Emissions from the natural openings of the human body can tell a lot about the state of human health. The nature of discharge from the ear speaks of health or diseases of the ear, discharge from the nose provides complete information about the pathology of this organ, discharge from the penis indicates the condition of the organs of the male reproductive system.
Too often, unusual discharge from the penis becomes the first and sometimes only symptom of a serious illness. Therefore, a man, paying attention to his sexual organ, should pay attention not only to its size, but also to the nature of the secretions.
Discharge from the penis is a collective concept that combines discharge from the urethra (urethra), discharge from the sebaceous glands (very located at the head of the penis) and discharge from pathological skin formations. There are three types of normal (physiological) secretions and a large variety of pathological discharges.
Physiological discharge from the penis
The first type of normal discharge is the libidinal (physiological) urethra, which is a transparent secretion flowing from the urethra against the background of sexual arousal. The source of secretions during arousal in men in this case are the urethral glands. The volume of secretions can vary from small to significant, depending on the physiological characteristics of the male and the duration of the period of sexual abstinence. Sometimes the physiological urethra accompanies the act of defecation. It must be said that the composition of the secretion released during urethrosis includes a certain amount of sperm, which, if they enter a woman's genitals, can lead to conception and the development of pregnancy.
In some cases, discharge that resembles physiological, but in greater quantities, can be a manifestation of a disease of the reproductive system, therefore, if the nature or amount of discharge began to change from your usual norm, it is worth discussingthis issue with your doctor.
The second type of normal discharge from the penis is smegma. Smegma is the secretion of glands located in the skin of the foreskin and glass of the penis. The amount of smegma is usually small and if daily hygiene procedures are followed, it is easily washed off and does not cause any problems. If the rules of personal hygiene are violated, smegma accumulates on the scalp and between the foreskin sheets and creates the preconditions for the development of the inflammatory process.
To avoid the accumulation of smegma and subsequent inflammation, it is necessary to wash the penis regularly (1-2 times a day, with plenty of warm water using unscented soap). In the process of washing, it is necessary to move the foreskin and wash the penis, carefully removing all secretions.
Normal secretions from the penis also include sperm (sperm) - a mixture of sex gland secretion and sperm, which is released during ejaculation (ejaculation) during sexual intercourse or masturbation (masturbation). Usually the release of sperm is accompanied by sexual flow (orgasm). This group of normal penile discharges also includes wet dreams - involuntary ejaculation (usually at night) that occurs in boys during puberty (after 14-15 years) and in men after prolonged sexual abstinence. The average frequency of wet dreams varies greatly - from 1-3 per week to 1-2 for 2-3 months.
Pathological discharge from the penis
Causes of pathological discharge from the penis can be a wide variety of diseases, including inflammatory processes caused by their opportunistic flora or sexually transmitted infections, oncological diseases, the consequences of injuries and surgeries. Pathological secretions from the penis vary in volume (sparse, moderate, abundant), color (transparent, cloudy white, milky white, white, yellow, yellow-green, mixed with blood), consistency (liquid, thick), frequency of occurrence (constant, intermittent, morning, associated with urination or alcohol intake). The nature of the discharge is influenced by the nature of the causative agent of the disease, the severity of the inflammation, the state of the patient's immune system, the "prescription" of the disease, and the presence of concomitant diseases. Note that the same disease can be associated with secretions of a different nature and, at the same time, different diseases can lead to the appearance of leaks from the penis that are completely similar in appearance. This is why sometimes it is simply impossible to diagnose a disease just by the appearance of discharge.
Discharge from the penis associated with sexually transmitted diseases
Discharge of mucus from the penis - transparent and viscous with a small amount of leukocytes - is characteristic of ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis and chlamydia.
Mucopurulent discharge - a milky white translucent fluid composed of urethral mucus, inflammatory exudates, and leukocytes - is characteristic of trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, and chlamydia during exacerbation. Chlamydia is also characterized by "sticking" of secretions accumulated in the glans of the penis.
Purulent discharge - a sticky fluid with a thick, yellow or yellow-green consistency, consisting of urethral mucosa, exfoliated urethral epithelium, and a considerable number of leukocytes - the most common symptoms of gonorrhea. A characteristic feature of gonorrheal urethritis is the severity of subjective symptoms, such as aches, pains, itching (especially during urination), a considerable amount, and the constant nature of discharge from the urethra.
Currently, patients with sexually transmitted diseases very often have a combined infection - that is, an infection caused by several infectious agents (trichomoniasis and chlamydia, gonorrhea and chlamydia, mycoplasmosis and ureaplasmosis, etc. ), which significantly changes the symptoms and manifestations. infection. Therefore, based solely on information about the nature of the discharge and the patient's complaints, it is not possible to make a definitive diagnosis and prescribe treatment. It is important that the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases (including discharge from the penis) stop quite easily in the process of self-treatment with antibiotics. However, in this case, the disappearance of the symptoms does not mean the disappearance of the disease. The disease simply passes into the shadows, so that after the end of antibiotic therapy it returns with renewed energy. In addition, illiterate treatment leads to the formation of resistance of microorganisms to the antibacterial drugs used.
