Aa
Possible NGU?
I am hoping for guidance on how to determine if fluid from the penis counts as an abnormal discharge that would be diagnostic of NGU. I am not worried about chlamydia or gonorrhea based on testing.
Twice in the last week (on Sunday and then on Friday), I had a small amount of clear discharge, like pre-ejaculate fluid. I had not had an erection before either discharge, but had been somewhat aroused (without erection) within 30 minutes before. Other than these two episodes, I have not had visible discharge or staining of the underwear, including overnight.
I saw my doctor after the second discharge, she did a UA that she said was clean, and a prostate exam. She said the prostate is normal in size but has a soft consistency suggesting prostitits. I am 39.
Why I'm worried: I have had over the years many exposures to sex works, always condom protected for vaginal but not always for oral, and there were a few condom failures with vaginal sex. My wife and I separated a year, but resumed sex last month. All of my CSW contacts were years ago, the last one about 18 months ago. I did engage in this vice while having unprotected sex with my wife before our separation. I am worried I gave her NGU way back when, only to have her ping-pong it back to me just now.
I have three questions relating to this.
First, is my concern about NGU being ping-longed like this realistic? If not, then why would these discharges start only when we resumed sex? Please assume my wife has not had other partners.
Second, does the negative UA test rule out NGU? My doctor said yes, but she is "just" a general practitioner.
Third, is it normal to have scant to moderate amounts of fluid inside the urethra without it discharging? I have been checking myself often, and find that if I spread the penis opening I can sometimes see clear fluid just inside the opening, sometimes enough to dampen tissue paper. Does this "count" as discharge?
Thanks in advance.
Twice in the last week (on Sunday and then on Friday), I had a small amount of clear discharge, like pre-ejaculate fluid. I had not had an erection before either discharge, but had been somewhat aroused (without erection) within 30 minutes before. Other than these two episodes, I have not had visible discharge or staining of the underwear, including overnight.
I saw my doctor after the second discharge, she did a UA that she said was clean, and a prostate exam. She said the prostate is normal in size but has a soft consistency suggesting prostitits. I am 39.
Why I'm worried: I have had over the years many exposures to sex works, always condom protected for vaginal but not always for oral, and there were a few condom failures with vaginal sex. My wife and I separated a year, but resumed sex last month. All of my CSW contacts were years ago, the last one about 18 months ago. I did engage in this vice while having unprotected sex with my wife before our separation. I am worried I gave her NGU way back when, only to have her ping-pong it back to me just now.
I have three questions relating to this.
First, is my concern about NGU being ping-longed like this realistic? If not, then why would these discharges start only when we resumed sex? Please assume my wife has not had other partners.
Second, does the negative UA test rule out NGU? My doctor said yes, but she is "just" a general practitioner.
Third, is it normal to have scant to moderate amounts of fluid inside the urethra without it discharging? I have been checking myself often, and find that if I spread the penis opening I can sometimes see clear fluid just inside the opening, sometimes enough to dampen tissue paper. Does this "count" as discharge?
Thanks in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm glad to have helped. Thanks for the thanks.
Hi Dr. Handsfield,
I wanted to thank you for your expert feedback. I will continue to work with my GP, but without concern over STDs.
I appreciate how you have helped me.
I wanted to thank you for your expert feedback. I will continue to work with my GP, but without concern over STDs.
I appreciate how you have helped me.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
NGU discharge would be more continuous than you report. Your pattern, including the apparently usual timing after sexual arousal or ejaculation, strongly suggest discharge from the prostate or seminal vesicles -- and not an infection in the urethra.
Whether it's "normal" or not is hard to say. Such symptoms often indicate no important health problem. OTOH, it could be a non-STD infection in prostate, seminal vesicles, etc. But this isn't my area of expertise. If your symptoms continue, I would advise you to speak again with your doctor, for her advice eitner on reevaluating you herself or perhaps referring to a urologist.
In the meantime, you can stop worrying entirely about NGU or other STDs. Whatever is going on, that's not it.
That will end this thread, since we deal only with STDs. Best wishes.
