Q&As Tagged Questions

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch with us here at Men's Sexual Health. Firstly there's a wide range of texture, odor, and taste in normal and healthy semen. There is even variation in color, including opaque white, transparent, and yellowish. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as diet, lifestyle and alcohol consumption and even lack of regular ejaculations. This is a common question asked on our Q&A, so please do not feel alone, a lot of men have suffered from this issue.

From our knowledge, sometimes the causes of jelly-like sperm is the massive concentration of protein compound of your sperm in your testicular sperm bank, usually those teens that masturbate actively for years and suddenly refrain from doing it have a greater chance of having this stuff(though its normal). Because during the time your still active in masturbation your testicles produces more sperm so it needs sugar and protein to produce a liquid substances wherein your sperm swam. So your brain may senses that during your frequent masturbation or sex maybe, it send a message to your testicles to produce more of these substances. Consequently, to the certain point of time you did not masturbate for along period, the sperm and protein base liquid in your testicles may over reproduce and the tendency of this if you were unable to let it ejaculate, it will accumulate in your testicles and becomes highly concentrated. Subsequently this causes your sperm to look like a jelly - like substance...its normal as long its color varies from white to yellowish and no blood or black or green.

Some people find drinking more water, drinking less alcohol and masterbating more often sometimes solves the problem.

You say you went for an STI test, did you discuss with the clinic about your sperm issue and what did they suggest? The fact that you are experiencing pain however we would suggest you see you local GP/Doctor to discuss this further to rule out any other underlying condition.

Regarding your white pearly penile papules, the fact you know what they are called shows you have done your research. This are perfectly normal, nearly all men have these, some have more and bigger than others, this are just the glans of the penis and should not be worries about, again the fact you have had a STI test confirms these are unlikely to be anything other than your glans. Please do get back in touch if things don't improve.

Answered by team member Matt
30th January 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

The problem you feel you are having actually sounds quite normal. After a man ejaculates, his penis usually becomes soft, returning to its smaller pre-erect state. He will usually need some time to recover, before he can have another erection and ejaculation. This recovery period is called the refractory period, and generally, is quicker for younger men. Some men can have an erection immediately afterwards, some can have a few orgasms/ejaculations in a few hours, whilst others take longer to become erect again. It all falls within the normal parameters of sexual health!

If you had difficulty maintaining an erection during sex, in your circumstance, the most likely cause would be mental; due to the problems you are having in your relationship. Erectile dysfunction, when your penis goes soft during when you don’t want it to, has many causes, both physical and mental and affects most men at some point in their life. To help prevent these kinds of problems in the future, you need to address your relationship issues with your girlfriend. If you've been fighting, even if you're having makeup sex, you most likely have residual worries that weigh on you that can affect you both. She may be experiencing similar feelings of worry, making it difficult for her to orgasm. If you two can work on your relationship issues, and not fight so much, it will no doubt ease the pressure you feel when you are having sex, as wedll as make life together happier! If you are finding that you ejaculate too quickly, again, your mind can play a large part in that. One thing you can try is using condoms, as they can help reduce sensitivity. There are also special condoms and lubricant you can use, that have a slight numbing effect on the penis, to help you last longer. The Delay brand, by Pasante or Performa by Durex, along with other store brands like Boots are specially made to help with premature ejaculation. These products prolong lovemaking by using a low dosage skin numbing ingredient like benzocaine, to reduce sensitivity and postpone orgasm. I hope this all helps. Please get back to us if you have any more questions or worries.

Answered by team member Mara
11th October 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi Dave,

Thanks for coming to us with your concern. This is obviously a serious problem for you, effecting you not only physically, but mentally and no doubt emotionally as well. There are many factors to take into consideration when trying to understand what the cause of spontaneous ejaculation could be, from physical to psychological to stimulation and medication, among other things. Though you've given a description of your problem, there are still many questions to be asked in order to get an idea which direction one would need to look for an answer.

Sometimes, these kind of problems can be linked to issues with an enlarged prostate, however, this generally happens to older men, and, as this has been going on since what appears to be your teens, it's probably not likely. Some medications (including antidepressants) can have the side effect of spontaneous ejaculation. It could be something as simple as too much stimulation that you're not aware of. Perhaps if you switched to briefs instead of boxers it might help. It is difficult to advise you with any kind of certainty as to the definate cause. The best course of action is for you to visit your GP who will be able to take a medical history and ask all the necessary questions, before advising you in this case. Hope this helps. Please let us know the outcome, as we are very curious ourselves.

