photo taken from anylabtestnorthdallas.com
In this day and age, people are becoming more concerned with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as HIV/AIDS becomes more of a global problem every day. As such, many panic at the first sign of abnormalities, such as penis discharge.
Penile discharge that isn’t semen or urine is a common sign of infection. If left untreated, the infection may cause other health problems later in life. Contact your doctor right away if you or someone you know is experiencing abnormal secretion from the penis.
It’s difficult to tell what underlying condition is causing the unusual penis discharge, but here are the most common causative factors.
Non-specific Urethritis (NSU)
Urethritis is the inflammation of the urethra, the canal that conveys urine and semen. When the term “non-specific” is added, it means the main reason for the inflammation cannot be identified.
The secreted fluid, which is usually clear in color, gets worse in the morning. The penis infection may also cause painful urination and irritation along the inside of the penis.
The infection is transferred during sex and may be due to bacteria. Nearly half of NSU cases are caused by the bacterium Chlamydia and approximately 40% are due to other bacteria, like Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma.
Gonorrhea
This penis infection is caused by the bacterium Gonococcus. Unlike NSU, the released fluid doesn’t have a definite color. It can be green, yellow, clear, white or cloudy. Caught during intercourse, gonorrhea also causes painful urination.
It can be hard to identify due to its minor symptoms, but sometimes, there are lots of discharges. If the penis infection worsens, the STD can infect the testicles and cause redness, swelling and pain.
Inflammation
Sometimes, the discharge is caused by inflammation, and not STD. So, if you find unusual discharge, take a breather because it may or may not be a sexually transmitted disease.
The urethra can be inflamed even if there isn’t an infection. If you had sexual contact with multiple partners, for instance, inflammation and penis discharge may occur.
The inflammation may also be due to perfumes, soaps or antiseptics, especially if your body is sensitive to them. Also, before concluding anything, check if the fluid is coming from the penis’ opening or from a nearby sore area.
Tags: Gonorrhea, Non-specific Urethritis (NSU), penis discharge, penis infection
