The emergence of sexual desire in women is accompanied by swelling of the mammary glands and the release of lubricant. But few people know what triggers men when they are aroused. The stronger sex is able to produce not only seminal fluid, but also a special lubricant that facilitates sliding during friction.
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 impending sexual intercourse appear in a man's subconscious, causing an erection.
Not only a real, but also a fantastic image can arouse sexual desire. This reaction may be slower. Erectile function depends on the reactions of the central nervous system. A man's sexual ability is controlled by brain impulses that pass along the spinal cord.
The main exciting mechanism is one's own thoughts and images born from fantasy.
Types of erection and its mechanism:
- Reflex. This reaction occurs after stimulation of the genital organ. The reaction is physiological and often appears within a minute of masturbation. The mechanism originates in the spinal cord. Sexual desire can also be observed in a paralyzed person with spinal injuries.
- Psychogenic. This is an arousal mechanism caused by imagination and thought processes. Sexual images appear in a man's head associated with possible sexual intercourse. This type of erection requires a healthy nervous system, since only a few patients with lower spinal cord injuries can achieve it.
- Night. Refers to uncontrolled mechanical erection, occurs in all healthy men. The first nocturnal reaction of sexual arousal is also observed in boys during puberty. The absence of mechanical erection is a reason to consult a doctor and a sign of androgen deficiency and other physiological disorders.
The penis becomes hard after it fills with arterial blood. Men may experience discharge when aroused. At the same time, the ischiocavernous muscles contract, compressing the base of the penis and blocking the outflow of blood from it. During this period, urination is difficult.
After contractions along the epididymis, ejaculation occurs: the seminal fluid is expelled from the urethra. The neck of the bladder also contracts, preventing the backflow of secretions, so the muscles of the penis contract sharply and rhythmically, releasing 2 to 5 ml of ejaculate.
After ejaculation the man completely loses sexual desire and the hardness of the genital organ disappears. In this case, for some time, erection becomes impossible and the formation of seminal fluid resumes.
A healthy man can experience a sexual response again within 10 minutes. However, this period varies and depends on the man's sexual habits and desires. Age, health and mental state play an important role.
What is precum
When aroused, men secrete clear mucus: this is pre-ejaculate. Appears with or after erection. The release of this fluid helps prevent injury to the penis during vaginal penetration.
The absence of pre-ejaculate in a man may indicate a pathology of the reproductive system.
The secreted substance is often also called pre-seminal fluid. There is another name: pre-seed. This lubricant is released not only before sexual intercourse, but also during mild sexual arousal, during petting and masturbation. The appearance of pre-ejaculate indicates a man's desire to enter into an intimate relationship with a woman.
Where is it produced?
The secretion of lubrication in a man cannot be called a simple process. The body has special glands located in the muscles of the perineum, at the base of the penis. They are called Cooper's or bulbourethral glands.
Male organs received their name in honor of the discoverer, Cooper. They were discovered in the 17th century, but the true purpose of the glandular tissue became known later.
There are also the glands of Littre, 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 an alkaline mucous fluid, thus increasing the volume of pre-seminal fluid. It normally varies from 2-3 drops to 5 ml.
The most common reason for visiting a doctor is the release of pre-seed at the slightest sexual arousal. Such a sign may indicate a malfunction of the genitourinary system and cause problems. However, this situation can be treated. The andrologist prescribes therapy after an appropriate examination.
Composed
Preseminal fluid is a mucous secretion containing alkali and various enzymes. Since the vaginal environment is acidic and repels the man's sperm, the lubricant helps to neutralize the "aggression" of the female microflora.
There is a myth that secretions from a man's urethra can cause pregnancy in a woman. The lubricant does not contain sperm, but may be present when sexual intercourse without contraception occurs within a few hours of masturbation or previous sexual intercourse.
To avoid unwanted pregnancy, in this case it is recommended to use a condom or other means of protection.
Functions
Preseed is not only a transparent lubricating liquid, but also a protective reaction of the mucosa. The release of pre-seed facilitates penetration of the penis into the vagina and helps relieve friction if the woman does not produce enough lubrication.
