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When to see a doctor
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you're under age 40 and see blood in semen, you probably don't need to see the doctor as long as:
- You have no other symptoms
- You've had a recent prostate exam or vasectomy, which could explain short-term bleeding
- There isn't a lot of blood in the semen and it happens infrequently, then goes away
Make an appointment with your doctor if:
- You're 40 or older
- Blood in semen persists longer than three to four weeks
- You have other signs and symptoms, such as genital or urinary pain, pain during ejaculation, fever, difficulty urinating, or blood in your urine
- You have other risk factors, such as a history of cancer, bleeding disorders, trauma, or genital or urinary system malformation, or you've recently engaged in behaviors that put you at risk of sexually transmitted infections
References
- Aslam MI, et al. A management algorithm for hematospermia. Nature Reviews Urology. 2009;6:398.
- AskMayoExpert. Hematospermia. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
- Weiss BD, et al. Hematospermia. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 16, 2012.
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