What to Do If You Notice Blood in Your Semen

Men are usually not inclined to look at their own semen after ejaculating in order to identify any particular issues, yet semen can tell a lot about the health of a man.

One particular issue that some men may face is the presence of blood in their semen. In many cases, this may be accidentally discovered if the man notices their semen.

When a man notices that there are traces of blood in his semen, it may cause him to stress and become very anxious. Fortunately, blood in semen does not necessarily mean that there is something serious at fault, and in many cases, the issue may be resolved without any medical intervention.

This, however, does not mean that men who do notice blood in their semen should not be concerned.

Since a lot of men do not notice the blood in their semen at all and the symptoms may go away before the man gets a chance to detect it, the prevalence of the condition cannot be accurately estimated.

In one scientific paper [1], it is estimated that approximately 1% of all patients who report to a doctor about urological symptoms experience blood in their semen, a condition that is also referred to as Hematospermia. In some studies, however, the prevalence was as low as 0.5% when a group of patients was monitored.

What Does Blood In Semen Mean And When Should A Man See A Doctor?

When blood is present in a man’s semen, he is experiencing a condition that is called hematospermia. There are different reasons why this may occur, and in many cases, the cause behind the blood is nothing serious and will go away without any medical intervention or treatment.

In men under the age of 40, the presence of blood within their semen is not considered something to be alarmed about if no accompanying symptoms are also present [2].

There are, however, cases where men should be more concerned about their symptoms and seek medical attention from their physician.

Even if no serious underlying cause is present, a physical examination, with the possibility of running a few extra tests, can help to detect any conditions that may occur later on the harm the man’s overall health, or perhaps lead to problems with his fertility.

Generally, when a man notices that the blood is present in his semen on multiple occasions and the problem becomes repeated, he would be better off consulting with his doctor.

It is also important that the man notices any accompanying symptoms that occur during ejaculation or when he urinates. Men who are considered to be at a higher risk of bleeding disorders, as well as cancer, should also be more wary about hematospermia.

What Are The Possible Causes Of Blood In Semen?

When signs of hematospermia are detected, a thorough examination should be conducted, especially in cases where accompanying symptoms are present or where the blood frequently appears within the man’s semen without the problem resolving on its own.

There are multiple possible causes for this particular symptom. In the majority of cases where blood is noted in a man’s semen, the underlying causes can usually be linked to an inflammatory response, but an infection is also considered a possible and common cause for hematospermia. These are especially common among patients who are younger than 40 years of age.

In older patients, the underlying causes of hematospermia can sometimes be more serious, which is why an extensive examination is often conducted in order to pin down the specific reasons why the male patient is observing blood in their semen.

Urogenital malignant disorders are possible among older men, as well as those men who frequently experience these symptoms. This may include bladder cancer, prostate cancer, as well as other cancerous diseases in the genital area.

How Is Blood In Semen Treated?

The first step that needs to be taken with signs of hematospermia is to identify the underlying cause of the issue. There are several tests that a physician may need to conduct in order to determine why there is blood in the male patient’s semen.

Some possible tests that may be conducted in order to assist in the diagnosis of the underlying factors include [3]:

• A review of the patient’s medical history
• A full physical examination
• Monitoring of the patient’s blood pressure
• Taking the patient’s temperature to identify a possible fever
• Semen and urine laboratory tests
• Blood laboratory tests may also be requested
• Magnetic resonance imaging tests
• Transrectal ultrasonography tests
• Urethrocystoscopy

In some cases, identifying an underlying cause can be difficult, which is why a physician may order the above tests, along with others, in order to help give them clarity on the male patient’s situation.

Once the physician is aware of a possible cause for the symptoms associated with hematospermia, and an appropriate treatment plan will be developed for the patient in order to address these root causes.

In cases where hematospermia is linked to infection, further laboratory tests may be conducted to determine the pathogens that are responsible for the infection. This will help the physician prescribe more appropriate antibiotics for the male patient in order to eliminate the infection as fast as possible.

In a similar way, a physician will provide the patient with anti-inflammatory medication in order to reduce inflammation if this is the cause linked to the hematospermia symptoms.

When a more serious underlying cause is detected, such as prostate or bladder cancer, the male patient may be referred to a specialist to undergo treatment for the condition.

Conclusion

Men noticing the presence of blood in their semen following ejaculation may find themselves worried, but this symptom does not always pose as a sign of a more serious underlying problem.

In a large number of men with symptoms associated with hematospermia, the condition fades by itself, but seeking a medical examination is still important in order to cross out any potentially serious causes for these symptoms.

Treatment for hematospermia varies from patient to patient, as the underlying causes for symptoms presented will need to be addressed through a treatment plan.

References:

1. M.J. Mathers, S. Degener, H. Sperling, S. Roth. Hematospermia – a Symptom With Many Possible Causes. Deutsches Arzteblatt International. 17 Mar 2017. [link]
2. Blood In Semen (Hematospermia). WebMD. [link]
3. H. Fuse, A. Komiya, T. Nozaki, A. Watanabe. Hematospermia: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Journal of Reproductive Medicine and Biology. 10 May 2011. [link]



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