Cloudy Discharge

[Palladin]

Dr. Mathews,

Forgive another question, but as you know, I am living/working in a remote area of a foreign country where I cannot get adequate english-speaking medical assistance.  I have BPH, for which I am on medication.  This past weekend, I went for a massage and had a very strong/hard deep tissue massage, particularly my lower back/pelvic region. (In my job, I also sit at a desk almost all day).  This morning, I notice a cloudy, kind a grey looking discharge from my penis.  It almost looks like semen.  This doesn't appear to be expressing, but it present only when "milking" my penis.  Could this be semen?  Could this be from the massage (very strong on my kidney are and lower back)?  Could this be prostatic fluids?  Or, should I be looking at taking antibiotics (I have Cipro and Doxy on hand)?

Other suiggestions?

Many thanks.

[Palladin]

By the way, this massage was a legitimate thereapeutic massage, not one of the shady massages known to be offered in this part of the world.

Thanks again.

[Palladin]

Thanks for the information.  I guess the deep massage was just coincidental.  I will hold off on the antibiotics and hopefully this will pass as just an irritation in/of the protate.

Thanks for your help, and your willingness to help.

[Dr Smitha Mathews]

Hi,

You are free to post as many questions as you need as answers to :-).

A deep massage of the back should not have resulted in any injury to the prostate. However, the prostate gland can be accessed rather easily in any sort of rectal investigation or in a prostate massage.

A prostate massage is contraindicated in individuals suffering from prostatitis or BPH in view of the potential for causing trauma and rupture.

If you had normal ejaculation prior to the massage or after the massage, the discharge should not be a problem, especially if you did not have exposure to contracting an STD.

It is possible that if any pressure was placed on the prostate, the gland could have been irritated and is secreting fluid to wash away irritative secretions or in response to inflammation.

Cloudy fluid will usually be originating in the prostate.
There is no need to start prophylaxis with antibiotics. This is in view of the fact that the organisms that cause UTIs and STDs are becoming resistant to the abovementioned antibiotics.

Just ensure that you continue your BPH medication, avoid ejaculation for a week, avoid sitting for prolonged periods, try and recline or walk around as often as possible, avoid prostate irritants (caffeine and alcohol), and drink plenty of fluids.

Keep us posted.
regards