Answered by team member Mara
29th September 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Well, we wouldn't call you a medical curiosity, but it would be interesting to know what the underlying cause is, especially in case anyone else came along who suffered the same problem! As for bothering your doctor, don't worry about that, you have a genuine concern. It would be best to have this looked at sooner rather than later. Though the condition may not bother you now, it may become more difficult to cope with as you age. From what you describe, it doesn't seem to show signs of letting up. GP's are used to patients being uncomfortable with discussing certain issues and should handle the situation professionally in a way to put you at ease. Men can be notoriously reluctant to visit medical professionals when it comes to their health... So, it's part of our job to give you a gentle nudge to make that dreaded appointment... We look forward to hearing from you again!

Answered by team member Mara
30th September 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thanks for getting in touch. The purpose of wearing a chastity device is orgasm denial, and this is either usuallly for personal sexual gratification or relationship reasons. Being denied orgasm will mean the prostate glad in the male anus will have a build up of seminal fluid (pre-cum) and because you are not masturbating or having sex, this will start to seep out, so yes this is normal to leak.

However please be aware, it is actually more healthy to ejaculate, the purpose of masterbation and/or sex is not just for pleasure but is advised for men to keep the prostate healthy. If you are in a chastity device to deny orgasm then you may want to look into milking the prostate, this will help have an orgasm and remove the build up but won't be for sexual gratification purposes. You say it has been for 3 weeks, please be aware if using such a device you remove it frequently for periods of cleaning, as it is very important that you keep the penis clean, to prevent infection and build up of smegma.

I hope this has helped your concern, please get in touch again if needed

Answered by team member Matt
30th August 2011

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

I don't know how effective cleaning with q-tips once a day would be, I understand you do a full clean once a week, but it would probably more advisable to remove the device once a day when in the shower or bath to clean the penis effectively.

Answered by team member Matt
5th September 2011

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in touch with us. There are two areas for erectile dysfunction, it is either a physiological issue or a psychological issue. As you are able to get an erection when masturbating, this shows it is not a physiological issue, just a psychological issue. What is it about pre-cum that causes you to lose your erection, as surely this also gets produced when you are masturbating. You seem to be suffering with some form of performance anxiety, you may benefit from some of sexual therapy/counselling to get over this issue. Please get in touch if you have further info/help needed.

Answered by team member Matt
11th September 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in touch. Please try not to worry, cum/semen can come in a wide range of texture, odor, and taste, there can even variation in color, including opaque white, transparent, and yellowish. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as diet, lifestyle and alcohol consumption and even lack of regular ejaculations. In your case, watery cum is generally linked to diet issues, a lack of zinc and lack of fructose. Try eating more fruits and vegetables that contain zinc and fructose and see if that improves the quality of your cum/seman. However, although unlikely based on the information you have provided, you may want to book an appointment with your GP/Doctor just to rule out something like a urinary infection for example, it probably isn't but for peace of mind it is always good to seek medical advice if your body suddenly changes. Your doctor will also be able to suggest good foods to eat and with a follow up meeting with him you can let him know if your sperm consistency has changed and if it hasn't he can look further into it. If you need further advice or support please do get back in touch.

Answered by team member Matt
9th January 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Given your husband's age combined with the symptom of spontaneous ejaculation, the most likely cause of his problem is an enlarged prostate, resulting on oversensitivity. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged as part of the aging process. Most commonly, it effects urination, often restricting the flow, or even in later stages, contributing to UTI's. When the Prostate, also referred to as 'the Male G-Spot' is stimulated or massaged, it can result in an orgasm without an erection. If your husband is doing work that requires abdominal loading or pelvic straining, it may be putting pressure on his potentially enlarged prostate, thus resulting in ejaculation. As for the difficulty ejaculating during sex, normally BHP would result in easier to attain ejaculation; however, it could be restricting with an erection.

Being highly sexed is a good thing for your husband. Regular ejaculation allows testosterone to flow freely and is known to reduce the risk of prostate problems and cancer in men. Masturbation is sometimes recommended for men who experience delayed ejaculation issues.

The best course of action is for your husband to speak to his GP. He will need to go further into detail about what kind of activities bring on ejaculation and if he is taking any kind of medication. Please encourage him to visit his GP as soon as he can. We’d love to hear back from you to find out what the final diagnosis is. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again if we can be of any help.

