The state of secretion of a man's penis is an important indicator of the health of his genitourinary system. Said secretions consist of the contents of the urethra, the secretion of the sebaceous glands, which are located in the upper part of the penis, and the pathological secretion.
To determine the nature and cause of the discharge, it is important for a man to know which manifestations are normal, and which indicate the onset of the disease.
Varieties of secretions.
Fluid on the head of the penis begins to appear during adolescence and is a sign that the body is maturing and preparing for reproduction.
Physiological
Even in conditions of absolute health in men, drops of fluid appearing from the urethra can be periodically noticed on the penis. Their amount and volume differ individually, but only slightly. This odorless fluid is usually present in the morning after waking up before going to the bathroom. The change in volume is due to hormonal fluctuations, health status and past illnesses, the use of certain medications and other reasons.
The complete absence of glandular secretion may be a variant of the norm and does not in any way affect the sexual health of the man. In rare cases, excessive dryness leads to discomfort during sexual intercourse, but this problem is easily solved by using special products and lubricants.
There are four types of physiological discharge from the urethra.
libidinal urethrorrhea
It is a colorless secret that appears on the head of the penis from the ducts of the urethral glands. There are two of these glands in the penis, they are located at the base of the corpora cavernosa and are called the bulbourethral or copper glands.
The appearance of a transparent liquid occurs against the background of arousal or erection, which occurs periodically in the morning, when testosterone in the blood reaches its maximum values. The abundance of such secretions during arousal in men is different, generally depending on the duration of sexual abstinence, the degree of arousal and individual physiological characteristics.
During an erection, this mucus acts as a lubricant for the urogenital canal, so that sperm pass through it easily and at the required speed. Since this secret contains individual sperm, its contact with a woman's genitals can lead to pregnancy.
defecation prostorrhea
During defecation, tension occurs in the muscles of the abdomen and abdominal cavity, which causes the appearance of mucus on the head, which sometimes contains gray-white streaks. Such viscous mucus is odorless, it contains both the secret of the prostate and the seminal vesicles.
The same fluid can be released after urinating, which is called voiding prostorrhea, and after strong coughing fits, accompanied by strong tension in the muscles of the press.
Experts do not consider defecation prostatorrhoea a disease, but distinguish it as a possible sign of the latent phase of prostatitis.
smegma
The secret of the preputial glands is called smegma. Immediately after isolation, it resembles a white fat of thick consistency. After the formation of smegma it is placed under the foreskin. The foreskin lubrication contains fat and elements of bacteria. Its function is to reduce the friction of the penis against the foreskin. Its maximum amount is inherent in adolescence.
If the smegma is not thoroughly washed periodically, it begins to decompose, acquires a pungent odor and turns greener. All this leads to the appearance of a pathological process due to the multiplication of microbes, which will lead to inflammation.
Sperm
The ejaculate contains a large amount of seminal fluid and sperm. In adolescence, spermatorrhea is possible without sexual contact, sometimes during sleep. If the same condition persists after puberty, this may be a sign of tone dysregulation of the vas deferens due to inflammation or a brain tumor.
Pathological
Discharge from the urethra also occurs due to various dysfunctions of the organs of the reproductive or urinary system.
It can be caused by such factors:
- Mechanic. They occur after damage to the urethra during sampling using special instruments that are inserted into the lumen of the urethra (ureteroscopy, cystoscopy, etc. ).
- infectious. They are the result of the presence and progression of the number of microbial pathogens. These microbes can be bacteria, fungi, or viruses.
- Chemical. They appear as a consequence of the use of certain drugs and medications that can be used during the treatment of the genitourinary system or other systems. They often occur as a result of treatment of the urethra with medicinal solutions.
Sometimes the reason lies in the body's allergic reaction to environmental factors or to the detergents and personal care products used.
The substance that protrudes from the urethra can be mucus, fluid, bacteria or fungi, and pus. Color, transparency, consistency, smell and volumes indicate the intensity and stage of the process. At different stages with the same disease, all these parameters can change.
It is classified as follows:
- Hematorrhea. Characterized by inclusions of blood. It can occur both due to injuries, such as high blood pressure, the presence of tumors in the penis or in the prostate gland.
- leukocytic urethrorrhea. It occurs when the accumulated contents are released during inflammation. The color, smell and duration of exudate outflow indicate the degree of damage to the epithelium of the urinary canal.
- Mucopurulent masses. It retains leukocyte cells, urethral mucus, and serous fluid. Outwardly, it looks like transparent mucus with a white tint. It is a possible sign of urethritis in chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, etc.
- Pus. It contains many leukocytes and pieces of epithelium. By consistency, it is the thickest, has a yellow or greenish color. It is often accompanied by burning during urine output. This happens with gonorrhea, gonococcal urethritis or chlamydia.
white flow
If a white, scaly or cheesy discharge with a sour smell appears on the head of the penis, this indicates candidiasis. In men it is less frequent than in women, and its appearance indicates that the immune system is depressed. This happens after a course of strong antibiotics or chemotherapy.
