For men it is initially a shock when the sperm has turned a reddish color. This can be a serious symptom, but there are also harmless causes that Blood in semen can evoke.
What is blood in semen?
Usually human sperm takes on a white or yellowish color. The color and consistency of the sperm depend on the diet and exercise habits. If, on the other hand, there is blood in the sperm, it is known as haematospermia.
The blood admixture occurs mostly painlessly in the semen, but causes great concern among those affected. The symptoms mainly occur in men between the ages of 25 and 40. However, there is no age group that is excluded from hematospermia. Haematospermia is a well-known complaint in urology. A high proportion of men are said to have hematospermia at least once in their lives.
causes
Hematospermia is usually a harmless injury to the vessels of the penis that is the result of long and often repetitive sexual intercourse. If a vein bursts in the seminal vesicle, blood is shed with the seminal fluid during an effusion.
Blood in the semen can also be caused by inflammation of the prostate. Inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) affects the seminal vesicle or the draining seminal ducts. It is the cause of the bleeding in up to 50 percent of the cases. In rare cases, benign enlargement of the prostate is also diagnosed.
Finally, prostate cancer is suggested as a possible cause. Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men, but it is often accompanied by other symptoms. Furthermore, hematospermia can be triggered by infections such as urethritis or epididymitis. Only in rare cases is the complaint caused by tumor formation.
Possible tumor diseases include prostate carcinoma, seminal vesicle carcinoma or condylomata acuminata. It is also possible that systemic diseases are present. Coagulation disorders, hypertension and liver disease can all cause blood in the semen.
Diseases with this symptom
- Malignant lymphoma
- Condylomata acuminata
- Prostatitis
- Prostate cancer
- Urethritis
- Bleeding disorder
- Liver disease
- Bleeding disorder
- Epididymitis
Diagnosis & course
If blood in the semen is only temporary and there are no other symptoms, it is a harmless complaint. On the other hand, it is advisable to consult a general practitioner or a urologist if the haematospermia lasts longer than five days.
The doctor begins with a medical history, which includes the patient's medical history. Enclosed he informs himself about the diet and everyday habits. The diagnosis is then accompanied by a physical exam and blood pressure measurement. The blood count and liver values can be checked for a more detailed analysis. Blood clotting will also be checked in the laboratory while a urinalysis is done.
If the doctor has not yet found a cause, a sperm analysis is carried out and a sperm culture is created. Finally, a cystoscopy can be performed. It should be noted that in about 33 percent of the cases, no cause can be found for the blood that appears in the sperm, despite an extensive examination.
Complications
Men go into shock when there is blood in their semen. This may indicate a serious illness, but there are also harmless causes. Generally the semen is yellowish or white in color. However, if there is blood in the semen, this is anything but normal. Blood in the semen does not cause pain for those affected, but it does raise the worst fears.
In urology, however, blood in semen is completely normal, it is very well known and men suffer this phenomenon at least once in a lifetime. Blood in the semen can have very different causes, perhaps it is just a harmless injury to the vessels in the penis. This occurs relatively often, especially after prolonged sexual intercourse it is not uncommon. If a small vein bursts in the seminal vesicle, the sperm turns red.
Blood in the semen can also indicate a disease, for example an inflammation of the prostate. She is responsible in half of all cases. But it can also be prostate cancer, the most common type of cancer in men. But with this diagnosis, other symptoms are also apparent. Very often blood in the semen is triggered by inflammation, a tumor is rarely diagnosed. Blood in the semen should always be discussed with the doctor, he can determine the exact cause. Sometimes liver disease, hypertension or a blood clotting disorder are also responsible.
When should you go to the doctor?
Blood in the semen: Many men are initially shocked. In addition, blood in semen is rarely associated with pain. The medical term known as hematospermia occurs mainly in men between the ages of 25 and 40 years. In principle, however, blood in semen can affect any man.