Answered by team member Mara
21st June 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for contacting MSH. There is a condition that correlates having sex and getting headaches. These headaches are often brought on suddenly, without warning, at the point of orgasm, or during coitus. They can even occur during strenuous activity, (exertional or effort headache) unrelated to sexual activity.

The Coital headaches can strike before, during, or after sex. They also have been known to happen during masturbation as well.



There are three separate patterns for coital headaches



Sudden Onset - This headache comes on suddenly without warning and is characterized as explosive. It too can occur, before, during, or after sex. The explosive sudden onset headache produces a very painful and often throbbing type of headache. The headache starts at the base of the head and neck and works it way to the back of the eyes. This pattern of headache lasts for hours. The sudden onset coitus cephalgia (headaches) are the most common representing about 70% of the documented cases.



Subacute, crescendo headaches - occur in 25% of all cases reported. With this pattern of coital headache, the headache begins long before orgasm and starts out as a dull aching headache at the back of the head and grows in intensity as orgasm approaches. Nausea and vomiting can ensue but it rarely happens.



Postdural headache - The pain in this headache also starts at the back of the head and increases in intensity as the person stands up. This coital headache is often accompanied with nausea and vomiting. It is the rarest form of coital headache making up the last 5% of coital headache sufferers.



Possible causes for coital headaches..



It is generally believed that coital headaches are caused by the sudden rise in blood pressure associated with sexual activity. During the arousal stage the hands feet and head fill with blood as well the genital area. After sex the drop in pressure can cause pain in certain individuals. Coital headaches may also be triggered by the adrenaline in the body during sexual excitement.



Are women singled out for coital headaches?



No, both men and woman are subjected to coital headaches. It is not gender specific. Furthermore, more men than women suffer from this condition. The condition usually surfaces in men in their early 20's. Coital headaches can also go through a remission period and resurface later on.



Diagnostic Tests for coital headaches



Your doctor may order a CT scan, MRI, intercranial MRA, or special type of x-ray to determine if any blood vessels have ruptured (aneurism) or in anyway become damaged and at the same time, rule out other possible causes.



Treatments for coital headaches. Its be suggested that these bad headaches in women might be caused because the woman is holding her breath during the sexual experience. She suggests that a woman suffering from headaches take deep breaths to see if this helps.



Pain relievers and prescription medication is often prescribed before sexual activity to offset the pain. Also other method of prevention suggested are, Weight loss and exercise, Less strenuous sexual activity, less frequent sexual activity (once a day), Or adjusting the posture.



We would also suggest discussing this with you local GP/Doctor to rule out anything more serious in nature. We hope this has helped, please let us know if we can offer any further advice.

Answered by team member Matt
23rd August 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

As you've not mentioned it, can you please tell us if you have been receiving treatment at the same time. Also, though treatment is often a single dose of antibiotic, he must abstain from sexual activity for one week after taking it. Has this been the case? Is it possible you are passing it back and forth between yourselves? That would seem the simple answer, so please confirm you are taking neccessary precautions.

Answered by team member Mara
25th October 2009

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

You have stated that the Chlamydia is only showing up in blood tests, so it is just possible that what you partner is not actually infected with the Chlamydia Trachomatis bacterium, but the residue DNA from the original infection in his blood stream; this is quite rare, but not unheard of. If this is the case, then treatment is quite difficult, as he would need regular blood tests and only when the DNA count is low, would the doctor prescribe specific medication, and this would need be done two or three times before the blood is cleared of the residue DNA. The other aspect is that you have said your partner is in another country, though treatment for Chlamydia is quite universal today, there is evidence that show that in some countries not all antibiotics are as strong as they should be, or that the need to complete the full course is advised.

Answered by team member Tim
3rd December 2009

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thanks for getting in touch. It sounds like you are describing pre-cum, not all men get this, and those that do it can vary from just a little leak to a lot, but let me reasure you this is perfectly normall. Pre-cum is a clear fluid that emits from the tip of the penis when a man is sexually aroused, and its purpose is to act as a lubricant (please be aware this can transmit STI, HIV and can contain sperm if you are not using barrier methods such as condoms to have safe sex with). In very rare cases some men over produce this, if this is the case I would discuss with you GP if possible.

