), and in men the development of this disease is rather absurd.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-fitting underwear made of synthetic fabrics;
- promiscuous sex life.
In addition, discharge 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, as well as ulcers and wrinkles on the head.
Bloody discharge
Infections
Bloody or blood-streaked discharge is often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra.An admixture of blood is characteristic of gonorrheal, trichomonal or candidal urethritis.In addition, the amount of blood is directly linked to the intensity of inflammation.
Blood is often observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra relaxes 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 sudden bougienage, catheter insertion and removal, cystoscopy or smear collection, immediate bleeding may be observed.They differ in that the blood is scarlet, does not contain clots, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
Pass stones, sand
Among other things, bloody discharge may be observed when small stones or sand (from the kidneys or bladder) pass through the urethra.The hard surface of microliths damages the mucous membrane and blood vessel walls, causing bleeding.In this case, blood is more visible during urination, which is accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
Significant 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: 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.
Discharge of blood with semen
We should not forget about such a symptom as the release of blood with sperm (hematospermia).There are false and true hematospermia.In false cases, blood mixes with sperm as they pass through the urethra.And it’s true, blood enters the ejaculate before even passing through the urethra.Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain during ejaculation;
- urinary disorders;
- pain and/or swelling of the genitals (testicles and scrotum);
- discomfort and pain in the lower back;
- increase in body temperature.
One of the causes of hematospermia is:
- too active sex life or vice versa,
- long-term sexual abstinence, during sexual intercourse, a rupture of the vascular walls in the tissues of the genital organs occurs
- 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.