Penile secretions have several important functions:
- neutralize the increased acidity of the vaginal microflora,
- facilitate penetration of the penis, help the movement of sperm along the cervix,
- increase the chances of conception,
- remove the contents of the urinary canal (urine, semen).
Sperm cells die rapidly in an acidic environment. And it is thanks to the alkaline pre-ejaculate that they can enter the woman's genital tract intact and fertilize the egg. This is why male lubricant can protect the viability of sperm.
Secretions from the urethra also increase the chance of getting pregnant, because the seminal fluid will quickly enter the uterus during flow. In addition, natural lubricant will help avoid the use of artificial substitutes and facilitate penetration of the penis into the vagina if a woman does not have enough of her own secretions.
What does normal look like?
In medical terminology, urethral discharge is often called libidinal urethrorrhea. In appearance, it is ordinary transparent mucus. During sexual intercourse, it is released in a volume between 1 and 5 ml. This amount is enough for comfortable sexual contact.
Pre-seed also contains smegma, a fatty substance that collects in the fold of the foreskin. If a man is faithful to a sexual partner or uses a condom during sexual intercourse, there are no additional inclusions or color changes. A slight whitish tinge is possible.
Reason to see 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 contributes to a speedy recovery.
The symptom will be a hint and a reason to check the body for infections or inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system. The doctor will prescribe a diagnostic examination and laboratory tests to identify the cause of the development of the pathological process.
Additional symptoms that will help make a diagnosis:
- increased body temperature, fever, fever,
- feeling of pain or discomfort in the pelvic organs,
- redness of the skin, rashes and swelling of the tissues,
- purulent and bloody impurities in the secretions,
- itching and burning in the urethra,
- hyperemia in the penile area,
- other suspicious symptoms (urinary retention, erectile dysfunction).
Similar pathological processes in a man's body during arousal and during periods of rest are observed when infected with sexually transmitted diseases. If you notice one or more associated symptoms, see your 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 are not producing pre-ejaculate. This can be a sign of normality or a sign of a pathological process.
The indicated volume (1 to 5 ml) is approximate. The amount of secretion from the urethra during arousal can vary and depends on the individual characteristics of the body. Sometimes a man does not notice the release of lubricant, as it is released after penetration into the vagina.
In 5% of cases the absence of preejaculate is a symptom of the presence of inflammatory diseases. We recommend that you consult your doctor regarding a possible problem. Disabled people and the elderly may not have discharge from the urethra.
Changes in color and texture
Any colored splashes should alert a man. Normally the color of the pre-seed is transparent, slightly white. You should also pay attention to the density. Preseminal fluid is thin and flows freely from the urinary canal during sexual arousal.
Reasons to see a doctor:
- change in odor, appearance of an unpleasant "fishy" odor mixed with mold,
- increase in discharge volume,
- the presence of blood and pus,
- change in the structure of pre-ejaculate, thickening, appearance of a cheesy sediment,
- color change.
Gray, red, green, orange and other shades are a sign of an inflammatory or infectious process. The body reacts in this way to a viral invasion. Sometimes colored discharge is a sign of the normal rehabilitation process after prostate surgery, antibiotic therapy, or other surgery.
Clear, sticky discharge sometimes indicates infection with infectious diseases: staphylococcus, streptococcus, E. coli. The release of bacteria is observed not only in pre-seed, but also in the resting state of the penis.
What the appearance of different shades of pre-seed can mean:
- Grey-green colour. 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.
- White, thick discharge. They talk about the development of fungal diseases, most often it is candidiasis. It is transmitted from an infected sexual partner. If a pathogen is detected, both the man and the woman must be treated.
- Red. Indicates the presence of blood in the secretions. This symptom is typical for 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 disease infection. Men rarely show symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases; very often the disease occurs in a latent 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 infections, such as gonorrhea, syphilis and gonococcal infection. Often accompanied by urination problems and erectile dysfunction.
Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. To identify the problem, a routine examination is not enough; it will be necessary to undergo laboratory diagnostic tests, in some cases by ultrasound.
The key to recovery is timely consultation with a doctor.
Do not self-medicate and do not let the disease run its course. Sexually transmitted diseases cause the appearance of numerous pathologies and can cause problems with urination, erectile dysfunction and decreased immune defenses.