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 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:

We all have different penis sizes and shapes. You can't change what you have, although there are a few surgical ways of trying to make your penis more prominent. But actually there are plenty of guys with a penis much shorter than your 4 inches who can and do have good sex. You might like to read the section on our website about penis size. We hope that this information helps, worrying about performance and size will unfortunately contribute to the problems you describe, try not to worry about it and try to focus on other aspects of sex. You might find this response to a previous question helpful too:

Question on Erectile Dysfunction

You say you are overweight, this almost certainly means that the base of your penis is hidden in some fat. It would look and measure more if you could lose weight – we have a section on ideal weight range for your height and weight loss help.

Answered by team member Dr Peter
9th January 2016

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 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:

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

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

It appears that your foreskin injury has resulted in scarring possibly with a small amount of granulation, resulting in this tugging on your penis. Often, when a scar is formed, the skin can be tight and the scar tissue can be sensitive. Sometimes granulation can occur, which means there is an extra build up of cells during the healing process. When this occurs, the scar can be very sensitive and tight feeling. One way to work through this is with massage treatment. Use an emollient cream, such as aqueous cream, to massage the tight/scarred area, twice daily, to break down the scar and loosen the skin. This can take a long time, but with persistance, should provide relief. Please go speak to your gp if you have any further worries, but rest assured, you won't be told you need a circumcision on the first visit! Here is a link to a previous query ab out Phimosis, tightening of the foreskin, which may also be o use. http://www.wsmsh.org.uk/qa/showpost.php?id=143

I hope this helps. Please feel free to contact us with any further queries you may have.

Answered by team member Mara
16th June 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in touch with us at MSH. Men's production of semen get refiled fairly quickly in a 24hr period, but of course the more times you have sex or masturbate without a long period of time the less sperm will come out each time till you let testicles recover and produce more. Give it a couple of days break and you should find your quantity of sperm returning to normal. You can also increase your sperm but eating a healthy balanced diet, drinking plenty of fluids and being physically active. Regarding your other issue this is a very common question on our Q&A. What you think as small may not be small. Many men would like to increase the size of their penis as penis size is one of the biggest male concerns, nearly all men worry at some stage in their life about the size of their penis. A lot of it can be due to watching porn and seeing how big other men are, but men in porn tend to always be very well hung and that is why they use them in porn. Some men are so unsatisfied it can cause them great distress and make them seek out ways to increase their size. Please ignore any adverts you find on the internet, in magazines or emails claiming to make your penis bigger via any form of pills, you could be putting yourself in more harm and these pills do not work. The only way to change the size of your penis is through surgery and this is extremely risky and could result in you unable to get an erection. The male penis comes in all shapes and sizes, all over the world there are different sizes, for example in India the average size is 4 inches, the UK is 5.5 and the congo in Africa is 7. We are all built differently and never let someone make you feel inadequate with what you have, people fall in love with the person not the penis. There are many different positions you can try with a partner so that you are both sexually satisfied, experiment and see what works best for you. You may benefit from some form of sexual counselling if it is affecting your life a lot. We hope this has helped, please get in touch if you need further advice.

Answered by team member Matt
11th July 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thanks for getting in contact with MSH. Penis size is one of the most common questions we get asked about on the Q&A, as it is one of the most popular concerns men heave, and nearly all have wished theirs was bigger during some point in their life. A lot of it can be due, like yourself, to watching porn and seeing how big other men are, but the men in porn tend to always be very well hung, its just the way the porn industry seems to work. But yes this can have a knock on effect on many mens confidence seeing this. Some men are so unsatisfied it can cause them great distress and make them seek out ways to increase their size. Please ignore any adverts you find on the internet, in magazines or emails claiming to make your penis bigger via any form of pills, you could be putting yourself in more harm and these pills do not work. The only way to change the size of your penis is through surgery and this is extremely risky and could result in you unable to get an erection. The male penis comes in all shapes and sizes, all over the world there are different sizes, for example in India the average size is 4 inches, the UK is 5.5 and the congo in Africa is 7. So you are in fact average for the UK. We are all built differently and never let someone make you feel inadequate with what you have, people fall in love with the person not the penis. There are many different positions you can try with a partner so that you are both sexually satisfied, experiment and see what works best for you.

Regarding your feelings and thoughts of being penetrated by another man, this doesn't mean you are gay or bi, we all have different fantasy's and desires, and how we chose to go about exploring these is down to the individual. I'm sure a lot of men may have had that thought cross their mind at when watching porn, not all men, but some, and some probably didnt do anything about it, others may have explored that desire and experimented, maybe with probing their anus with their own finger, or maybe even buying a dildo. But you may when you feel comfortable to try it with a man, and it may be something you enjoy or in the end you don't. But do remember if you do explore this with another guy, to use plenty of lube and condoms as anal sex is a more risky type of sex and puts you at more risk from catching an STI or HIV, so always be safe.