Regarding the cumming very fast, this could be for various reasons, and I wouldn't say it has anything to do with your pre-cum. Many men suffer from Premature ejaculation, a recent UK survey said 10% of male population had suffered with PE at some point in their life. Another European study classed PE as lasting around 1.8 mins, and with 7.3 mins being classed as normal, would you say you fall into this first category as what you class as PE might not be PE. There are initially 4 treatments for PE - 1) Distraction method - when you are nearing climax, think about something comepletely different than whats going on. 2) Applying a delay gel to your penis, this will decrease sensitivity and hopefully improve your duration. 3) Delay condoms, this are coated with the delay gel and with the added thickness of the condom this too will help improve your duration. 4) start stop method - when alone try masterbating till u reach the point where you are going to climax but stop yourself, repeat this 3 or 4 times to build up your own self control, and then allow yourself to climax, after a few times a week doing this, you should find yourself lasting longer.

Regarding the itchy end of your penis, if you masturbate too often then yes the penis could become sore, but there could also be other reasons, it could be a reaction to soap or cleaning product you are currently using, or it could be and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), again I would recommend going to you doctor/GP and explain your concerns and get tested as most STI's can be treated.

Please get back to us if you still have any further concerns.

Answered by team member Matt
7th July 2011

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Ejaculating very quickly ("premature ejaculation") is quite a common problem and it often settles down and stops happening as you get older and more experienced sexually.

When you are having sex with someone else, a longer period of foreplay without touching your penis can improve it for you both. Try to find things to do for each other which feel nice without any contact with your penis. Then, if you go inside her, if you pull out again soon before you reach a climax and you (or your partner) squeeze your penis hard below the head, this will usually stop the climax and after a few moments you can start again. You can also try this technique when you are masturbating and see if you can control your orgasm and cum later.

There is professional help available from sex therapists if you are able to see one of them

Answered by team member Dr Peter
9th January 2016

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

This sounds like a function of your sexual organs: the prostate produces liquids, as do the testicles it is most probably from them. You have done the right things by going to your sexual health clinic and being checked for STIs and to your GP. If the problem persists and it continues to worry you it might be worth trying to catch one of these lumps in a clean jam jar and taking it to your GP. Yes, this is much easier said than done!

Answered by team member Douglas
11th January 2016

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

There is a chance you might haveincurred a penile fracture. The popping sound you mention is an indication of this. A penile fracture normally results in the penis going limp, with significant pain and brusing to the area. Since you don't mention any of these other symptoms this might not be what has happened, but we would recommend seeking medical help from your GP on this issue as leaving a penile fracture could result in further issues around maintaining an erection.

Regarding the fluid coming out of your penis, I don't know if this could be related to your injury, but the most common reason for a discharge from the penis, that is not cum or pre cum, would be an STI (sexually transmitted infection) such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. The pain when you urinate could also come from an STI. These can be tested for at your local GUM clinic, or when you see you GP regarding the possible penile fracture.

If you have any further questions please come back to our site or give us a call, but we would recommend seeing your GP soon.

Answered by team member Matt
22nd December 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi and thank for getting in touch with MSH. Many men suffer from Premature ejaculation, a recent UK survey said 10% of male population had suffered with PE at some point in their life. Another European study classed PE as lasting around 1.8 mins, and with 7.3 mins being classed as normal. Obviously yours in fairly serve case of PE as you cum before stating sex. There are initially 4 treatments for PE - 1) Distraction method - when you are nearing climax, think about something comepletely different than whats going on. 2) Applying a delay gel to your penis, this will decrease sensitivity and hopefully improve your duration. 3) Delay condoms, these are coated with the delay gel and with the added thickness of the condom this too will help improve your duration. 4) start stop method - when alone try masterbating till u reach the point where you are going to climax but stop yourself, repeat this 3 or 4 times to build up your own self control, and then allow yourself to climax, after a few times a week doing this, you should find yourself lasting longer. Solution number 4 is prob going to help the most, the longer you can last on your own, the more chance you can use this technique in a relationship. Regarding when you go to the toilet, if you are no longer masturbating, when having a bowl movement, it could be pressing on your prostate, which is causing some seminal fluid to come out your penis as you are not expelling this from masturbation so your getting a build up of this. However if you have had unprotected sex, then this could possibly be a discharge from a sexually transmitted infection. Either way, we would suggest you seek advice from your GP/Doctor to diagnose and treat this issue further. We hope this has helped with your issue.