Discharge from the penis associated with non-venereal inflammatory processes
In this case, the causative agent of the infection becomes representative of its opportunistic flora (streptococcus, staphylococcus, fungi of the genus Candida, Escherichia coli), which became more active as a result of lowering the level of human immune defense. .
Non-gonorrheal urethritis - inflammation of the urethra (urethra) is associated with the appearance of mucopurulent secretions. A characteristic feature is the slight absence or severity of symptoms (aches, pains, itching) and a small amount of discharge that appears mainly during a long break between urination.
Allocations with balanoposthitis (inflammation of the foreskin of the penis) are usually very significant, mucopurulent or purulent, accompanied by pain in the penis, swelling and redness of the foreskin.
Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) is associated with the appearance of mucous and mucopurulent secretions (depending on the severity of the inflammatory process), traction pain in the perineum, impaired urination and strength.
A very common disease of the male genital organs is thrush (candidiasis) - an inflammatory process associated with the activation of the opportunistic fungus Candida. Typical manifestations of thrush in men are pronounced redness of the skin of the penis, the appearance of itching, burning, as well as quite abundant discharge of curd.
Discharge from the penis is not associated with inflammation
This is a very rare type of discharge associated with trauma and tumor processes in the organs of the reproductive system, as well as with diseases of the nervous system.
Spermatorhea is the discharge of sperm from the urethra without orgasm, outside of sexual intercourse or masturbation. The main cause of spermatozoon is a violation of the tone of the muscular membrane of the vas deferens, accompanied by diseases of the central nervous system, less often with chronic inflammatory processes. In some cases, the cause of the sperm can not be determined.
Hematorhea is the discharge of blood from the urethra. The most common cause of hematuria is a mechanical damage to the urethra due to the introduction of foreign bodies when a stain is obtained, after or during an instrumental examination of the urethra, bladder. Hematorea also appears with trauma to the penis, urethra, malignant tumors of the urethra, penis, prostate, polyps, stone discharge, sand in urolithiasis.
Prostatorrhea - leakage of prostate secretion from the urethra - is observed with a decrease in the tone of the smooth muscle fibers of the excretory duct of the prostate gland during its chronic inflammation or other diseases (for example, with a neurogenic bladder, prostate adenoma). .
Finding the cause of discharge from the penis
Since there are many reasons for the appearance of unusual (non-physiological) discharge from the penis, a qualified urologist should look for the cause of each specific case. When examining a patient with complaints of leakage from the penis, the doctor should carefully examine the skin for redness, feel the lymph nodes (for their enlargement, pain), examine the underwear.
The nature of the discharge from the penis is assessed at the beginning of the examination and after a light massage of the urethra, which is performed after 2-3 hours of abstinence from urination. Among the mandatory studies that a man with unusual leakage from the penis will undergo are general (enlarged) blood and urine tests, a blood sugar test, a urethral spotting test, and the implantation of urethral secretions. , a digital prostate examination. gland, if indicated, an ultrasound of the bladder and prostate, urography, computed tomography.
In inflammatory processes, the most valuable information is given by the study of urethral staining. The results of this study depend on the severity and duration of the disease. Inflammation is indicated by the presence of 4 or more leukocytes, the appearance of cylindrical and parabasilar epithelium indicates the severity and depth of the inflammatory process.
Preparing for staining. In order for the test results to be informative and to assist the physician in making the diagnosis, it is necessary to properly prepare for the staining sampling procedure. For this purpose, local use of antibiotics, antiseptics, antifungal drugs is excluded for 3 days before the study. Within 3 hours before the study, it is necessary to refrain from urination and external toilet of the genitals. Stains are taken no earlier than 3 weeks after the end of systemic antibiotic therapy (introduction of antibiotics by mouth or in the form of injections).
What do the results of the urethral test show?
- Leukocyte growth - acute urethritis, exacerbation of chronic urethritis.
- Increased eosinophils - allergic urethritis.
- Red blood cell growth - trauma, tumors, secretion of stones or sand with urolithiasis, severe inflammation.
- Epithelial cells in large numbers - chronic urethritis, urethral leukoplakia.
- Spermatozoa - spermatorhea.
- Lipoids - prostorrhea.
- Mucus without blood cells - uretrorhea.
- Primary cells (small rods in epithelial cells) with a small number of neutrophils - urethritis.
In a normal spot, leukocytes up to 4 are detected in the visual field, the bacterial flora is represented by single heads, rods.
Finally
The appearance of discharge from the penis is best considered as a symptom of a disease, the nature of which can be determined only by a doctor and only by a face-to-face meeting. It is impossible to independently diagnose the pathology that led to the appearance of secretions, so it is not advisable to treat it yourself. Attempts at self-treatment in this case do not lead to cure, but only distort the symptoms of the disease and lead to a waste of time - precious in some serious diseases. Take care of your health!