In women, the emergence of sexual desire is accompanied by the swelling of the mammary glands and the release of lubricant. But few people know what is released in men when they are excited. Strong sex is able to produce not only seminal fluid, but also a special lubricant that facilitates sliding during intercourse.
Mechanisms of male arousal
The process of sexual arousal is a complex psychological and physiological reaction. In most cases, sexual attraction begins with eye contact with the object of desire. Images of the upcoming sexual intercourse appear in the man's subconscious, which causes an erection.
Not only the real, but also the fantasy image is capable of arousing sexual desire. This reaction may be slower. Erectile function depends on the reactions of the central nervous system. Male sexuality is controlled by brain impulses that travel along the spinal cord.
The main arousal mechanism is a person's own thoughts and images born of fantasy.
Types of erection and its mechanism:
- Reflex. This reaction occurs after stimulation of the genital organ. The reaction is physiological and often appears a minute after masturbation. The mechanism originates in the spinal cord. Sexual desire can be observed even in a paraplegic with a spinal cord injury.
- Psychogenic. It is an arousal mechanism created by fantasy and thought processes. Sexual images associated with possible intercourse appear in the head of a man. This type of erection requires a healthy nervous system, as only a few patients with spinal cord injury can achieve it.
- At night. It refers to mechanical uncontrolled erection, which occurs in all healthy men. The first night reaction of sexual arousal is observed even in boys during puberty. The absence of a mechanical erection is a reason to consult a doctor and is a sign of androgen deficiency and other physiological disorders.
After the penis is filled with arterial blood, the penis hardens. Men may experience ejaculation when they are excited. At the same time, the ischiocavernosus muscles contract, compressing the base of the penis and preventing the outflow of blood from it. During this period, urination becomes difficult.
After contraction along the epididymis, ejaculation occurs - seminal fluid is expelled from the urethra. The neck of the bladder also contracts, preventing the reverse flow of secretions, then the muscles of the penis contract sharply and rhythmically, and 2-5 ml of discharge is released.
After ejaculation, a man's sexual desire completely disappears and the hardness of the genital organ disappears. In this case, erection becomes impossible for some time and the formation of seminal fluid is restored.
A healthy man can become sexually responsive again within 10 minutes. However, this period varies and depends on a man's sexual habits and desires. Age, health and mental state play an important role.
What is precum?
When men wake up, they secrete clear mucus - this is before ejaculation. Appears with or after an erection. The release of such fluid prevents damage to the penis during vaginal penetration.
The absence of pre-ejaculation in a man can indicate a pathology of the reproductive system.
The secreted substance is often called pre-seminal fluid. There is another name - pre-seed. This lubricant is released not only before intercourse, but also during light sexual arousal, during rubbing and masturbation. The appearance of pre-ejaculation indicates a man's desire to have an intimate relationship with a woman.
Where is it produced?
Sebum secretion in men cannot be called a simple process. In the body, there are special glands located in the muscles of the perineum, at the base of the penis. They are called Cooper's or bulbourethral glands.
The male organ was named after Cooper, who discovered it. They were discovered as early as the 17th century, but the true purpose of glandular tissue became known only later.
There are also littre glands, in which part of the pre-ejaculate is formed. They are located in the urethra (from the neck of the bladder to the external opening of the urethra). Their main task is to secrete alkaline mucous fluid and thereby increase the volume of preseminal fluid. Normally it varies from 2-3 drops to 5 ml.
The most common reason to see a doctor is pre-ejaculation at the slightest sexual arousal. Such a sign can indicate a malfunction of the genitourinary system and cause problems. However, this condition can be treated. Andrologist prescribes therapy after appropriate examination.
Mixed
Preseminal fluid is a mucous secretion that contains alkali and various enzymes. Since the vaginal environment is acidic and rejects the man's sperm, the lubricant helps to neutralize the "aggressiveness" of the female microflora.
There is a myth that discharge from a man's urethra can make a woman pregnant. Lubrication does not contain sperm, but may be present when intercourse without contraception occurs several hours after masturbation or previous intercourse.
In order to prevent unwanted pregnancy, it is recommended to use condoms or other protective means in this case.
Functions
Pre-semen is not only a lubricating clear liquid, but also a protective reaction of the mucous membrane. Early release of sperm makes it easier for the penis to penetrate the vagina and facilitates friction if the woman does not produce enough lubrication.
Penile secretions have several important functions:
- to neutralize the increased acidity of the vaginal microflora,
- facilitates the penetration of the penis, helps the movement of sperm along the cervix,
- increase the chance of conception,
- remove the contents of the urethra (urine, semen).
