Blood in the semen (haematospermia)

Blood in the semen is also known as haematospermia. It can be quite alarming for patients to have haematospermia. Most of the time, it goes away on its own. However it is important to get it checked to make sure it is not due to anything serious.

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Attribution: Jaakobou at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Causes for blood in the semen include:

• A small blood vessel that ruptures during ejaculation.
• Urinary tract infection
• Sexually transmitted disease
• Prostate cancer
• Bleeding disorders
• Post-surgery eg. after a prostate biopsy

Basic evaluation for haematospermia includes a prostate examination as well as blood and urine tests.

If the likely cause is a ruptured blood vessel, the bleeding usually stops on its own without treatment. Otherwise, the appropriate treatment depends on the cause.

For example, if infection is suspected, the recommended treatment may be a course of antibiotics. If there is a suspicion that it could be due to prostate cancer, further evaluation for prostate cancer would be required.

If you experience blood in the semen, it is advisable to seek medical attention for further evaluation.