Answered by team member Matt
28th August 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for contacting Men's Sexual Health. Let me start by explaining what PC pumping is to those who may read this Q&A and wonder what is being asked. PC pumping is when a man (woman can do this to, its her pelvic floor muscle) contracts, holds and releases his PC muscle, also known as Kegel Exercises. The PC muscle can be found in a man when he goes to toilet to wee, and if he stops mid flow and the starts again, the muscle that he contracts to stop the flow of urine is the PC muscle. Many men exercise this muscle as it is said it can: lead to stronger erections, stronger orgasms and bigger ejaculations, its also be stated by some it keeps the prostate healthy.

When you say pressed, do you mean holding and contracting the muscle, or are you actually inserting a finger into your anus to press on the muscle? Also the fact that you are having dry orgasms, the semen, which would normally be ejaculated via the urethra (the urinary pipe), is possibly being redirected to the urinary bladder.

If this does happen, you'll probably notice the next time that you visit the toilet because your urine will be cloudy. This is not something we would recommend doing, ejaculation is a normal and healthy part of orgasm, either from sex or masturbation. What is concerning us is that you are suffering with blood from your anus, we can't say the two are connected, the fact your do PC pumping, but any man who finds he is bleeding from his anus should seek medical advice immediately. There could be many reasons for this blood but it is always best to get it checked out as it could be a sign of an underlying problem. Please do get in touch if we can be of any further help

Answered by team member Matt
5th February 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting back in touch and clearing that question up. We are unsure what effect pressing on this will have, as the knowledge we have is about exercising the PC muscle by holding, tightening and releasing it, so we would suggest you discuss this further with the doctor who is helping you with your treatment. We hope the results of your test come back ok.

Answered by team member Matt
6th February 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

It sounds like a big part of the problem between you and your husband is communicating with each other. The longer your situation continues when you are trying to be intimate, the more difficult it will be to address. It may seem hard for you to sit down and speak with your husband about these sensitive issues, but that is the best chance to work through your problem. It is not uncommon for couples to experience sexual problems, and for both people to get frustrated. If the two of you can start talking about what is happening, you can try to come up with solutions, together. If you find it too difficult to speak with him alone, there are professionals who can help you. Please feel free to contact us for more help with this matter: 01380-801951

Answered by team member Mara
22nd March 2011

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Consistency of semen varies from individual to individual and can be affected by different factors such as diet, lifestyle and alcohol consumption.

Semen that contains jelly like bits can be attributed to lack of regular ejaculation. The semen will solidfy into these jelly like lumps, regular ejaculation will maintain a smooth consistency in your semen. If further reassurance is needed please refer to your GP.

Answered by team member Alex
11th June 2009

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

It sounds as if you are experiencing something that is quite common. Depending on your age, how horny you feel and the level of your hormones, you may produce small amounts of secretions for much of the time. If you masturbate frequently (as you say) you encourage secretion production which is perfectly normal.

Most of us guys make precum in varying amounts: you are just making a bit more than most so it leaks out quite a bit. Your test confirms that you don’t need to worry about anything else. As you get older it will probably reduce and stop eventually so enjoy being young while you can!

Answered by team member Dr Peter
8th December 2015

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

This sounds quite complicated and we can only give you some general advice.

The treatment for your Chlamydia will have worked unless you didn’t finish it or you have since had sex with someone who has got it. It doesn’t cause shrinking testicles.

At a guess you might have had swollen testicle and tubes (called epididymitis) with the infection. The swelling would go down after it was treated and cured. This might make you feel as if your testicle had shrunk.

Most people can’t feel fluid going through the tube that drains the balls – we wonder how you know that no fluid was going through them?

The inflatable tubes that fill with blood to make an erection (called corpora cavernosa) actually start in the gooch area (perineum) well behind your ball bag (scrotum). When you get hard you should be able to feel the base of your penis filling up and hard there too.

Ejaculating very quickly ("premature ejaculation") is quite a common problem but is unlikely to be connected with the other things you mention.

If you are talking about sex with someone else, a longer period of foreplay without touching your penis can improve it for you both.  If you pull out before you reach a climax and you (or your partner) squeeze your penis hard below the head, this will usually stop the climax and after a few moments you can start again. You can also try this technique when you  are masturbating and see if you can control your orgasm and cum later.

There is professional help available from sex therapists if you are able to see one of them

Answered by team member Dr Peter
8th December 2015