Penile Discharge

[downandou]

Hi Doctor,

I have a question regarding penile discharge.  I have been having a small amount of penile discharge over the past few weeks, it started off only when I would strain after a bowel movement (it was white/cloudy appearance) but lately I have been having a small amount show up on the tip of my penis usually in the early afternoon and it has been like a clear sticky substance.  Today I just noticed a little bit of white around the tip of penis.  I have been having a lot of back pain, soreness & burning like feeling in my testicles along with testicle tingling non stop and a hot burning like feeling on the underside of my buttocks when I sit down.   I have been having these problems for some time (especially the testicle tingling),  I suspected I might have Herpes because I did receive unprotected Oral sex a long time ago, but I have no "classic blisters" in my scrotal area.  I went and got tested for all the other STD's and was clean, however I started having penile discharge last summer along with urine dribbling and went to the urology for testing.  I told him I was concerned about herpes, he told me I probably had prostititius and prescribed me Cipro for 1 month.  He did do a prostate examine as well as cystosopy and he said everything looked normal but he still prescribed me Cipro anyways.  Well it's been a year and I'm still having the tingling, pain, burning and discharge problems which makes me fear that this is Herpes.  My question to you regarding this discharge, If I go for a urine test and if  my discharge is herpes related would it show up as an infection on the urine test as such? If it shows up as normal what would you suspect the discharge is being caused by?  Could it possibly be prostate fluid leaking out?  If it is prostate fluid how would show up on the urine test? I can't get into see my urologist until mid august and I'm quite concerned.  This is not normal and I have been extremely stressed over this whole situation.  

[kev5490]

im interested in hearing the outcome of this because im experiencing the same.

[downandou]

Thank-you Dr.  One last question I would just liked to clarify

If my discharge was because of Herpes, would the discharge not show up as abnormal?   Would swabing the discharge and examing it show if it was being caused by Herpes?  

Thank-you

[Stephen Liroff, MD]

Your description is not that of herpes. Herpes would not be recovered from urine nor reveal an abnormality on urinalysis. Your discomforts sound more of an anxiety issue than a physical one unless there is a spinal nerve compression (which is doubtful).
Some people do seem to express prostatic fluid with straining to move their bowels. Also, with sexual excitement there is a clear fluid that  is from the glands along the urethra and is not abnormal.
If your upcoming visit again fails to reveal anything wrong, it will be time to move on and consider an emotional cause for your discomfort and assume that the penile discharge is not pathologic. Seek the help of a sex therapist. The longer the problem persists untreated, the harder it will be to be helped.
S.A.Liroff, M.D.