kidney and urinary tract disorders
Blood in Semen
Evaluation of Blood in Semen
Although blood in semen can be alarming, it is not usually serious, and it does not require an immediate evaluation. The following information can help men decide when a doctor's evaluation is needed and help them know what to expect during the evaluation. Certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern. They include Bleeding lasting longer than 1 month (unless there was a recent prostate gland biopsy) A lump that can be felt in the scrotum Travel to a region where schistosomiasis is prevalent Men who have warning signs should see a doctor. Timing is not critical, and a delay of a week or so is not harmful. Men who do not have warning signs and are younger than age 35 do not need to see a doctor unless they have other symptoms, such as Scrotal Pain or groin or Doctors first ask questions about the man's symptoms and medical history. Doctors then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination often suggests a cause of the blood and the tests that may need to be done. Doctors ask When the man first noticed the blood Whether he has recently had a urinary tract procedure, such as a Prostate biopsy injury Whether he has any symptoms that might suggest a (for example, blood in the urine, difficulty starting or stopping urine flow, burning during urination, or a discharge from the penis) Whether he has a tendency to bleed excessively or a disorder that causes bleeding Whether he is taking antiplatelet drugs or blood thinners Whether he has a prostate disorder (for example, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or radiation treatment for prostate cancer) Doctors examine the genitals for redness, a lump, or tenderness. A digital rectal examination is done to examine the prostate for enlargement, tenderness, or a lump. Doctors can often determine what causes are likely after taking a history and doing an examination. For example, the following kinds of information can provide clues. In men with an abnormal prostate detected during a digital rectal examination, a prostate disorder is likely, such as Prostate Cancer , In men who have bleeding that has lasted less than a month, have not been in areas where Schistosomiasis is prevalent, and have no warning signs or abnormalities on examination, a cause cannot usually be found. In most cases, especially in men younger than 35 to 40 years and in men who recently had a prostate biopsy, blood in semen is not serious and resolves on its own. Urinalysis and Urine Culture and Testing includes Diagnosis and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). Occasionally, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 