Allocations to men: norm or pathology?

Discharges from a man's penis can tell about his man's health, the presence of diseases of the genitourinary system. Discharges are often the only or one of the symptoms of a serious illness, so you should be very careful with them, pay attention to colors, smells, consistencies, etc. c.

Male genital discharge refers to all discharges from the urethra, sebaceous and skin glands, prostate duct and ejaculatory duct. Depending on the nature of their occurrence, they are divided into physiological and pathological. The latter appear as a result of infection, inflammation or the development of other diseases of the prostate, bladder or other organs of the urogenital system.

Everything is normal: physiological discharge

There are three types of physiological secretions that are released from the penis to one degree or another and do not indicate the presence of diseases:

• urethrhoea;
• smegma;
• sperm

urethrhoea

In most cases, clear discharge in men is libidinous or physiological urethrhoea. It is a clear colored secret secreted by the glands of the urethra. Secretion comes out of the urethra, usually during arousal. The purpose of the secret is to lubricate the ducts before the passage of the sperm.

The amount of urethroea excreted may be negligible or quite large. It depends on the period of sexual abstinence, as well as on the individual characteristics of the man. After prolonged abstinence from sexual contact, a small amount of sperm can be released along with the urethra, which will change their color.

It is worth noting that if the amount of discharge has become more than usual, you should consult a doctor, as this phenomenon may indicate the development of the disease.

Smegma

Smegma, also called preputial lubrication, is secreted by glands located on the foreskin. The purpose of the secret is to reduce the friction between the head of the penis and the foreskin. Smegma is constantly released. It can be more during puberty, less in old age.

Smegma consists of fat and bacteria. It accumulates under the inner sheet of the foreskin. By observing daily hygiene procedures, the secret is easily washed off. Otherwise, its accumulation is an excellent environment for the development of bacteria, which causes the inflammatory process. If the fat is not washed off in time (it should be done at least once a day), then it starts to decompose and rot. From there it changes color from white transparent to yellow or green. There is an unpleasant smell.

Sperm

Semen refers to the physiological secretions from the male genitalia. Normally, semen is a mixture of secretions from the gonads and spermatozoa, which is released during sexual intercourse or masturbation. Although men also experience forced ejaculation called wet dreams. They most often occur in boys during puberty, or with prolonged abstinence. Forced ejaculation occurs at night or early in the morning because it is associated with the production of testosterone.

Natural male discharge also includes urine, which can be clear, yellow, or light brown in color, and prostate secretions. A special smell of spermine will help to distinguish the prosteroium. The discharge is thick and whitish in color. Changes in the amount of secretions, their color and smell, as well as the appearance of turbidity or mucus can be the first symptom of prostatitis or cancer.

Pathological discharge

The causes of pathological discharge can be very different. These include:

• inflammatory processes, including those caused by conditionally pathogenic flora;
• oncological diseases;
• STDs;
• consequences of operations or injuries.

Pathological secretions also differ in color. They can be white, gray, yellow, brown and so on. In addition, there may be an admixture of blood or pus. The nature of discharge can be small or abundant, they can be assigned constantly or periodically, for example, in the morning or after visiting the toilet, etc.

Different diseases often have similar discharges, but at the same time, the same disease can manifest itself in different ways for different representatives of the stronger sex. It is impossible to self-diagnose the disease by discharge. If you notice a change in their color, abundance, smell or admixture of mucus, blood or pus, you should definitely see a doctor and do the necessary research.

Penile discharge associated with STDs

Sexually transmitted diseases are most often accompanied by:

1. Mucous transparent secretions that are viscous. Usually, their small number indicates the presence of mycoplasma or ureaplasma urethritis or the development of chronic chlamydia. Microscopic examination shows a moderate amount of leukocytes.
2. With mycoplasmosis or ureaplasmosis, mucus-purulent secretions with a transparent or white color occur. They can also be accompanied by chlamydia. In this case, the discharge sticks to the head of the penis.
3. Purulent discharge in men indicates gonorrhea. They can be brown, yellow or greenish in color, have an unpleasant putrid smell and are very dense. They also contain increased numbers of leukocytes and epithelial microscopic particles. The abundance depends on the degree of development of the disease. Other symptoms of gonorrhea include itching and burning that worsens after going to the toilet, pain and discomfort in the genital area.

A feature of sexually transmitted diseases is that several infections become their causes at the same time. In this case, the course of the disease, as well as the nature and amount of secretions can change significantly, so it is impossible to diagnose the disease without clinical studies after the discharge.

Self-diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases and subsequent self-treatment with antibiotics leads to the fact that the symptoms of the disease disappear, but the cause remains. After completing the course of treatment, the disease attacks with new vigor, so you should not start the disease and self-medicate. The appointment of effective treatment depends on the correct diagnosis. And it is impossible to determine this based only on the nature of the discharge.

