White discharge in men is a common phenomenon.
But before seeking help from a doctor, you should find out what is normal and what should be alarming.
The appearance of such signs can be caused by various factors.
Normal state of body
Urethral discharge in men can occur due to normal processes occurring in the body. Not every time such discharge can be taken as a sign of disease. The following discharges in men demonstrate the normal functioning of the body, the causes may be different:
- When sexually aroused, a clear fluid appears on the tip of the penis. This is due to the functioning of the urethral glands, and this phenomenon is intended to protect the inner surface of the urethra. In this case, it should be recalled that this occurs with arousal or an erection in the morning.
- The appearance of semen during sex or in wet dreams.
- Also known as hematuria is the discharge of pus from the urethral opening. This is explained by the fact that the prostate gland fits snugly against the wall of the rectum, so when passing stools, the prostate can be compressed, causing fluid to drain from the urethra.
- In small amounts, secretions of the prostate gland may also be secreted during urination, known as pseudoprostatitis.
Discharge from the urethra in men is not always a sign of any inflammatory process. These symptoms are episodic in nature. White discharge leads to no pain, no male disorders, and therefore no cause for concern.
What should be taken care of?
The male body is designed in such a way that any changes in its functioning are immediately visible to men. As soon as the discharge from the urethra occurs regularly, they change color and consistency, you should consult a doctor. It should be said about the signs:
- Discharge in men appearing from the urethra is pathological in nature, with gray, yellow, and green discharge.
- If blood appears in the urine while urinating, you should immediately seek medical help.
- If an unpleasant odor is emitted from the penis, this is a clear sign of an inflammatory process and microbial activity, which can lead to inflammation, the appearance of white fluid.
- Pathological discharge, unlike the usual, is secreted, accompanied by painful sensations, discomfort. These symptoms are especially aggravated by urination or stimulation.
- Discharge in men may indicate the presence of disease. In this case, they can often be confused with the common ones, so they are the most difficult to recognize. In turn, the delay can lead to a chronic form of the disease.
What needs to be done to recognize the danger in time? You should pay special attention to your health and follow a few rules:
- Need to be more careful when going to the toilet after sleeping. During sleep, secretions can build up in the urethra, so if they do, they'll be much easier to spot in the morning.
- Underwear is of particular importance. If all day, at least one drop emerges from the urethra, which after drying will leave a visible mark.
- When pressing on the penis, especially when using your hand to stroke from the pubic to the glans, it will secrete white mucus. It can have a different color and texture, depending on the disease.
- Unhealthy diet, especially consuming spicy foods and alcohol can also lead to the above phenomenon.
- Lips of the urethral orifice stick together or form a scab - all these can indicate a discharge of fluid, which then dries up.
- Most STIs are sexually transmitted, so you shouldn't forget this either. If after accidental contact there is white pus, you should seek help, do not self-treat.
With what can it be connected?
White discharge from the urethra or other white discharge are important signs of an inflammatory process. The same must be said about the discharge of pus. Doctors can extract enough information if they study the secretions and make a diagnosis and start treatment.
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, which is why white mucus appears in its mucous membranes in the required amount.
- Sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis or ureaplasmosis.
- Cancer of the penis, in which the discharge is also caused by an infection in the urethra.
- An infection may occur due to bacteria entering the urinary tract from other organs. The cause is due to health, weakened immune system, poor hygiene or due to injury.
- Bloody discharge is a serious sign that may indicate a prostate cancer.
The consistency of secretions, their color and transparency are the result of any process occurring in a man's body. Therefore, certain colors of waste are explained by the following factors:
- If epithelial cells are present in large numbers, the exudate is gray in color and highly viscous.
- A large number of leukocytes enter the focal point of inflammation during bacterial reproduction. For this reason, yellow, sometimes green, discharge appears.
- White mucus, resembling curds, often indicates candida overgrowth.
- It is worth noting that the appearance of different secretions can occur in different ways depending on the case. In the early stages of the disease, this can be a white discharge, which then turns yellow. This happens if the body has time to react to a problem in the body.
What to do in such situations?
Allocation in men immediately becomes a reason to go to the doctor, if the problem is not related to the normal functioning of the body. An examination will not be enough to make a diagnosis, so a series of released fluid needs to be analyzed.
You should not self-medicate or attempt to treat yourself, you should see a urologist or obstetrician. The physician coordinating with the patient will order studies including microscopy, culture on nutrient medium or polymerase chain reaction if previous methods have not yielded results.
Before going to a medical facility, medication should not be taken as this can further complicate the diagnosis. When a disease of a venereal nature is detected, both partners must be tested so as not to be re-infected in the future. If both have inflammation and mucus, then treatment is prescribed for each partner.
Penile discharge is one of the most common complaints that men seek help from a urologist. After asking the patient and examining the patient, the doctor may order further examination to make an accurate diagnosis. The methods of modern medicine help to quickly detect the cause of the pathology of the private area and select the optimal treatment regimen, taking into account all the characteristics of the disease.
