When viewing, thinking about, or even talking about erotica, it is not uncommon for me to experience a discharge. This discharge is not associated with an erection. This has been happening since I was a young man. I'm now 58. I'm an otherwise normal (whatever that means) heterosexual divorced male who was married for 20 years with 2 grown sons. What exactly is this discharge and how common is it? I've read that it is similar to a wetness a woman might experience in like situations. It has caused a bit of embarrassment over the years, and I've always been curious about it. Hope you can shed some light on my "problem".

I am not a medical doctor. This situation needs to be checked physically. This does not mean that I am buying into the notion that there is a problem here, there may not be. At the same time it needs to be checked medically before any intervention is attempted. Many men experience this discharge and there is no medical condition associated. Exactly what it is is really impossible to say. The best that I could do would be to guess, and I am not willing to do that. - Answer provided by Michael Gonzales, Ph.D., mfgonzal@speakeasy.net, www.upasoc.com.

First of all, let me assure you that having a "discharge" when you are sexually aroused is quite "normal". This so-called discharge is more commonly referred to as "pre-cum", which is your body preparing you for potential ejaculation. Essentially, this "discharge" is initiated by the prostate and seminal glands which lubricate the urethra to make it easier for any impending semen (with sperm) to travel through. Therefore, your discharge is a natural part of your sexual response. - Answer provided by Faizal Sahukhan, Ph.D., A.C.S., R.P.C., AASECT, drfaizal@multiculturalromance.com, www.multiculturalromance.com.

What you are experiencing is normal. It is called pre-ejaculatory fluid and is the clear lubricating fluid that is issued from a man's penis when he is aroused. The fluid is usually secreted by the Cowper's gland during foreplay or at an early stage of sex before the man reaches an orgasm. Pre-ejaculatory fluid prepares the urethra for the passage of semen and neutralizes acidity due to any residual urine. The amount of fluid that the human male can issue varies widely between individuals, from imperceptible amounts to a copious flow.
- Answer provided by Jason S. Quintal, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW, DrJ@RelationshipSpecialties.com, www.RelationshipSpecialties.com.

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