Discharge from the urethra in men: norm and pathology

During a morning erection, a man may experience mucous discharge from the urethra

Like women, representatives of the stronger sex may have discharge from the genitals. They can indicate a disorder in the body or simply indicate the normal functioning of the urogenital system. Due to the relevance of this question, we would like to consider this topic in more detail in the article.






Physiological secretions

Such discharge from the urethra is not an indicator of poor health, but on the contrary indicates that all body systems are functioning properly. The following types of discharge in men are considered normal:

  • ejaculate– has a white color with a gray tint and its consistency resembles mucus;
  • smegma- appears as a result of the work of the preputial glands, at first it is white, but can then become yellow or green;
  • prostate secret– has a white color, a viscous consistency and a corresponding odor;
  • urine– in a healthy person it has a yellow tint and practically no odor.

When analyzing urethral discharge, you should pay close attention to exactly what the urine looks like. If it has a strong odor, impurities or flakes, this indicates a disorder in the body. Some medications can affect its color and smell, but after stopping them, these indicators should return to normal.

Causes of Physiology

Mucous discharge may be seen with libidinal urethrorrhea, but is considered normal. As a rule, mucus appears in the morning when a man experiences sexual arousal. The abundance of secretions directly depends on the degree of erection.

Important!With libidinal urethrorrhea, the mucus contains sperm, so there is a risk of getting pregnant with unprotected sex.

A man must follow good hygiene rules to wash white discharge (smegma)

If a man follows the rules of personal hygiene, the appearance of smegma will not cause discomfort. White discharge from the urethra is easily washed off with water and results from the work of the glands located on the head of the penis. Smegma hydrates the penis and allows the foreskin to slide without discomfort. If hygiene is neglected for a long time, white fluid will begin to accumulate under the foreskin. In such a situation, the protein part disintegrates, due to which the color of the mucus becomes green and a sharp odor appears.

In the absence of regular sexual relations, spontaneous ejaculation may occur. Most commonly, wet dreams occur in adolescents, but adult men can also experience them. It is not always possible to accurately determine the causes of urethral discharge in men. In some cases, patients suffer from defecatory prostatorrhea. This occurs with elevated intra-abdominal pressure, sexual neurasthenia or weakness of the pelvic muscles.

Pathological changes

A man can guess for himself that there are disturbances in the body. To do this, you just need to take a closer look at how the mucus in the genital organ has changed. The cause of the disorder may be a tumor, inflammation, injury, STD, surgery, or medication.

Let's consider the distinctive signs that indicate the presence of pathology in the body:

  1. Volume.They can become too abundant or, conversely, almost stop appearing.
  2. Impurity.In addition to mucus, lumps, blood, pus or some kind of compaction are often found.
  3. Color.Significant cloudiness, as well as a color change towards yellow or green, will be an alarming symptom.
  4. Smell.A healthy person will experience odorless discharge. Otherwise, there will be a sour, fishy or rotting smell.
  5. Consistency.Mucus that is too sticky or thick requires a person to see a doctor.

The characteristics of mucus or pus will depend on the provoking factor, immunity and the presence of other pathologies in the body.

Advice!If you notice any of the above changes, contact a specialist for help as soon as possible. Self-treatment can lead to serious complications.

So that you understand how important it is to consult a doctor in a timely manner, we will consider the possible causes of the appearance of pathological discharge from the urethra in men.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

With STDs, purulent, mucous or purulent-mucous discharge can be observed. In the first case, there will be a very persistent unpleasant odor, as well as a yellow or green tint. Additionally, the patient may notice severe itching, pain and burning during urination. These symptoms indicate gonorrhea.

Mucous formations will have a transparent color and a fairly viscous consistency. The presence of mucus may indicate STDs such as chlamydia, mycoplasma, or ureaplasma urethritis.

Important!The earlier these diseases are detected, the easier the treatment process will be.

Mucopurulent formations are white or translucent. They occur during an exacerbation of chlamydia, mycoplasmosis or ureaplasmosis. If chlamydia is detected following an STD test, the incubation period will be 3 weeks.

Very often, patients suffer from several sexually transmitted diseases at once, so purulent discharge from the urethra can be combined with mucous membranes. In this regard, doctors do not rely only on symptoms and also take into account the test results.

Inflammatory processes

Inflammation in the body occurs due to pathogenic human microflora, which becomes active with weak immunity. Some types of fungi, E. coli and staphylococci are always present on the mucous membranes, but actively multiply only under the influence of stress, prolonged use of antibiotics or hypothermia.

Let's consider the diseases that can develop against the background of these changes:

  1. Candidiasis.If thrush begins to develop, white discharge from the urethra will be visible. Additionally, the patient may experience pain in the groin, involuntary ejaculation, burning and unpleasant odor.
  2. Balanoposthitis.With the development of this disease, inflammation of the foreskin occurs, which causes the appearance of pus. Additionally, there is severe swelling and sharp pain when touching the head of the penis.
  3. Non-gonorrheal urethritis.Mucus appears in chunks and in large quantities. A man may also experience itching and a constant desire to go to the toilet. If inflammation occurs in the bladder, you may notice bleeding.

Other reasons

There are a number of cases when discharge from the urethra in men does not indicate venereal processes or inflammation. This includes spermatorrhea, in which men leak sperm when they are aroused. During this process, the patient does not feel the sensation of orgasm and sperm may appear even outside of sexual intercourse.

In cases where the urethral valve is damaged, bleeding may occur. There will be very little blood, but intense pain. These symptoms may be caused by high blood pressure, kidney stones, or large amounts of protein in the urine.

During bowel movements, brown discharge with a small amount of pus may occur.

Important!Such discharge indicates the presence of a malignant tumor located in the bladder, prostate or urethra.

Clear discharge from the urethra may be a symptom of prostatorrhea. They arise due to the active work of the prostate. This type of discharge often indicates chronic prostatitis, prostate adenoma, or bladder changes.

Even if white discharge in men is not accompanied by itching, pain, swelling or other unpleasant symptoms, it is better to consult a specialist about this. A diagnostic examination will allow you to identify the cause of the changes and treat the pathology at an early stage.