You may benefit from some form of sexual counselling regarding your confidence and discussing these sexual fantasy's, and if you live in Swindon please get in touch as we offer a free counselling service. I hope this has put your mind at ease a bit, but please do get back in touch if we can be of further support or advice

Answered by team member Matt
22nd February 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for contacting MSH. We are unsure of the possible side effects to masturbating without letting yourself cum. Ejaculating is the natural reaction and result of masturbating, and it is healthy to ejaculate and produce fresh sperm. It is unlikely that this would have cause your penis to decrease in size but do to the stress and worry you are putting on yourself for having done this it is possible your body is reacting to this stress by not giving you strong erections and ejaculating less. It may be best to discuss this with your GP/Doctor to ensure all is working properly and correctly. You may benefit from some form of counselling to help alleviate your stress/worrys.

Answered by team member Matt
22nd November 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thanks for contacting MSH. This is a very common question on our Q&A. What you think as small may not be small. Many men would like to increase the size of their penis as penis size is one of the biggest male concerns, nearly all men worry at some stage in their life about the size of their penis. A lot of it can be due to watching porn and seeing how big other men are, but men in porn tend to always be very well hung and that is why they use them in porn. Some men are so unsatisfied it can cause them great distress and make them seek out ways to increase their size. Please ignore any adverts you find on the internet, in magazines or emails claiming to make your penis bigger via any form of pills, you could be putting yourself in more harm and these pills do not work. The only way to change the size of your penis is through surgery and this is extremely risky and could result in you unable to get an erection. The male penis comes in all shapes and sizes, all over the world there are different sizes, for example in India the average size is 4 inches, the UK is 5.5 and the congo in Africa is 7. We are all built differently and never let someone make you feel inadequate with what you have, people fall in love with the person not the penis. There are many different positions you can try with a partner so that you are both sexually satisfied, experiment and see what works best for you. You may benefit from some form of sexual counselling if it is affecting your life a lot, and if you live in Swindon please get in touch as we offer a free counselling service. Regarding pre-ejaculate, if you'd like to look at the question below this one you will find a question from someone who asking the same thing, and technique 4 will also help with you lasting longer. We hope this helps, please get in touch if we can be of any further support.

Answered by team member Matt
23rd May 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi thanks for getting in contact with us. I think due to a change in language it is a bit difficult to understand what the exact issue is. But it possibly sounds like you are suffering with some form 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. 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. Please let us know if we can be of further help.

Answered by team member Matt
26th July 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi. Thanks for getting in touch about your problems. Please be assured that masturbation does not cause any of the problems you have mentioned. Although people may be embarrassed to talk about masturbating, you shouldn't feel ashamed of it or guilty about doing it. People of all ages masturbate and it is often the first sexual experience they have. Masturbation is completely normal and extremely common. Masturbation does not cause any harm, either physically or mentally, even if you do it often. Ejaculating in your sleep is also a normal occurence. If you have noticed some changes in your genitals, skin, hair or memory that are causing you concern, the best thing to do is visit your doctor to discuss this and what the possible reason may be. We hope this information helps put your mind at ease. Please feel free to get back in touch with any further concerns.

Answered by team member Mara
12th September 2012

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

The concern you've posted has two areas of consideration. First, there are the white lumps on your glans. It can be entirely normal to have painless, small white bumps on your penis, especially on your glans, most typically around the corona, the rounded base of the glans. It is clear you have tried to figure out what these lumps are and not found a single, specific condition that fits your case exactly. There can be small variations in symptoms, thus giving the appearance of something different. The greater concern is the second issue, your inability to retract your foreskin, in order to have a good look at what is going on. A baby boy's foreskin is quite tight, but by the age of 16, you should be able to move it with relative ease. As you become sexually active, a tight foreskin will cause discomfort that could have a knock on effect mentally. It is best to try to take care of this sooner, rather than later. The most basic way to try to stretch your foreskin is to manipulate it in your daily shower routine. You can use soap, for ease and availability, though sometimes over use of soaps can cause local irritation. Ideally, you could use something like aqueous cream, which is suitable for most skins. You need to try to move your foreskin over the glans, up to the point of slight discomfort, but not pain. Try to stretch/massage

it twice a day. Over time, your foreskin should

stretch to accomodate more movement. In order to be able to properly clean and look after your penis, you need to be able to retract your foreskin. You may find that once this movement is achieved, your other symptom may clear up. The lumps do not sound like they are anything that should worry you, however, if they do, please book an appointment to visit your gp, who should be experienced in handling these delicate matters confidentially. Or, if you just want to talk, give us a ring, 01380-8018951. We hope we were able to help.

Answered by team member Mara
2nd December 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Unfortunately from the descriptions that you have given, it is not possible for us to determine what is happening, as this would take a more detailed examination, which we are unable to do.





We would strongly suggest that you either visit your own Doctor or your local GUM Clinic, where they will be able to undertake the necessary examinations to identify what is happening.





It is not uncommon for people to become highly concerned when they have problems in or around there genitalia, but please be assured that all Doctors and Clinic staff will treat you with respect and this will be confidential.





You have already taken the first steps by being tested for both Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea,which you say have come back as negative, so you need to now take the next step.

Answered by team member Tim
22nd March 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thank you for getting in contact with us.