Sperm die quickly in an acidic environment. Thanks to the alkaline pre-ejaculation, they can enter the female reproductive system without damage and fertilize the egg. Therefore, male lubricant can preserve sperm vitality.
Ejaculation from the urethra also increases the chances of getting pregnant, as seminal fluid quickly enters the uterus during ejaculation. In addition, natural lubricant will help to avoid the use of artificial substitutes and facilitate the penetration of the penis into the vagina when the woman's own secretion is not sufficient.
What does normal look like?
In medical terminology, urethral discharge is often called libidinal urethrorhoea. In appearance, it is the usual transparent mucus. During sexual intercourse, it is released in the volume from 1 to 5 ml. This amount is enough for comfortable sex.
Pre-sperm also contains smegma, an oily substance that collects in the foreskin layer. If a man is faithful to one sexual partner or uses a condom during intercourse, then there is no additional inclusion or color change. A slight whitish color is possible.
Reason to consult a doctor
The appearance of any suspicious symptoms is a reason to consult a doctor. Such changes in the body should alert you. If a man consults a doctor in time, the disease can be detected at an early stage, which helps in a quick recovery.
The symptom will be a sign and reason to check the body for the presence of infection or inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system. To determine the cause of the development of the pathological process, the doctor will prescribe a diagnostic examination and laboratory tests.
Additional symptoms that will help make the diagnosis:
- fever, fever,
- pain or discomfort in the pelvic organs,
- skin redness, rashes and tissue swelling,
- purulent and bloody impurities in the discharge,
- itching and burning in the urethra,
- hyperemia in the penile area,
- other suspicious symptoms (urinary retention, erectile dysfunction).
Similar pathological processes in the male body during excitement and rest are observed when infected with sexually transmitted diseases. If you notice one or more accompanying symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. Urgent antibiotic therapy may be required.
No pre-cum is released
Some men, after reading the article, may suspect a problem because they do not ejaculate beforehand. This can be either a sign of normality or a sign of a pathological process.
The indicated volume (1-5 ml) is approximate. The amount of discharge from the urethra during awakening can vary and depends on the individual characteristics of the body. Sometimes a man does not feel that the lubricant is released, because it is released after penetrating the vagina.
In 5% of cases, the absence of pre-ejaculation is a sign of the presence of inflammatory diseases. It is recommended that you consult your doctor about the possible problem. Disabled people and elderly people may not have urethral discharge.
Color and consistency changes
Any color splashes should alert a person. Normally, the color of pre-sperm is transparent, slightly white. You should also pay attention to the density. Preseminal fluid is thin and flows freely through the urethra during sexual arousal.
Reasons to see a doctor:
- change in smell, the appearance of a "fishy" unpleasant smell mixed with mold,
- increased discharge volume,
- the presence of blood and pus,
- changes in the structure of pre-ejaculation, thickening, the appearance of cheesy sediment,
- color change.
Gray, red, green, orange and other shades are a sign of an inflammatory or infectious process. This is how the body reacts to a viral invasion. Sometimes colored discharge is a sign of the normal rehabilitation process after prostate surgery, antibiotic therapy or other surgical interventions.
Sticky transparent discharge sometimes indicates infection with infectious diseases: staphylococcus, streptococcus, E. coli. The release of bacteria is observed not only before sperm, but also during the resting state of the penis.
What can the appearance of different shades of sperm in advance mean:
- Gray-green color. It indicates the presence of infection in the body. This is not always a sign of sexually transmitted diseases, flu or ARVI can manifest itself in this way. As a rule, it is accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
- Thick white discharge. They talk about the development of fungal diseases, most often this is candidiasis. It is transmitted from an infected sexual partner. If the pathogen is detected, both men and women should be treated.
- Red color. It indicates the presence of blood in the discharge. This symptom is characteristic of urological diseases (urethritis, cystitis), chronic prostatitis and a number of other diseases not related to the urinary system: hypertension, atherosclerosis.
- Yellow. This is a sign of sexually transmitted diseases. Symptoms of STDs are rarely observed in men, in most cases the disease occurs in a hidden form. When yellow discharge appears, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis and other sexually transmitted diseases can be suspected.
- Purulent discharge. They talk about the presence of certain types of infection, such as gonorrhea, syphilis and gonococcal infection. It is often accompanied by problems with urination and erectile dysfunction.
Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. Regular examination is not enough to determine the problem, in some cases you will have to undergo laboratory diagnostics using ultrasound.
The key to recovery is timely consultation with a doctor.
Do not self-medicate and do not allow the disease to progress. Sexually transmitted diseases provoke the appearance of many pathologies and can cause problems with urination, erectile dysfunction and a decrease in the body's immune defenses.