Discharge associated with non-venereal inflammation

The so-called conditionally pathogenic flora, such as Candida fungus, E. coli, streptococcus and others, is constantly present in the body of every person. Usually it does not make itself felt, but under certain conditions (hypothermia, stress, weakening of the immune system) it can cause an inflammatory process.

Diseases of the genitourinary system, the cause of which is the flora itself, are also accompanied by secretions:

1. Mucopurulent discharge often accompanies non-gonococcal urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). Their characteristic feature is a slight abundance, which can increase between large breaks in urination. Other symptoms (pain, itching) are not characteristic of the disease, or they are very weakly expressed.
2. Balanoposthitis is accompanied by abundant yellow or green mucous discharge, sometimes with pus. Symptoms of inflammation of the foreskin are its strong redness, as well as pain and redness of the head of the penis.
3. The appearance of prostatitis is characterized by cloudy discharge after urination. During the period of the acute form of the disease, the discharge becomes very abundant, and when it passes into the chronic form, it changes color to whitish and decreases.
4. Candidiasis or thrush caused by Candida is accompanied by clotted secretions with a characteristic sour smell. There is redness of the head and foreskin, there may be pain or itching. The causes of candidiasis include the use of antibiotics, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, as well as other factors that suppress the immune system.
5. Urinary gardnerellosis occurs as a result of a violation of microflora (dysbacteriosis) and is accompanied by small discharges of yellow or green color with a characteristic fishy smell.

Discharges that are not related to the inflammatory process

Discharges that do not accompany the inflammatory process are extremely rare in the stronger sex. The cause of such secretions is mechanical damage, diseases of the nervous system, oncology, etc.

1. Spermatorrhea - spontaneous flow of spermatozoa. The appearance of such secretions is in no way related to sexual intercourse or masturbation. Sperm flow is not accompanied by orgasm. The cause of this phenomenon is most often neurological diseases, as well as spinal injuries. Vasa deferens loses its tone and ability to store sperm.
2. Hematorrhea is bloody discharge from the urethra. Hematorrhea appears as a result of mechanical damage to the urethra during smear taking, instrumental examination, catheter installation, and so on. Additionally, spotting after urinating can indicate kidney stones, a tumor, or another serious condition.
3. Prostatorrhea - secretory secretion of the prostate. Prostorrhea is caused by the relaxed muscles of the excretory duct of the prostate gland. A similar phenomenon often accompanies prostatitis or adenoma.
4. Brown discharge with or without mucus may indicate prostate, bladder, penile, or urethral cancer. The discharge may contain blood clots or pus.

Tests to help determine the cause of the discharge

The appearance of pathological discharge can be associated with various diseases. Only a qualified doctor can determine the true cause of discharge and prescribe the correct treatment.

A patient who complains of discharge from the penis should undergo a series of studies that will help determine the cause of their appearance. The examination by the doctor begins with a detailed examination of the genital areas for rashes, redness and other visible symptoms. Often the secretions remain on the underwear, which the doctor also carefully examines.

One of the mandatory stages of the examination is the palpation of the lymph nodes. The doctor checks whether they have increased or not, whether they remain mobile or stationary, whether there is no pain when pressed, etc.

The doctor also checks the nature of discharge immediately and after 2-3 hours (the patient should refrain from urinating during this period). Prostate diseases (adenoma, prostatitis or tumor) help to determine the prostate gland palpation. In a normal state, both lobes of the prostate are the same size, in the presence of disease one lobe is larger than the other.

The following clinical studies also help to determine the cause of discharge:

• general blood test;
• detailed urine analysis;
• determination of blood sugar (in the morning on an empty stomach);
• smears from the urethra;
• culture of urethral secretions.

In the case of an infectious disease, the smear plays a key role in establishing the diagnosis. This study allows not only to determine the pathogen, but also the recipe of the disease, its course, etc. The presence of an inflammatory process associated with infection is indicated by an increased number of leukocytes. Norma believes that there are no more than 4 leukocytes in the field of vision.

In order for the smear to provide the most accurate information about the patient's state of health, it is necessary to prepare for the admission procedure. Before taking the smear, you should not urinate for at least 2 hours, as well as perform water procedures. In addition, local treatment with antibiotics or other drugs must be stopped for three days. A course of treatment with oral antibiotics or injections should be completed 2 weeks before the study.

If the secretions in men with an odor are abundant or other symptoms of the disease are observed, the doctor may prescribe:

• Ultrasound of the kidneys, bladder or prostate;
• computed tomography;
• urography.

A doctor can make a diagnosis of cancer only after the results of a biopsy.

If the patient seeks help with pronounced spotting, he is immediately admitted to the hospital. In other cases, treatment is carried out after determining the cause of the discharge.

Discharge from a man's genitals can be a symptom of a serious illness. But remember that the cause of this unpleasant phenomenon can only be determined by a doctor during a personal examination and research. Self-medication only aggravates the problem and can lead to the development of complications. If you're worried about your men's health, if you're experiencing unusual discharge, don't delay your visit to a urologist.