There is two possible reasons for what you are describing.

One, it is pre cum, this is a natural fluid released by the body when a man gets sexually aroused, some men get a lot of this fluid, some get a little and some none at all. It helps keep the penis lubricated. If this is happening before sex and when talking with your partner it is just your body reacting to sexual thoughts, arousal and is normal.

However the fact that you also say its painful and itchy makes me think you may also have a Sexually Transmitted infection. A discharge from the penis is also a sign of this, for example Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are to STI's that can cause discharge (these sticky salty drops you talk about), although it may be another STI. We suggest you need to go to your nearest Sexual Health Clinic, GUM clinic or Doctor/GP so they can examine you and find out if it is a STI or if its just pre cum. Please do not be afraid or feel embarrassed to do this, as if it is an STI it will not clear up without medication, the discharge may go and you may think you are healed, but this is not possible, signs and symptoms can come and go with STI's, and sometimes you can be infected and not have any signs or symptoms. You need to get medicine to help this and if you do get told you have an STI then you need to get your partner to get tested, this can be difficult to tell them, but some STI's can lead to infertility or even worse, so do the responsible thing if the test comes back that you have ans STI. Until you take the test, we would advice you to refrain from having sex with anyone else or you will continue to put them at risk. If you live in Swindon we can make an appointment for you, so please get back in touch. Please let us know if you need any further advice or support.

Answered by team member Matt
14th January 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

We would strongly recommend seeking the advice of your own doctor with this. There are recognised post cystoscopy effects, but these normally will have gone within a few days, which in this case they do not appear to have.

Answered by team member Tim
4th May 2010

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thrush (or as it is often called Candida or Candidiosis) does not normally cause the symptoms you have described; the main symptom of male thrush is balanitis. Balanitis is inflammation of the penis.If you have balanitis, you may have the following symptoms: a very itchy, red, and sore glans (head of your penis),and/ or small red spots on the head of your penis (glans), and/or discharge from your penis, and/or pain when passing urine,and/or difficultly pulling back your foreskin, and/or a 'cheese-like' substance called smegma that smells a bit yeasty and sometimes collects under your foreskin. In some men, thrush also causes their foreskin to swell and crack. This is probably caused by an allergy to the yeast.



As you can see what you have described doesn’t seem to fit.



Consequently we would suggest going to either your Doctor or your local GUM Clinic to discuss this further.

Answered by team member Tim
3rd December 2009

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in touch with MSH. The one thing that it could be are the white lumps on your glans. It can be entirely normal to have painless, small white bumps on your penis, especially on your glans, most typically around the corona, the rounded base of the glans. It is clear you have tried to figure out what these lumps are and not found a single, specific condition that fits your case exactly. There can be small variations in symptoms, thus giving the appearance of something different. They are also known as Pearly Penile Papules, often abbreviated to PPP, are found around the head of the penis. Sometimes the foreskin needs to be pulled back in order to see them. The papules are small, smooth spots that are white or skin-coloured and 1mm-3mm across. They will often appear in small rows a bit like a string of pearls, hence the name. The good news is that penile papules are absolutely nothing to worry about as they pose no health risks and will not cause any pain or irritation. In fact, they are very common, with an estimated 20% of the male population developing them. There is no known cause of PPP.



Although they are not infectious and aren’t related in any way to sexual activity and personal hygiene, the papules can still be worrying for those who don’t know what they are and who may mistake them as an STI. Men with PPP should not pick them or attempt to squeeze them, as this could lead to scarring and infection. It is possible to have the papules removed for cosmetic reasons, which dermatologists may do by using a CO2 laser to vaporise the spots. This does not involve any injections in the penis as an anaesthetic cream can be used and men will be fully healed within one to two weeks. It is important to remember that despite this being a safe and effective procedure, removal is not obligatory. It is often opted for by people who are finding that the papules are affecting their self-confidence.



To be 100% sure, we would suggest booking an appointment with your GP, Sexual health clinic to rule out anything else, then you will know 100% what they are. We hope this has helped ease your concerns, and if possible please let us know the result of your doctors visit so we know if we were correct in our assessment

Answered by team member Matt
1st October 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch about your concern. Hand sex/masturbation/wanking will not change the shape or size of your penis, so please do not worry that this has occurred. Penises change shape and size as a man becomes sexually aroused and this is normal. It is also possible for a penis to experience some swelling, especially if it has been stimulated roughly without any lubrication. If this is the case, it should settle down soon. But, please remember, hand jobs or masturbation will not change the actualy shape and size of your penis. If you feel very worried, make an appointment to go see your GP, who can make sure there is no underlying cause for any changes you feel have occurred. The GP will be sensitive to your feelings and listen to your concerns. In the meantime, try using some water based lubricant to help smooth things over if you want to engage in sexual activity. If you live in Swindon, we can provide up to 10 sachets of lubricant, as well as condoms and dams, for free. They are available to order via this website. Please get in touch if you have any more concerns.

I hope this has put your mind at ease. If you'd like more help or information, please email again or give us a ring.

Answered by team member Mara
10th July 2012