Penis Infection Treatment

Penis is just another body part and is no exception for infection causing microbes. Many men suffer from penis yeast infection, fungal infection on penis, bacterial infection on penis etc and such infections may be just on penis skin or penis head or both. Penis infections can be mild with very light itchy symptoms to severe where warts, inflammation, leaking of fluids may be seen.

Penis infection can be caused due to several conditions such as:

• Balanitis
• Posthitis
• Balanoposthitis
• Phthiriasis
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (visible ones being Genital Warts, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea)

Balanitis

Balanitis refers to the inflammation of the penis glans (head of the penis) due to injury or trauma or an infection. Though not a serious condition, this can sometimes be painful.

Symptoms of balanitis include:

• Redness and swelling on the head of the penis
• Tight foreskin
• Stinking penis
• Itching and pain
• Pain when peeing etc.

Posthitis

Posthitis refers to the inflammation of the foreskin of the penis. Most of the time, bacterial infection of the penis or fungal infection is the cause of foreskin infection. Improper hygiene and STIs are the main reasons for the infection of penis foreskin and the penis head.

Symptoms of posthitis include:

• Itching and pain when moving the foreskin
• Pain while urinating or when having sex
• Foreskin may be tender to touch

Balanoposthitis

Balanitis + Posthitis = Balanoposthitis, how’s that for simple understanding? Inflammation of penis glans and foreskin of the penis is called Balanoposthitis. This condition is seen in approximately 6% of uncircumcised males. There are several benefits of getting circumcised, but that is out of scope of this article.

Symptoms of balanoposthitis are similar to those of balanitis and posthitis; burning or pain during urination or sex, foreskin tender to touch or move etc.

Phthiriasis

Phthiriasis is the public lice infestation in the pubic area. Pubic lice are parasites that live on the blood from the host. They are just like the normal lice that live on the scalp. They jump from person to person during sexual intercourse or from infested clothes (typically used by those with public lice infestation).

Symptoms of Phthiriasis are:

• Itching and red lesions like sightings in the public area
• Visible lice, eggs or larvae
• Black flaky stuff in the underwear

Treatment of Phthiriasis include application of creams, shampoo for washing the pubic area along with antibiotics.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

The most number of questions from patients are about Sexually Transmitted Infections and testing for STIs. I still don’t believe that people are having sex with unfamiliar people without using a condom.

In most of the cases, people are worried about HIV/AIDS infection more than anything, but there are a handful of other bacterial and viral infections that can infect the penis and the whole body such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Genital Warts, Herpes, HPV (Human Papillomavirus), Syphilis. Out of these, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Genital warts show symptoms in the penis / public region.

General symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections are:

Pain and/or burning sensation during urination or sex. (If this is persistent, for sure, you have an infection.)

Warts on and around the penis

Fever (few days after unprotected sex)

Sore throat

Swollen lymph nodes

Inflammation of penis glans or skin

Except for viral infections (such as HIV, Herpes, HPV etc), most bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics and with good hygiene. The viral infections remain dormant in the body and can spread without your knowledge.