Whether it's "normal" or not is hard to say. Such symptoms often indicate no important health problem. OTOH, it could be a non-STD infection in prostate, seminal vesicles, etc. But this isn't my area of expertise. If your symptoms continue, I would advise you to speak again with your doctor, for her advice eitner on reevaluating you herself or perhaps referring to a urologist.
In the meantime, you can stop worrying entirely about NGU or other STDs. Whatever is going on, that's not it.
That will end this thread, since we deal only with STDs. Best wishes.
Thank you doctor, and thanks for responding on a Sunday afternoon!
As a follow up, how continuious would we expect an NGU discharge to be? I ask because I had another discharge side of this today (after nothing on Saturday or Sunday), about 3.5 hours after having had ejaculated. I was in a poorly lit bathroom so I could not tell if it was clear.
Can this come occur every few days and still be normal? You are definitely correct that I am regretful about poor choices in the past, but there is not much to do about that . . .
As a follow up, how continuious would we expect an NGU discharge to be? I ask because I had another discharge side of this today (after nothing on Saturday or Sunday), about 3.5 hours after having had ejaculated. I was in a poorly lit bathroom so I could not tell if it was clear.
Can this come occur every few days and still be normal? You are definitely correct that I am regretful about poor choices in the past, but there is not much to do about that . . .
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
You are correct that new penile discharge could mean a urethral infection like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or NGU. However, these rarely cause clear discharge, whereas prostatitis can do so -- and you are getting to an age when nonspecific prostate problems become quite common. So can sexual arousal, of course. And NGU would almost always cause more continuous discharge, morning discharge, underwear stains (as you seem to already know), as well as usually discomfort on urination. And your negative STD evaluation by your doctor is very good evidence against these STDs. There is no realistic chance that you and your wife are sharing NGU or any other STD.
You don't mention whether your doctor sent a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia. I can't imagine you have either one, but such testing is normal in this situation and you probably would find the negative results reassuring. Discuss it with your doctor if this hasn't yet been done.
To your specific questions:
1) No, your NGU "ping pong" fears are not realistic. I really wouldn't worry about this at all.
2) Normal urinalysis -- especially lack of elevated white blood cells -- goes a long way in ruling out NGU. By itself, this isn't proof, but that fact plus the your lack of NGU symptoms, as discussed above, amount to definitive evidence against it.
3) The scant amount of clear discharge you describe is not abnormal. The urethra contains mucus glands that secrete small amounts all the time. You're just examining yourself too closely and I advice that you stop. Not only are you just increasing your anxiety (and perhaps guilt about past sexual decisions you now regret), but repeated squeezing of the penis to express discharge can increase mucus production -- and then someday you have even more obvious disharge that still doesn't mean anything.
So no worries --- all is well and there really are no worries about STD here.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are correct that new penile discharge could mean a urethral infection like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or NGU. However, these rarely cause clear discharge, whereas prostatitis can do so -- and you are getting to an age when nonspecific prostate problems become quite common. So can sexual arousal, of course. And NGU would almost always cause more continuous discharge, morning discharge, underwear stains (as you seem to already know), as well as usually discomfort on urination. And your negative STD evaluation by your doctor is very good evidence against these STDs. There is no realistic chance that you and your wife are sharing NGU or any other STD.
You don't mention whether your doctor sent a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia. I can't imagine you have either one, but such testing is normal in this situation and you probably would find the negative results reassuring. Discuss it with your doctor if this hasn't yet been done.
To your specific questions:
1) No, your NGU "ping pong" fears are not realistic. I really wouldn't worry about this at all.
2) Normal urinalysis -- especially lack of elevated white blood cells -- goes a long way in ruling out NGU. By itself, this isn't proof, but that fact plus the your lack of NGU symptoms, as discussed above, amount to definitive evidence against it.
3) The scant amount of clear discharge you describe is not abnormal. The urethra contains mucus glands that secrete small amounts all the time. You're just examining yourself too closely and I advice that you stop. Not only are you just increasing your anxiety (and perhaps guilt about past sexual decisions you now regret), but repeated squeezing of the penis to express discharge can increase mucus production -- and then someday you have even more obvious disharge that still doesn't mean anything.
So no worries --- all is well and there really are no worries about STD here.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
