HEMATOSPERMIA

Finding blood in your semen (haematospermia) can be alarming. However, in most cases it's not serious and will pass within a few days.

It's unusual to find blood in your semen when you ejaculate, but try not to worry.

It's usually only temporary and the cause is rarely anything serious.

The semen may be blood stained brownish-red in colour or have a pink tinge.

In many cases, no obvious cause can be found for blood in the semen and it will clear up by itself.

Common causes of blood in semen include:

• Seminal Vesiculitis – inflammation of the glands that produce most of the fluid in ejaculate
• Seminal vesicle cysts – small, fluid-filled sacs in the seminal vesicles
• Prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate gland, where semen is made
• Recent urological surgery – such as a prostate biopsy, cystoscopy or vasectomy
• Sexually transmitted infections such as genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea or trichomoniasis

These problems generally are not serious and many will get better on their own without treatment or after a course of antibiotics or anti-inflammatory painkillers.

Less common causes can be result of:

• Severe high blood pressure (hypertension)
• A blood clotting disorder
• Cancer – including prostate cancer, testicular cancer and bladder cancer
• Seminal vesicle calculi – small stones in the seminal vesicles

These conditions are more serious and may require specialist treatment.

Sometimes a tear in the frenulum, skin tag connecting the glans penis and    foreskin gets tear during sex can be mistaken as blood in the semen.

Doctor will try to determine whether the cause of the blood in your semen is likely to be serious or not.They'll need to consider a number of things, such as how many times you have noticed blood in your semen, whether you have any other symptoms, your age and your medical history

They may also need to carry out a number of simple tests, including

• Checking your blood pressure,
• Examination of your genitals and tummy,
• Rectal examination, where your doctor inserts a finger into your bottom,
• Urine and blood tests

If you are younger than 40 years, have only noticed blood in your semen once or twice and tests do not suggest you have a serious underlying condition, you should not need any treatment or urology referral.

If you are over 40 years, have persistent or recurrent symptoms and tests have suggested a potentially serious underlying cause, referral to an urologist is needed. A further assessment with an urologist may involve having a biopsy of your prostate gland or an ultrasound scan.

 

Treating blood in semen: The treatment will depend on what they think is the underlying reason for the blood in your semen.

• In many cases, particularly if you have no other symptoms or the blood in your semen was an isolated incident, no treatment is necessary and the problem will usually resolve on its own.
• If a clear reason is identified, the treatment you're offered will depend on the specific cause such as you may be given antibiotics to treat an infection and cysts may need to be drained with a needle.
• If there's a serious underlying cause, such as a blood clotting disorder or cancer, you'll be referred to an appropriate specialist for any necessary treatment.