A common cause of blood in the semen is long and repetitive sexual intercourse, which causes the fine veins of the seminal vesicle to burst. In the event of an effusion, blood is also given off with the seminal fluid. This harmless cause should not hide the fact that more serious diseases can be behind blood in sperm. Prostate inflammation is the cause in almost half of all cases.
Benign prostate enlargement is also less common. Prostate cancer cannot be ruled out. Other underlying diseases such as increased blood pressure, blood clotting disorders and liver diseases are also possible triggers for blood in sperm.
A one-off episode of blood in semen is not a compelling reason to see a doctor. However, if the haematospermia persists for several days or occurs again and again, a doctor should be consulted. A urologist, andrologist, hepatologist or oncologist is recommended as a specialist for blood in the semen.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
Whether and when treatment is initiated depends on the diagnosed cause. If blood in the semen is caused by an injury to the penile vessels or a burst vein in the seminal vesicle, it is advisable to protect the affected genitals. In this case, frequent sexual intercourse must be avoided.
The same applies if there is an inflammation of the prostate. At the same time, treatment of prostatitis is undertaken. Most prostatitis can be treated well with antibiotics. The treatment is accompanied by relaxation methods. Infections such as urethritis or epididymitis must also be treated so that blood in the sperm can be prevented in the long term. Tumorous changes, especially prostate cancer, are surgically repaired.
If, on the other hand, there is a systemic disease, this must be treated in a targeted manner. For example, if hypertension is diagnosed, the doctor will prescribe a drug that stabilizes blood pressure.
In addition, the doctor takes on an advisory role. This is especially important when the blood in the semen cannot be caused by a cause. In this case, it is the doctor's job to reassure the patient and inform them of possible risks.
Outlook & forecast
Anyone who finds blood in their own sperm is most likely to have a broken vein. The color can provide information about whether it is just the said broken vein or a serious illness. If a ruptured blood vessel does not need to panic, the blood in the semen should already have disappeared when you ejaculate again. A doctor is therefore not to be consulted in such a case.
However, if the cause is a diseased prostate, for example, then this should be examined and treated by a doctor. Such inflammation of the prostate can lead to severe pain in the genital area, as well as a greatly increased temperature. If the diagnosis is prostate cancer, the tumor must urgently be removed in the hospital. A full recovery is extremely promising in such a case. Without medical treatment, this clinical picture can lead to death.
If the glans is injured due to excessive stress, a grace period (no sexual intercourse) must be observed. After about two weeks, the injury should have healed and the blood in the semen should have disappeared. If this is not the case, a doctor must be consulted. Without proper treatment, the course of the disease could have serious consequences if a serious illness is present.
prevention
Since blood in the semen is favored by regular alcohol and drug consumption, it is important to avoid the corresponding intoxicant in prevention. Furthermore, smoking can increase the risk of haematospermia.
Enclosed it is advisable to pay attention to a balanced diet. This has a major impact on the blood count and blood pressure in particular. After all, a sport should be practiced regularly. This promotes blood flow to the entire body. Finally, prostate cancer screening should be considered, especially for older people.
You can do that yourself
In any case, the family doctor or a urologist or gynecologist should be seen, even if in most cases there are no serious causes for the blood in the semen. The symptoms often subside within a few days. Nevertheless, attention should be paid to irritating the penis by avoiding sexual intercourse or wearing too tight clothing.
In the context of bacterial prostatitis or (epididymis) inflammation of the testicles, in addition to prescribing pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, elevating and cooling the testicles can have an analgesic effect. If the illness is accompanied by a fever, bed rest is also very important. Only very rarely, for example in the case of a tumor, is a surgical intervention the final solution.
In addition to medical treatment, there are also some home remedies that can also be used to relieve pain. These include, for example, various medicinal plants such as saw palmetto fruits, pumpkin seeds, rye pollen or the bark of the African plum tree. Homeopaths also swear by the dwarf palm, which is supposed to provide relief from pain when urinating. The use of these home remedies should, however, be discussed in advance with an alternative practitioner or naturopath and does not replace the classic treatment by a doctor.
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