Patient's question:
Hello doctor! I am a person who has been masturbating for a long time, but not frequently. Today, after masturbation, I suddenly found that my semen contained a lot of blood, and the color was rather grayish, not very bright. Is this a very serious condition? I look forward to your replyDoctor's answer:
Hello: First and foremost, you need to address the habit of masturbation in your case! Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that blood in semen is often caused by the accumulation of damp-heat in the lower burner, which damages the blood vessels, or by excessive consumption of spicy and greasy foods, or by overexertion that damages the kidney Qi, depleting the kidney Yin. This leads to Yin deficiency and excess fire, disturbing the seminal vesicles and forcing blood to flow abnormally. Modern medicine suggests that it is mostly caused by inflammation or tumors in the urinary or reproductive systems, such as seminal vesiculitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia with inflammation, prostate cancer, varicocele, or rupture of submucosal veins in the posterior urethra near the verumontanum. Clinically, the most common conditions causing blood in semen are diseases of the seminal vesicles and prostate, as semen is produced in these two organs. The most common condition is seminal vesiculitis. The seminal vesicles are located above the prostate and between the bladder and rectum. The distal ends of the seminal vesicles merge with the distal ends of the vas deferens to form the ejaculatory duct, which opens into the urethra. The organs surrounding the seminal vesicles include the prostate, urethra, and rectum. The wall of the seminal vesicles contains a network of small blood vessels, with many capillaries. When surrounding organs become inflamed, tumorous, or infected with tuberculosis, inflammatory exudates can spread through this network. When bacteria cause inflammation of the seminal vesicles, the walls become swollen and congested, making capillaries more prone to rupture and bleeding, leading to seminal vesiculitis. During ejaculation, this results in red semen, sometimes accompanied by urinary urgency, frequency, or pain (bladder irritation), or mild pain in the perineum, perianal area, or lower abdomen. In such cases, antibiotics with high concentrations in the urinary system, such as ciprofloxacin or furazolidone, should be taken. Patients should also be encouraged to drink more water, urinate more frequently, and abstain from sexual activity for a period. For this condition, medication alone usually leads to recovery without affecting male fertility. Other causes of blood in semen include tuberculosis of the seminal vesicles and prostate, schistosomiasis, stone damage, tumors, papillary tumors of the verumontanum, benign prostatic hyperplasia, purpura, scurvy, varicocele, and cirrhosis. For blood in semen caused by these diseases, the primary focus should be on treating the underlying condition. If the condition does not improve with long-term treatment, blood in the semen can affect semen quality and sperm function. Additionally, if the underlying condition is not treated effectively, it can lead to a decline in overall health, reduced sexual function, and lower fertility, potentially resulting in male infertility. Therefore, it is important to identify the cause of blood in semen early and seek timely treatment. May I ask your age? Do you have any other discomforting symptoms?