Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesRisk FactorsComplicationsWhen to See a ProviderDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Risk Factors
Complications
When to See a Provider
Diagnosis
Treatment
It’s important to see a healthcare professional for any abnormal discharge. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can help you avoid serious infections and complications like infertility.
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Common symptoms of penile discharge include:
When penile discharge indicates infection, other symptoms might include:
The most common causes of penile discharge are sexually transmitted infections andurethritis, but other medical conditions can cause this symptom as well.
What Medications Can Cause Penile Discharge?
Drug allergies can cause inflammation on the penis, which could lead to penile discharge. These include allergies toantibioticslike tetracycline or sulfonamide.
Risk factors that could increase the chances of penile discharge include:
If left untreated, penile discharge from an infection could cause:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Penile discharge that is clear and a result of arousal before or after sex is normal. Penile discharge that occurs outside of arousal is usually cause for concern. This discharge can be yellow or green (in the case of STIs, chlamydia, or gonorrhea), cloudy (such as with UTIs or urethritis), bloody (as with prostatitis), or cheesy (as with excess smegma, a natural substance under the foreskin).
See a healthcare provider for any discharge that is not clear and a result of sexual arousal, especially if discharge also includes symptoms of infection, such as:
There are several methods a healthcare provider might use to pinpoint the cause of penile discharge. The most common include:
Other methods for diagnosing penile discharge include:
Treatment for penile discharge depends on the source of infection. Some common treatments include:
Other important considerations include:
Studies indicate that STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia, both of which cause penile discharge, could increase the chances of infertility if not treated. Some studies have linked urethritis (swelling or irritation of the urethra due to a bacterium or virus) to infertility. Disorders of the prostate have also been linked to infertility.
Summary
Untreated penile discharge could lead to life-threatening bacteria throughout the body, infertility, organ damage, or a higher likelihood of penile cancer. It’s advised to see a healthcare provider in case of abnormal penile discharge to rule out infection.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rietmeijer CA, Mungati M, Machiha A, et al.The etiology of male urethral discharge in Zimbabwe: results from the Zimbabwe STI etiology study.Sex Transm Dis. 2018;45(1):56-60. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000696World Health Organization.Urethral discharge syndrome.Bolenz C, Schröppel B, Eisenhardt A, J. Schmitz-Dräger B, Grimm MO.The investigation of hematuria.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(48):801-807. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0801National Institutes of Health.HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.American Academy of Family Physicians.Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.Urinary tract infection in men.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.Morris B, Krieger J.Balanitis and related inflammatory conditions affecting the penis.Urogenital infections and inflammations. 2018. doi:10.5680/lhuii000027Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to prevent STIs.Wang CC, Wang I, Lai YH.Type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of penile inflammatory disorders in men aged between 30 and 49: a 5-year follow-up study.Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries. 2023;43(2):267-273. doi: 10.1007/s13410-022-01081-4Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959NHS.Gonorrhoea: complications.Nong HQ, Sun A, Dyrved NJ.A case report on advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30265. doi:10.7759/cureus.30265World Health Organization.Evidence-to-decision table: Urethral discharge.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.STD tests.Coker TJ, Dierfeldt DM.Acute bacterial prostatitis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(2):114-120.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy diagnosis.Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: A scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rietmeijer CA, Mungati M, Machiha A, et al.The etiology of male urethral discharge in Zimbabwe: results from the Zimbabwe STI etiology study.Sex Transm Dis. 2018;45(1):56-60. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000696World Health Organization.Urethral discharge syndrome.Bolenz C, Schröppel B, Eisenhardt A, J. Schmitz-Dräger B, Grimm MO.The investigation of hematuria.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(48):801-807. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0801National Institutes of Health.HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.American Academy of Family Physicians.Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.Urinary tract infection in men.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.Morris B, Krieger J.Balanitis and related inflammatory conditions affecting the penis.Urogenital infections and inflammations. 2018. doi:10.5680/lhuii000027Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to prevent STIs.Wang CC, Wang I, Lai YH.Type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of penile inflammatory disorders in men aged between 30 and 49: a 5-year follow-up study.Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries. 2023;43(2):267-273. doi: 10.1007/s13410-022-01081-4Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959NHS.Gonorrhoea: complications.Nong HQ, Sun A, Dyrved NJ.A case report on advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30265. doi:10.7759/cureus.30265World Health Organization.Evidence-to-decision table: Urethral discharge.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.STD tests.Coker TJ, Dierfeldt DM.Acute bacterial prostatitis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(2):114-120.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy diagnosis.Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: A scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rietmeijer CA, Mungati M, Machiha A, et al.The etiology of male urethral discharge in Zimbabwe: results from the Zimbabwe STI etiology study.Sex Transm Dis. 2018;45(1):56-60. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000696World Health Organization.Urethral discharge syndrome.Bolenz C, Schröppel B, Eisenhardt A, J. Schmitz-Dräger B, Grimm MO.The investigation of hematuria.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(48):801-807. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0801National Institutes of Health.HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.American Academy of Family Physicians.Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.Urinary tract infection in men.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.Morris B, Krieger J.Balanitis and related inflammatory conditions affecting the penis.Urogenital infections and inflammations. 2018. doi:10.5680/lhuii000027Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to prevent STIs.Wang CC, Wang I, Lai YH.Type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of penile inflammatory disorders in men aged between 30 and 49: a 5-year follow-up study.Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries. 2023;43(2):267-273. doi: 10.1007/s13410-022-01081-4Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959NHS.Gonorrhoea: complications.Nong HQ, Sun A, Dyrved NJ.A case report on advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30265. doi:10.7759/cureus.30265World Health Organization.Evidence-to-decision table: Urethral discharge.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.STD tests.Coker TJ, Dierfeldt DM.Acute bacterial prostatitis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(2):114-120.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy diagnosis.Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: A scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959
Rietmeijer CA, Mungati M, Machiha A, et al.The etiology of male urethral discharge in Zimbabwe: results from the Zimbabwe STI etiology study.Sex Transm Dis. 2018;45(1):56-60. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000696
World Health Organization.Urethral discharge syndrome.
Bolenz C, Schröppel B, Eisenhardt A, J. Schmitz-Dräger B, Grimm MO.The investigation of hematuria.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(48):801-807. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0801
National Institutes of Health.HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1
University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.Urinary tract infection in men.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.
Morris B, Krieger J.Balanitis and related inflammatory conditions affecting the penis.Urogenital infections and inflammations. 2018. doi:10.5680/lhuii000027
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to prevent STIs.
Wang CC, Wang I, Lai YH.Type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of penile inflammatory disorders in men aged between 30 and 49: a 5-year follow-up study.Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries. 2023;43(2):267-273. doi: 10.1007/s13410-022-01081-4
Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959
NHS.Gonorrhoea: complications.
Nong HQ, Sun A, Dyrved NJ.A case report on advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30265. doi:10.7759/cureus.30265
World Health Organization.Evidence-to-decision table: Urethral discharge.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.STD tests.
Coker TJ, Dierfeldt DM.Acute bacterial prostatitis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(2):114-120.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy diagnosis.
Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: A scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5985-5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959
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