If the liquid at the same time contains foamy inclusions, then we can conclude that trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis or mycoplasmosis can be concluded, which are often transmitted during unprotected sexual intercourse.
Another disease that can cause the appearance of white mucus is chronic prostatitis. This symptom is usually accompanied by decreased potency and difficulty urinating.
transparent highlights
The main reasons causing such excretion: Chlamydia or chronic ureaplasmosis. With these diseases, this may be the only symptom that indicates the presence of a pathological process. The appearance of transparent mucus does not always occur, but only if the man has not gone to the toilet for a long time. After the process intensifies, the color changes from transparent to greenish, as the content of dead leukocytes in the fluid increases.
Clear mucus is characteristic of the early stage of gonorrhea. With this disease, the mucus is quite viscous, it is released throughout the day in large volumes.
Yellow or green discharge
Yellow or greenish color - a clear sign of the presence of pus, consisting of lymphocyte cells, mucus from the urethra and fragments of the epithelium of the urethra. This picture is characteristic of many venereal diseases.
With gonorrhea, the consistency of mucus is very thick, there is a strong smell of putrefaction, and the process of urinating becomes painful. Another disease in which the discharge turns yellow is trichomoniasis. Often there are no other symptoms. Very rarely, this infection is accompanied by frequent urination and itching of the perineum.
Strong smelling discharge
Often such a symptom occurs against the background of neglect of hygiene rules. Since a warm and humid environment is constantly present in the area of the male genital organs, microbes multiply rapidly there. Its waste products cause an extremely unpleasant smell. To prevent such a phenomenon, it is necessary to wash the penis well every day, pushing the foreskin aside.
An unpleasant odor can also develop in case of metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus or infectious diseases. With thrush, a sour smell occurs, and with gardnerellosis - a pronounced fishy smell. Inflammation of the head of the penis and the inner section of the leathery fold of the foreskin also cause a specific pungent odor.
bloody problems
Often the blood comes out together with the contents of the urethra due to infectious inflammation. The appearance of such a symptom is possible with candidiasis, gonorrhea, trichomonas urethritis. The greater the amount of mucus and the more blood it contains, the more intense the process will be.
Small streaks of blood indicate that the process has become chronic with a significant detachment of the mucosal epithelium, which causes irritation every time urine comes out of the urethra.
Also, blood can come out after traumatic insertion or removal of a catheter from the urethra, during cystoscopy, or when taking material for bacteriological analysis.
Due to damage to the walls of the blood vessels during the passage of sand and stones from the kidneys, the discharge may take on a pink, red, or brown tint. In such cases, with the outflow of urine, severe pain appears with localization in the lower part of the small pelvis or lumbar region of the back.
Blood in the discharge is also present in the late stages of oncological tumors of the urinary tract, with cancerous tumors of the ovaries, penis, with adenoma and tumors of the testicles. In this case, the bleeding is characterized by a brown or brownish tint, with blood clots.
Even if it seems to the patient that he has accurately identified the disease, independent choice of treatment is strictly prohibited. Many diseases of the reproductive and urinary systems have similar symptoms, and the complications that they can cause lead to infertility, loss of potency and other serious consequences for the health of men.
Where to go for diagnosis
Diseases that are characterized by pathological discharge from the urethra are diagnosed and treated by such specialists:
- dermatovenereologist;
- urologist;
- venereologist;
- nephrologist
Going to the initial consultation with a specialist, the patient should be prepared to answer the following questions:
- the volume of assignments;
- shade and turbidity;
- impurities (blood, scale, pus and clots);
- consistency (liquid, sticky);
- odor (fishy, sour, absent);
- dependence of the manifestation of the symptom on the time of day;
- if related to urination, spicy food, alcohol intake, and erection).
After the doctor hears the complaints, he will examine the urethra, genitalia, perineum, and groin for external swelling, rashes, and signs of injury.
With palpation of the lymph nodes in the groin, the doctor will assess the temperature of the skin. Fever is a clear sign of inflammation. Also, pay attention to painful sensations when palpating, the density of the tissue and the presence of ulcers.
The specialist will perform a digital exam of the prostate. It consists of the examination through the cavity of the rectum. If at the same time fluid is released from the urethra, it is sent for examination under a microscope. Palpation of the prostate can reveal internal tumorous neoplasms and adenomas.
In most cases, additional diagnostics are carried out according to the following algorithm:
- general clinical examinations of urine and blood;
- smear for bacanalysis of the contents of the urethra;
- blood sugar test;
- Ultrasound of the internal genital and urinary organs;
- urography
With very severe genital inflammation, the doctor immediately prescribes antibiotic therapy with broad-spectrum agents, without waiting for test results.
If the staining is significant in volume, the patient will be advised to go to hospital. In the event that there is suspicion of cancer, the diagnosis is made based on histology from the results of a biopsy.
Timely seeking medical help should be a prerequisite for all men who want to maintain sexual health and youth for many years, since early diagnosis guarantees the fastest possible relief from the disease and the absence of complications.