There are few women who know that men are also discharged. As in women, they also occur normally in men and are odorless. Only in women it is called "leucorrhea" and they appear from the vagina, while men flow from 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 exit of the urethra, which is observed in the following cases:
Libidinal or physiological urethrorea
This condition is observed when transparent discharge appears during sexual arousal or in the morning, immediately after sleep. 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 such discharge, when excited, contains a small amount of semen, so if they get on the partner's genitals, she runs the risk of getting pregnant. The function of the described secretions is to ensure the passage of spermatozoa through a woman's urethra and vagina, where there is an acidic environment that is destructive to the "gum", and to enter a vital form in the uterine cavity. and in the tubes for the fertilization of the egg.
Defective prostatorrea
During an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (during exertion), an odorless transparent discharge may appear on the head of the penis with possible gray-white streaks. This discharge 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 it is referred to as a vocal prostatorea. In exceptional cases, such discharge 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 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, such a drain does not create inconvenience, as it is mechanically washed with water. But if hygiene is neglected, smegma accumulates and microorganisms multiply in it, which serves as a source of an unpleasant odor.
Sperm isolation
Sperm, which contains a large number of spermatozoa, is normally secreted during ejaculation (ejaculation) at the end of intercourse or spontaneously, during sleep (wet dreams). Pollution occurs in adolescent boys and occurs several times per month or 1 to 3 per week (hormonal changes).
In some cases, spermatorea, that is, the outflow 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 in the presence of chronic inflammation or diseases of the brain.
Pathological discharge
All other secretions that go beyond the physiological are pathologies 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.
The 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;
- candidal urethritis or urogenital candidiasis in men;
- herpetic urethritis and others (Escherichia coli, streptococci, staphylococci).
Non-infectious factors of inflammation 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 coloring. These parameters are influenced by the intensity of the inflammatory process, its stage and the etiological factor. Secretions are 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 - with a predominance of epithelial cells in the secretions, they become gray and thick.
- Yellow, green or yellow-green - when a large number of leukocytes are contained in the secretions, they turn yellow and even green in color, they are also called purulent secretions.
It should be noted that with the same pathology, the nature of the discharge changes over time.
White losses
White discharge in men is due to several reasons. First of all, candidiasis should be ruled out. 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 in the penis and in the perineal region is noted;
- 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 when urinating;
- the partner complains of itching and burning, pain during intercourse, has a cheesy secretion.
In addition to urogenital candidiasis, white discharge can be caused by chlamydia and / or ureaplasmosis and mycoplasmosis, and also speak of inflammation of the prostate gland, which is 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, blurred 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 secretion is possible with chlamydial or ureaplasmic urethritis in the chronic phase 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 - even a transparent and abundant discharge with a lot of mucus, which is observed during the day, is possible at the initial stage of Trichomonas or gonococcal infection. In the case of chlamydia (ureaplasmosis), subjective sensations are often absent (pain, itching, burning), and after a prolonged abstinence from urination, a transparent secretion appears.
Yellow discharge
Purulent discharge, which includes desquamated epithelium of the urethra, a significant number of leukocytes and urethral mucus, is yellowish or greenish. Yellow or mixed green discharge is a characteristic sign of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Gonorrhea - the discharge is thick and has an unpleasant putrid smell, is observed during the day and is accompanied by pain when urinating. A man should first think about a gonorrhea infection if there is a classic pair of symptoms: discharge and itching.
- Trichomoniasis - even 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 worried about burning and stinging when urinating, frequent and irresistible urges to urinate, a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, and discomfort in the perineum.
Download with a smell
Violation of hygiene
An unpleasant odor of the perineum and penis, in particular, can be observed if the conditions of intimate hygiene are not followed:
- Smegma is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms which, multiplying and dying, create an unpleasant odor if the external genital organs are not washed regularly and thoroughly.
- In addition, the smegma itself can have an unpleasant smell in case of metabolic disorders (for example, diabetes mellitus in men). At the same time, the release of smegma is so intense that it penetrates through the underwear.
infections
Discharge with a smell is more often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra. First of all, gonorrhea urethritis should be excluded - thick, yellow or green discharge that is observed during the day.
The acrid smell of secretions is a pathognomonic symptom of urogenital candidiasis. Infection with fungi of the genus Candida causes the appearance of a cheese or milky white discharge.
A fishy smell of 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 rather absurd. Gardnerella belongs to conditionally pathogenic microorganisms and begins to multiply actively 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 underwear made of synthetic fabric;
- promiscuous sex life.
Also, the 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 the smegma), these diseases are accompanied by hyperemia and itching, pain in the penis, ulcers and wrinkles on the head.
Discharge with blood
infections
Bloody discharge or blood-streaked discharge is often observed with an infectious lesion of the urethra. A blood mixture is characteristic of gonorrhea, Trichomonas or candidal urethritis. Furthermore, the amount of blood is directly related to the intensity of the inflammation.
Often, blood is observed in chronic urethritis (the mucous membrane of the urethra loosens and responds with contact bleeding to the slightest irritation, including the passage of urine through the canal).
Medical manipulations
Another reason is trauma to the urethra during medical procedures. In case of rough bougienage, insertion and removal of a catheter, cystoscopy or smear, spots can occur immediately. They differ in that the blood is scarlet, has no clots, and the bleeding itself stops very quickly.
Passage of stones, sand
Among other things, bloody discharge can 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 vascular walls, causing bleeding. In this case, blood is most noticeable when urinating, which is accompanied by pain.
Glomerulonephritis
Gross hematuria (blood in the urine, visible during urination) is also possible in the presence of glomerulonephritis. In this case, there is a triad of symptoms: gross hematuria, edema, increased blood pressure.
Malignant tumor
One of the signs of malignant tumors of the genitourinary system (cancer of the prostate gland, 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 sperm
We must not forget about such a symptom as the release of blood with the sperm (hematospermia). Distinguish between false and true hematospermia. When it is fake, blood is mixed with the sperm as it passes through the urethra. And with real blood it enters the ejaculate even before it passes through the urethra. Hematospermia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pain during ejaculation;
- urination 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:
- excessively active sex life or vice versa,
- prolonged sexual abstinence, while during intercourse there is a rupture 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.