White discharge in men is a very common phenomenon.
But before you seek help from a doctor, you should find out what is normal and what you should be worried about.
The appearance of such signs can be caused by various factors.
Normal state of the body
In men, discharge from the urethra can occur due to normal processes in the body. Every time such discharge cannot be considered as an indication of the disease. In men, the following secretions show that the body is functioning normally, the reasons may be different:
- With sexual arousal, a clear discharge appears at the head of the penis. This is related to the work of the urethral glands, and this phenomenon is aimed at protecting the inner surface of the urethra. In this case, it is worth repeating that it appears during awakening or morning erection.
- The appearance of sperm during intercourse or during wet dreams.
- The so-called defecation is prostorrhea, the formation of discharge from the opening of the urethra. This is explained by the tight fit of the prostate to the walls of the rectum, so the prostate can be compressed when passing stool, which causes fluid to appear from the urethra.
- A small amount of prostate secretion can also be released during urination, which is called micturative prostorrhoea.
Discharge from the urethra in men is not always a sign of any inflammatory process. These symptoms are episodic. White discharge does not cause pain, there are no male disorders, and therefore there is no cause for concern.
What should worry?
The male body is designed in such a way that any changes in its functioning are immediately visible to men. As soon as this kind of discharge from the urethra happens often, changes its color and consistency, you should consult a doctor. It is necessary to say about signs:
- In men, the discharge visible from the urethra is pathological in nature, there are gray, yellow, green liquids.
- If blood appears in the urine during urination, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.
- If an unpleasant smell comes from the penis, this is a clear sign of the inflammatory process and the activity of microorganisms that can cause inflammation, a white liquid appears.
- Pathological discharge, unlike normal, is released accompanied by pain, discomfort. These symptoms are especially aggravated by urination or waking up.
- Ejaculation in men can indicate the presence of the disease. In this case, they can often be confused with ordinary ones, so it is the most difficult to recognize them. In turn, the delay can lead to a chronic form of the disease.
What should be done to recognize the danger in time? You should be especially careful about your health and follow a number of rules:
- You need to be more careful when visiting the toilet after sleep. During sleep, secretions can accumulate in the urethra, so if they occur, it is very easy to recognize in the morning.
- Underwear is of particular importance. If even at least one drop comes out of the urethra during the whole day, it will leave a clearly visible mark after drying.
- When you squeeze the penis, especially if you move your hand from the pubis to the head of the organ, white mucus is released. Depending on the disease, it can be in other colors and textures.
- An unhealthy diet, especially the consumption of foods with a lot of spices and alcohol, can also cause such events to occur.
- The lips of the urethral opening stick together or crusts form on them - all this may indicate the release of fluid, which then dries up.
- Most sexually transmitted diseases are sexually transmitted, so you should not forget this. If white discharge occurs after accidental contact, you should seek help, self-medication is not recommended.
What can it be associated with?
White discharge from the urethra or other white fluids are important signs of the inflammatory process. The same should be said about purulent discharge. If doctors examine the fluid, make a diagnosis, and start treatment, they can extract enough information.
Ejaculation in men can indicate the following diseases:
- Urethritis is the most common cause. The urethra tries to protect itself independently with the help of glands, so the right amount of white mucus appears on its mucous membrane.
- Sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, or ureaplasmosis.
- Cancer of the penis, in which fluid is also released due to inflammation of the urethra.
- The appearance of inflammation may be due to bacteria entering the urinary tract from other organs. This is due to poor health, weakened immune system, poor hygiene or trauma.
- The appearance of discharge with blood is a serious symptom that may indicate oncological pathology of the prostate.
The consistency of secretions, their color and transparency are the result of any process occurring in the human body. Therefore, a certain color of discharge is explained by the following factors:
- If there are a lot of epithelial cells, then the discharge is gray and highly viscous.
- During the reproduction of bacteria, many leukocytes enter the center of inflammation. For this reason, yellow, sometimes green discharge appears.
- White mucus, which looks like curd mass, often indicates the development of candidiasis.
- It should be noted that the appearance of various secretions can occur in different ways depending on the situation. At the beginning of the disease, it can be a white discharge, then it turns yellow. This happens when the body has time to respond to the problem in the body.
What to do in such situations?
If the issue is not related to the normal functioning of the body, separations in men are a reason to immediately consult a doctor. One examination will not be enough to make a diagnosis, so a series of analyzes of the released fluid is required.
You should not treat yourself or try to be treated, you should consult a urologist or venereologist. The doctor, in agreement with the patient, will prescribe studies, including microscopy of secretions, inoculation into the nutrient medium, or polymerase chain reaction, if the previous methods have failed.
It is not recommended to take medicine before going to a medical institution, because it can complicate the diagnosis of the disease. When determining a venereal disease, both partners are examined to avoid re-infection in the future. If inflammation and mucus are detected in both, treatment is prescribed for each partner.
Penile discharge is one of the most common complaints that men see a urologist with. After questioning and examining the patient, the doctor may order additional examinations to make an accurate diagnosis. The methods of modern medicine make it possible to quickly discover the cause of pathological secretions and choose the optimal therapy regimen, taking into account all the features of the course of the disease.
