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Discharge from the penis
Category: Men's Health · All men's health symptoms
What it can feel like
Discharge from the penis means fluid from the urethra other than urine or semen — watery, cloudy, yellow-green, or with burning on passing urine and itching at the tip. In men this symptom means infection of the urethra (urethritis) until proven otherwise, most often sexually transmitted.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Penile discharge can be associated with chlamydia (often mild, watery or cloudy discharge with slight burning), gonorrhoea (typically thicker, yellow-green discharge with more marked burning), and irritation or a urinary infection.
Other possible causes
Penile discharge can also be associated with other urethral organisms (Mycoplasma genitalium, trichomonas), herpes sores around the tip, and prostate infection when deep pelvic pain and fever join it.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Discharge with severe testicle pain or swelling (possible spread to the epididymis)
- Discharge with fever, pelvic or rectal pain
- Discharge with sores, blisters or a rash (possible herpes or syphilis)
- Discharge with inability to pass urine
- Any discharge after unprotected sex — get tested promptly, and partners need testing too
What a clinician may do
Assessment is at a sexual health clinic or GP: a urethral swab and first-catch urine test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, blood tests for HIV and syphilis, and a sexual history covering partners and protection. Treatment is given per results (sometimes immediately), with partner notification and a no-sex interval until cleared.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
I have discharge but my test was negative — now what?
First-line tests cover the commonest organisms; persistent urethritis after negative chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests leads to testing for Mycoplasma genitalium and other causes, and review for non-infective irritation — the clinic pathway continues rather than ending at the first result.
Do my partners really need to know?
Yes — chlamydia and gonorrhoea commonly cause no symptoms in partners while still damaging fertility and being passed back. Clinics help with anonymous partner notification, and treatment of partners is part of curing you, not an optional courtesy.
Related symptoms — Men's Health
Browse the D section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.