Is Blood in Semen Serious? Common Causes and Treatments

Blood in semen indicates little damage to the tract that carries semen. The causes for blood in semen are, of course, due to the leaking of the blood vessel in the semen path, the tract from the prostate to one’s urethra, and then the external meatus.

Blood in semen cannot, of course, be taken lightly. It is considered to be a serious health issue. Hematospermia is the presence of blood in one’s semen (ejaculate). Semen happens to be the whitish-gray fluid that does release when someone with a penis orgasms. It can be indeed alarming to see blood in one’s semen. But it is usually not a sign of a major health problem.

Another name for the health issue hematospermia is hemospermia.

Does a person have to worry about blood in semen?

The person can feel frightened to see blood in one’s semen. But it is rarely a symptom of a major health problem. Seeing blood in one’s semen is not usually a sign of cancer. Yet, seeing a healthcare provider to discuss it is a good idea fully.

Causes of blood in semen

• Testicular inflammation.
• Prostate inflammation.
• Urethral injury.
• Prostate cancer.
• Radiation therapy.
• Infections such as gonorrhea.
• Genital herpes, chlamydia trachomatis.
• Blood disorders such as hemophilia lead to blood in one’s semen.
• A few rare causes are tuberculosis and testicular cancer.

Other causes:

• A lot of sexual activity or even masturbation.
• Blood vessel malformation.
• Conditions that do cause inflammation of one’s urinary or reproductive organs.
• Infections of one’s urinary or reproductive organs.
• Trauma from medical procedure.

Blood in semen is not a symptom of a serious health problem. The most common causes happen to be an injury or a popped blood vessel. It often goes away on its own without treatment. But yet the affected individual needs to see a healthcare provider for an exam and to discuss his concerns.

Is blood in semen a common condition?

Healthcare providers and also medical researchers are not sure how common hematospermia is due to several people who do not examine their semen after ejaculation or are not comfortable talking to a provider about it.

Any person can have blood in their respective semen at any age. But it is more common in people between 30 and 40.

Is seeing blood in my semen normal?

Seeing blood in one’s semen is not normal. It is a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider if the person notices blood in one’s semen, especially if he notices it more than once.

Care and Treatment

A healthcare provider tends to review one’s medical history, conducts a physical exam, and does ask questions.  They may also conduct or order tests.

Treatment of blood in semen:

• Treating blood in semen does vary according to:
• how much blood is in one’s semen.
• How long blood has been in the person’s semen.

Treatment may not be needed if:

• Under 40.
• No symptoms in one’s urinary tract.
• No risk factors for any medical conditions.
• Only had blood in the semen once.

If a healthcare provider does identify a cause, they will prescribe an appropriate treatment.

Treatment can also include:

• Antibiotics if having an infection.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs.

What are the possible complications or even risks of not treating hematospermia?

In several cases, hematospermia goes away on its own without treatment. But serious and/or even permanent complications can develop if an STI or another condition does cause blood in one’s semen.

Conclusion

If noticing blood in your semen, you need to head to the emergency room immediately.  Hematospermia is not usually a serious health condition.