Physiological secretions
The discharge from the penis actually comes from different parts of the genitourinary system. The result of discharge can be discharge from the urethra, sebaceous glands or pathological formations on the skin. Some discharges are normal, while others are considered signs of an illness. The doctor will be able to distinguish the norm from the pathology after examining the entire patient.
Variants of physiological secretions from the penis:
Increased urine output
In this term, physiological secretions from the urethra (urethra) are hidden during stimulation. Secretions are secreted by glands located in and around the urethra (oral and anal glands). The result is to maintain an alkaline environment in the urethra, favorable for sperm motility. Urethral hypersecretion occurs only in men of reproductive age. With age, the glands of the urethra atrophy, stop secreting.
The volume of secretions during sexual arousal is variable and depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. The urethral gland secretes a normal, transparent, mucoid fluid, without impurities of pus and blood. A significant increase in the volume of discharge requires consultation with a urologist.
Sperm
Semen is a mixture of prostate gland secretions and sperm. Normal, solid, white ejaculate, no foreign impurities. Sperm are released when ejaculating during intercourse or masturbation. It is possible to release a small amount of sperm in wet dreams - nighttime incontinence. Pollution appears in boys after the age of 14 and is one of the signs of puberty. The appearance of wet dreams in men after a long period of abstinence (read about the pros and cons of abstinence here).
Smegma
Slime is an oily substance secreted by the glands of the foreskin and glans penis. Fresh stains are grayish-white in color, turning yellow over time. Depending on intimate hygiene, the volume of smegma will be small. Significant accumulation of smegma is noted without adequate self-care. Such discharge can be considered a symptom of the disease and also provoke the development of an inflammatory process (balanitis and balanoposthitis).
Physiological discharge from the penis is normal and does not require treatment. The following changes are worth noting:
- increased volume of secretions;
- change in consistency (fluid becomes too liquid or thick);
- change color to yellow, yellow green, brown;
- the appearance of impurities in the blood;
- the appearance of unpleasant sensations: itching, burning, pain in the intimate area;
- difficulty urinating, or impaired ability to urinate (increased frequency, urge to empty the bladder, urinary retention, pain or burning when urinating).
Discharge from hospital
The cause of pathological discharge can be due to many different diseases. Infections of the genitourinary tract and urinary system, foreign bodies, trauma, tumors - all these can lead to an increase in the volume of bile, a change in its color or consistency. It is quite difficult to diagnose based on the type of discharge alone. If you experience any confusing symptoms, you should consult your doctor.
Options for pathological discharge from the penis:
Gum
A heavy, viscous and thick, clear or milky discharge from the penis indicates the development of an infection. Similar symptoms are characteristic of the chronic course of chlamydia, mycoplasma and ureaplasma infections, trichomoniasis. Other symptoms of the disease (itching, burning, dyspepsia) are mild or absent.
Clear mucus discharge from the penis can be a sign of medical conditions such as:
- Increased spermatogenesis - release of sperm to the outside during sexual stimulation, inability to get an erection and reach orgasm. The cause of increased spermatogenesis is decreased tone of the muscles of the vas deferens due to inflammation or impaired function of the vas deferens. In the study, sperm was detected in the material.
- Prostatic hypersecretion - spontaneous secretion of the prostate gland. Occurs when the prostate gland becomes inflamed and lumps appear.
There is pus
Yellow and greenish thick discharge is found in many sexually transmitted diseases (including gonorrhea). Pus is a collection of dead cells of the urethral epithelium, mucus and a large number of white blood cells. In the acute stage, there is itching and burning in the private area, discomfort when urinating. May increase body temperature. In cases where the inflammatory process moves to the bladder and develops into cystitis, dyspepsia appears in the form of frequent urination and pain or urinary retention.
Bloody
The amount of blood released from the urethra can vary: from a slightly stained brown or pinkish discharge to obvious bleeding. The cause of the appearance of blood can be trauma to the urethra or bladder (including penetration of foreign bodies or careless instrumental diagnostics). Bleeding is a common symptom of tumors of the prostate, urethra, and other organs of the urogenital region.
For what?
Appearance of any suspicious discharge from the penis - shell to contact a urologist. Many diseases of the genitourinary system and urinary system are similar, and self-diagnosis will not work. Often, the disease even has an atypical course and only a doctor can understand the full range of symptoms. Don't delay going to a specialist and expect that the problem will magically resolve itself.
At the first visit, the doctor always inquires about complaints, examines the patient and collects documents for research. The doctor's further actions will depend on the results obtained. Based on the results of the examination, the optimal treatment regimen will be selected to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms and restore health.
conclusion
Penile discharge is a common symptom in many diseases ranging from inflammation to cancer. Self-medication for any unexplained bleeding is not allowed. Uncontrolled drug intake or the use of traditional medicine techniques can aggravate the course of the disease and lead to an unfavorable outcome. Trust your health to a professional. Compliance with all the recommendations of the doctor will help avoid the development of complications and speed up recovery.