Haematospermia

Haematospermia is an alarming symptom for patients. Reassuringly, most cases are benign in origin and self-limiting. Occasionally, however, an underlying malignancy is responsible and must not be missed by the treating doctor.

The aim of this article is to review the causes, diagnosis and management of haematospermia in the primary care setting. This review will describe an approach to haematospermia that general practitioners (GPs) can apply to daily practice.

There are numerous potential causes of haematospermia, the most common of which are infection and iatrogenic. Specific red flags of haematospermia identified on clinical assessment and basic investigations help to distinguish between harmless haematospermia and one that will need specialist referral. The management of haematospermia will depend on the underlying cause.