Physiological secretions
Penile discharge actually comes from different parts of the genitourinary system. The resulting secret can be a discharge from the urethra, sebaceous glands or pathological formations on the skin. Some discharge is normal, and some is considered a sign of disease. After a complete examination of the patient, the doctor will be able to distinguish the norm from the pathology.
Physiological discharge options from the penis:
Libidinous urethrhoea
According to this term, physiological secretions are secreted from the urethra (urethra) during awakening. Secretions are secreted by glands located in and around the urethra (paraurethral and bulbourethral glands). The resulting secret maintains an alkaline environment in the urethra, which is favorable for the promotion of spermatozoa. Libidinous urethrhoea occurs only in men of reproductive age. In old age, the glands of the urethra atrophy, secretion stops.
The amount of secretion during sexual arousal is variable and depends on the individual characteristics of the body. The normal secretion of the urethral glands is clear, mucous, without pus or blood impurities. A significant increase in discharge volume requires consultation with a urologist.
Sperm
Semen is a mixture of prostate secretions and spermatozoa. Normally, the discharge is thick, white, without foreign inclusions. Sperm is released during intercourse or ejaculation during masturbation. It is possible to release a small amount of sperm during wet dreams - involuntary ejaculation at night. Pollution occurs in boys after the age of 14 and is one of the signs of puberty. After a long abstinence, the appearance of wet dreams in men is not excluded (read here about the benefits and harms of abstinence).
Smegma
Smegma is a secretion secreted by the foreskin and penile glans glands. Fresh smegma is gray-white, turning yellow over time. In the conditions of intimate hygiene, the volume of smegma will be small. With insufficient self-care, a significant accumulation of smegma is noted. Such discharge can be considered as a symptom of the disease, and can also lead to the development of an inflammatory process (balanitis and balanoposthitis).
Physiological discharge from the penis is normal and does not require treatment. The following changes deserve attention:
- increase in the volume of secretions;
- change in consistency (discharge becomes too liquid or thick);
- color change yellow, yellow-green, brown;
- the appearance of blood impurities;
- occurrence of unpleasant sensations: itching, burning, pain in the intimate area;
- dysuria or impaired urination (increased frequency, false urge to empty the bladder, urinary retention, pain or burning when urinating).
Pathological discharge
Pathological discharge can be caused by various diseases. Infections of the genitals and urinary system, foreign bodies, injuries, tumors - all these can cause an increase in the volume of secretion, a change in color or consistency. It is quite difficult to make a diagnosis based only on the type of discharge. If you experience any unexplained symptoms, you should consult a doctor.
Options for pathological discharge from the penis:
slimy
Abundant, viscous and thick, transparent or milky white discharge from the penis indicates the development of infection. Similar symptoms are characteristic of chronic course of chlamydia, mycoplasma and ureaplasma infections, trichomoniasis. Other symptoms of the disease (itching, burning, dysuric phenomena) are mild or absent.
Transparent mucous discharge from the penis can be a sign of such pathological conditions:
- Spermatorrhea - ejaculation of sperm without sexual arousal without erection and orgasm. The cause of spermatozoa is a decrease in the tone of the vas deferens muscles as a result of inflammation or disruption of innervation. During the research, spermatozoa are detected in the material.
- Prostatorrhea - spontaneous discharge of the prostate. It appears with inflammation of the prostate gland and the appearance of tumors.
Purulent
Yellow and yellow-green thick discharge is found in many sexually transmitted diseases (including gonorrhea). Pus is a collection of dead cells of the epithelium of the urethra, mucosa and a large number of leukocytes. In the acute stage, there is itching and burning in the intimate area, discomfort during urination. Possible increase in body temperature. If the infection moves to the bladder and cystitis develops, dysuric phenomena appear in the form of frequent and painful urination or urinary retention.
bloody
The volume of blood leaving the urethra can be different: from a slight staining of the secretion in brown or pink color to unequivocal bleeding. The reason for the appearance of blood may be damage to the urethra or bladder (including the introduction of foreign bodies or careless instrumental diagnostics). Bloody discharge is a common symptom of neoplasms of the prostate gland, urethra and other organs of the genitourinary area.
What to do?
The appearance of any suspicious discharge from the penis - pods - to contact a urologist. Many diseases of the genital organs and urinary system are similar to each other, and self-diagnosis will not work. Often, the disease even takes an atypical course, and only a doctor can understand all the symptoms. Do not postpone a visit to a specialist and expect the problem to miraculously resolve itself.
At the first visit, the doctor always asks about complaints, examines the patient and takes material for research. The next actions of the doctor will depend on the results obtained. Based on the results of the examination, the optimal therapy regimen is selected to get rid of unpleasant symptoms and restore health.
results
Penile discharge is a symptom of various diseases, from infection to oncology. Self-treatment for any unexplained discharge is not allowed. Uncontrolled intake of drugs or the use of traditional medical methods can aggravate the course of the disease and lead to an unfavorable outcome. Trust your health to an expert. Following all the doctor's recommendations will help prevent the development of complications and speed up recovery.