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:

Hello and thanks for getting in touch with us. What you are describing is a case of Erectile Dysfunction. This is when a man finds it difficult to get or maintain an erection. There are generally two types of ED, Physiological or Psychological. Physiological issues include - deterioration of the arteries (this is more common in older men), diabetes, smoking, alcoholism, overweight, hormone problems. Psychological issues include, Stress: which could be job related, money issues, relationship issues etc, Anxiety: Once a man experiences ED, he may become overly worried that the problem will happen again. This can lead to "performance anxiety," or a fear of sexual failure, and consistently lead to ED, Guilt: A man may feel guilty that he is not satisfying his partner, Depression : A common cause of ED, depression affects a person physically and psychologically. Depression can cause ED even when a man is completely comfortable in sexual situations. Drugs used to treat depression may also cause ED, Low self-esteem: This can be due to prior episodes of ED (thus a feeling of inadequacy) or can be the result of other issues unrelated to sexual performance, also Childhood abuse has been related to ED. Some men suffer with more than one of the above issues, as some of these cause some of the others to occur.

Are you able to get an erection when you masturabte alone, if you are then it probably shows that there is nothing wrong physiologically with you and this it is more of a psychological issue.

We would recommend speaking to your GP/Doctor so they can determine if it a physiological issue or a psychological issue. The best way to solve psychological ED is therapy with a professional counsellor sex therapist. Discussing you anxiety and fears and concerns will be a big step in dealing with them and overcoming them. Being open and honest with your partner will help this, and may benefit in both attending therapy. If its physiological they will be able to run the appropriate tests and prescribe the right course of treatment for this, please do not seek medications online, you risk being prescribed the wrong medicine or worse, purchasing fake medicine that could end up doing more harm than good, so please make an appointment with your own doctor. But based on what you have said in your question, its prob psychological, performance anxiety, so counselling may help. Please let us know if we can be of further help.

Answered by team member Matt
1st November 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:

Hello Brad, thanks for getting in touch. The colour of your penis head is fairly normal to change different shades off purple/pink, depending on many things, such as temperature and how sexually excited you are, this is due to the amount of blood flowing to that part of your body, and this is most likely reason behind this. Regarding the small yellow spots, the most likely answer is that these are your glans, again perfectly normal, some men they are more visiable, others not as noticeable. However i'm not sure what is causing your foreskin being red, sometimes it can get a bit inflamed if you have been masterbating/wanking too much, but it could also be a sign of a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), you haven't mentioned if you have had sex, and if you have, if it was unsafe (without a condom) if this is the case then there is a small chance that is what you may have picked up, if you have hand unsafe sex its best to book an appointment at the Swindon GUM clinic at the hospital, it is confidential so you parents won't find out, and if you need help we can make an appointment for you, and even come along with you if you need the support. I hope this has eased your concern, many lads feel concerned about there penis, having not seen others to compare it too, but they come in all shapes ans sizes so don't feel yours doesnt look nice. Please do get back in touch if you feel you want further advice.

Answered by team member Matt
11th October 2012

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:

Hi, thank you for posting your question. The role's of Top (active) and Bottom (passive) in a relationship are differnt for each couple and for each person, there is no correct role to play, other than the role you are comfortable with yourself, you should never feel pressured to fit into a role you do not feel 100% comfortable with. Some men are 100% top and will never want to bottom and this can be for many reasons, each man with have his own answer, the same goes for some men who are 100% bottom. However some men are also versitile and will do either, you may also find men who will put it into a percentage when asked about their role saying "I'm 70% top, and 30% bottom" so guy who generally prefers to top than bottom, but is willing to bottom when he wants to. Also however, some, not all, will change roles as they get older, this could be because they acquire a new partner who is a differnt role, or because they want to experiment. For those that do try a different role, some will enjoy it and become versitile, and some will not enjoy and stick to the role than had before. Ultimately everyone is an individual and will chose their own role, and this could change over the course of the years, but not always. From what you have said, it sounds like you are finding it difficult to top, this could be for many reasons, but it sounds mainly psychological, you for whatever reason do not feel comfortable taking on that role. You should find a time, not during sex, to sit down with your partner and discus this issue, he should understand your concerns and uncertainty and acknowledge the role you are most comfortable with, you should never feel pressure to peform a role you are not happy to do, explain this to him and hopefully he will understand. Over time, you may feel for willing and wanting to try and top, but you may not as this is not a negative thing. If you partner is wanting to bottom and you are not keen to top then maybe suggest introducing some sex toys into the relationship, purchasing a dildo could fufil that desire your partner has. I hope he understands, and you can go on to have a healthy safe sex life. Feel free to get back in touch if you have any further comments or questions.

