Male urethritis typically shows up as discharge from the tip of the penis, redness or swelling around the urethral opening, and sometimes crusting or staining on underwear. The appearance varies depending on the cause, but discharge and visible irritation at the penile tip are the most recognizable signs.
What Discharge Looks Like
Discharge is the hallmark visual symptom, and its appearance offers clues about the underlying cause. Urethritis caused by gonorrhea tends to produce a thick, opaque, yellow-green or white discharge that’s hard to miss. It can be heavy enough to stain underwear noticeably and may appear even without squeezing or “milking” the penis.
Nongonococcal urethritis (most commonly caused by chlamydia) looks different. The discharge is typically thinner, clearer, and more watery or slightly cloudy. It can range from a clear, mucus-like fluid to something slightly off-white. In many cases, it’s subtle enough that you only notice it first thing in the morning before urinating, or as a small dried spot on your underwear. Some men produce so little visible discharge that they wouldn’t notice it without specifically looking.
The CDC categorizes urethral discharge into three types: mucoid (clear and sticky), mucopurulent (slightly cloudy with a hint of pus), and purulent (thick and opaque, clearly containing pus). Gonococcal infections lean toward purulent, while chlamydia and other causes lean toward mucoid or mucopurulent.
Visible Changes at the Penile Tip
Beyond discharge, the urethral opening itself often looks inflamed. A condition called meatitis, or redness and swelling of the urethral opening, is a common finding. The tissue around the tip may appear redder than usual, slightly puffy, or irritated. In some cases, the surrounding skin of the glans (head of the penis) also becomes inflamed, a related condition called balanitis. For uncircumcised men, pulling back the foreskin may reveal redness or discharge that wasn’t visible otherwise.
In mild cases, the only visible sign might be slight redness at the very tip of the urethra, with no obvious discharge unless the urethra is gently compressed.
How It Feels
What urethritis looks like is only part of the picture. Most men notice how it feels before they notice how it looks. Burning or stinging during urination is the most common symptom. Some men describe a persistent itch inside the urethra, and others report a tingling sensation in the penis that has nothing to do with urination. Research into how men describe their symptoms found that “genital discomfort,” a broad term covering itching, tingling, and non-specific irritation, captures the experience for roughly 95% of diagnosed cases when combined with discharge and painful urination.
Some men also feel an increased urge to urinate more frequently, or notice mild discomfort at the tip of the penis throughout the day.
Gonorrhea vs. Chlamydia: Key Differences
Gonorrhea tends to be louder. Symptoms are more obvious, appear faster (often within 2 to 5 days after exposure), and the discharge is heavier and more clearly pus-like. The burning during urination is usually more intense.
Chlamydia and other nongonococcal causes are subtler. The incubation period is longer, often 1 to 3 weeks, and the symptoms are milder overall. Discharge may be minimal. Some men with chlamydia-related urethritis have no visible symptoms at all, which is part of what makes it so easily transmitted. Chlamydia accounts for 15% to 40% of nongonococcal urethritis cases, with other bacteria making up the rest.
Non-STI Causes
Not all urethritis comes from a sexually transmitted infection. Chemical irritation from soaps, lotions, deodorants, or spermicides applied to the genital area can inflame the urethra and produce similar-looking symptoms. Physical trauma, such as a catheter placed during surgery or injury to the urethra, can also trigger inflammation and discharge. These cases generally look the same as infectious urethritis on the surface, so testing is the only reliable way to tell the difference.
What Happens Without Treatment
Urethritis that goes untreated can spread beyond the urethra. The infection may move into the epididymis (the coiled tube behind the testicle), causing painful swelling in the scrotum. It can also reach the prostate, leading to prostatitis. In rare cases, chlamydia-related urethritis triggers reactive arthritis, a condition causing joint pain and swelling that seems unrelated to the original infection. Gonorrhea can occasionally spread through the bloodstream.
Long-term, untreated urethritis can cause scarring that narrows the urethra, making urination progressively more difficult. There’s also evidence that untreated STI-related urethritis affects sperm quality, potentially lowering fertility. Urethral inflammation additionally increases the risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV.
How Diagnosis Works
If you’re seeing discharge or experiencing burning, a healthcare provider will typically collect a swab of the discharge or ask for a urine sample. The swab can be examined under a microscope on the spot to check for signs of gonorrhea specifically. Urine-based tests can detect both gonorrhea and chlamydia, usually with results in a day or two. The distinction matters because the two infections require different antibiotics, and getting the right diagnosis upfront means faster resolution.
Symptoms typically improve within a few days of starting antibiotics, though it’s important to complete the full course. Sexual partners need treatment too, even if they have no symptoms, to prevent reinfection.