Answered by team member Matt
15th March 2012

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:

Thank you for getting in touch with Men's Sexual Health. What it sounds like you are describing is Pre-Cum, this is a substance that the penis produces when you are feeling sexually aroused and is perfectly normal. Not all men will get pre-cum and the amount can vary for those that do get it. So it is possible the partners you encounter have met men who don't get pre-cum when aroused. Re-assure them it is normal, it is just the penis producing its natural lubricant for sexual activity. However please let me make you aware of some facts about pre-cum. You are able to get a woman pregnant with pre-cum if you pull out before you ejaculate, as sperm can be found in pre-cum, also sexually transmitted infections, and HIV can be passed on in pre-cum, the only way to prevent this is to wear a condom. If you are having a good sex life with numerous partners, it is always best to wear a condom with each one, the more people you sleep with, the more risk you put yourself and them of passing or catching a Sexually transmitted infection. Even with blow jobs you risk passing or catching something, so try flavoured condoms for oral sex, condoms will also prevent any partner being concerned about the pre-cum issue.

Although you don't mention any other signs or symptoms, there is a small chance that you may already have an Sexually Transmitted infection because a discharge from the penis can be a sign of an infection, if that discharge isn't pre-cum. As you are asking advice without a medical exam we can't rule this out hence why we are also mentioning this issue. The fact you have also had a lot of sex with different partners is also another reason we would deferentially recommend you booking in at a sexual health clinic to be tested for all Sexually transmitted infections and HIV, it is better to be safe and responsible and get the medicine than to be ignorant and keep passing something on. If you live in the Swindon area please remember you can order free condoms from our website, or if you need help booking in for a sexual health test do please let us know.

Answered by team member Matt
22nd January 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Smegma is a natural secretion,produced by both men and women. This cheesy, sebaceous matter collects between the glans of the penis and the forskin, and is entirely normal. By washing your genitals at least once a day, making sure to retract the foreskin and get rid of any smegma, you will help keep your penis healthy and odour free. With daily washing, smegma will wash away. It will not remain in a hard lump stuck to your penis. It is likely what you see is an entirely normal condition called 'pearly penile papules,' which are small bumps that often form around the rim of the glans. These should be painless and benign, but if you have any worries about it, book an appointment to see your GP who should be able to put you mind at ease. If you have had unprotected sex, you should go to your local sexual health clinic to rule out the possibility of any STI's. If you would like more help with this, please give us a call: 01380 801951.

Answered by team member Mara
8th February 2011

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:

Hello and thank you for contacting MSH with your concern. Most men will find they have difficulty getting an erection, or hard, at sometime in their life. This is entirely normal and can happen for a number of reasons, both physical and psychological. As you do not give us much information to go on, it is hard to say what could be contributing to this problem, but if you have a look through the questions and answers on this page, you will find a lot of advice about differing situations. As a first step, try not to focus on the problem and relax. The more pressure you put on yourself to get hard, the more difficult it will become. It is worth having a look at everyday factors in your life that may be causing you worry, as these things can effect your ability to relax and become sexually aroused. If you are able to discuss this with your wife, she may be able to help further put your mind at ease and you two can explore being intimate without having sexual intercourse, take the pressure of getting and maintaining an erection off of you and allowing you to enjoy yourself more. Things like smoking, drinking and being overweight can also effect your ability to have a strong erection. If you are worried that there is actually something physically wrong with you, it is wise to book an appointment to see a doctor, where they can give you further advice and perhaps prescribe medication is the problem is ongoing and serious. Please do have a read through our past questions and see if there is anything you can specifically relate to, or if you have further information you would like to share, please get back in touch with us.

Answered by team member Mara
17th August 2013

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:

Hi Jamie,

Sometimes, straining the bowels can result in a discharge of fluids from from the penis, orginating from the prostate. These fluids are usually clear, but can sometimes be cloudy. However, the symptoms you describe need to be seen by a doctor for further investigation. You describe the discharge as thick, and also list redness and being sore. This points to the likelihood of an STI, so you need to have yourself tested again, despite having had negative results in the past. Sometimes, it can take time for an STI to show on a test. Normally, you will test positive within two weeks of contracting an STI, but this can take longer. You should also have your prostate checked for any irregularities. There are other issues for concern, in addition to your physical ones. You may want to talk about your past sexual experiences with someone. We can offer a number of services, including counselling and advice. Please give us a call to discuss further options: 01380801951 (Wiltshire) or 01793250951 (Swindon).

Answered by team member Mara
12th May 2011

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:

Hello any thanks for posting your question. Let me assure you, masturbation is perfectly normal and will not affect the size of your penis. The avarage size of the male penis when erect is between 5-6 inches, so you are not small, this is perfectly normal and big enough to perform sexually. No two penis or balls are the same, some are big, some are small, just like your balls, everyone is different and this should be embraced, not something to be worried or embarrassed about. There are many website that claim to sell pills or tools that will make a penis bigger, please do not be fooled by such claims, there is no way other than risky surgery to do this. If you feel this is affecting your life a lot, maybe you should look into getting counseling, many men suffer from self-esteem issue around the size of their penis and ability to perform in the bedroom, if you live in Swindon we can help arrange free counselling for you. Please do get back in touch if you would like this, or if we can offer any further support.

Answered by team member Matt
15th December 2012

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:

Our penises  are made up from three "inflatable tubes", at the front (when soft) there are two, and one at the back. They are often different sizes. We are all different shapes and this isn't usually a problem. Your doctor can easily check you if you are worried. And we all have times when the penis is very hard and other times when it doesn't get so hard, because we are less excited tired or stressed. This is normal and you shouldn't worry.

Answered by team member Dr Peter
8th December 2015