Your provider may swab your urethral opening (the hole at the tip of your penis) and send the sample to a lab for testing. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Gently pull back and clean under your foreskin with warm water. Another meta-analysis suggests balanitis carries a 3.8-fold increase in penile cancer risk. Balanitis is inflammation of the glans penis [ 1] and is a common condition affecting an estimated 3-11% of males. It is based on sulfamethoxazole; trimethoprim (the active ingredients of Bactrim) and Bactrim (the brand name). Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. If we combine this information with your protected You can clean too much, which removes the beneficial bacteria on your skin, and you can also not clean enough. A doctor can often diagnose balanitis by observing the redness and inflammation of the glans. A person should see their doctor if they develop symptoms of a penis infection. Scabies, which is highly contagious, can also be transmitted through infested clothing and bedding. Occasionally, a swab or scraping of skin may be examined under the microscope, or may be sent to the laboratory for further testing to confirm the diagnosis. Sex and gender exist on spectrums. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Balanitis refers to inflammation or irritation of the foreskin of the penis (prepuce of the penis). These include: While any man can develop balanitis, the condition is most likely to occur in men who have a tight foreskin that is difficult to pull back, or who have poor hygiene. Symptoms can vary depending on the cause but typically include swelling or redness of the head of your penis. If it gets worse, it can start to hurt when you pee or cause problems with your sex life. Read on to learn what treatment options are available. Types of penile conditions and diseases. Other possible risk factors associated with balanitis include urinary catheterization, obesity, living in a nursing home, and exposure to irritants. We study millions of patients and 5,000 more each day. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/30/2023. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. The treatment for balanitis depends on whats causing the condition. Even though balanitis isnt an STI and your partner cant catch it from you, its a good idea to be honest with them about it. This condition, Semen, or seminal fluid, doesnt always smell the same. The Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute offers innovative treatments in urology and kidney medicine, including minimally invasive, scarless options for urologic procedures and medical management of kidney disease. It can occur in anyone who has a penis, but it mostly affects those who are uncircumcised, often also causing inflammation of the foreskin (posthitis). ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3730473/. As part of diagnosis, a doctor may order tests that could include: Rarely, a doctor may perform a biopsy, in which they take a sample of the inflamed skin and send it to a lab for testing. Approach to balanitis/balanoposthitis: Current guidelines. In such cases inflammation . It is a common condition, affecting 3-11% of all. It can be treated, and its often easy to prevent. Check whether Balanitis is associated with a drug or a condition, Balanitis and drugs with ingredients of sulfamethoxazole; trimethoprim, Thrombocytopenia (decrease of platelets in blood), Balanitis in Pfizer BioNTech Covid Vaccine, Balanitis in Johnson and Johnson Covid Vaccine, Prevacid and Proair Digihaler drug interaction, Doxylamine Succinate and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Skin, Octreotide Acetate and Urinary Incontinence, Bisoprolol Fumarate and Leukopenia Neonatal, Anaemia (lack of blood): 3 people, 33.33%, Cellulitis (infection under the skin): 3 people, 33.33%, Blood Glucose Increased: 2 people, 22.22%, Prostatic Specific Antigen Increased: 2 people, 22.22%, High Blood Cholesterol: 2 people, 22.22%, Epididymitis (pain in the scrotum or testicle): 2 people, 22.22%, Blood Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Decreased: 2 people, 22.22%, Neutrophil Percentage Increased: 2 people, 22.22%, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (chronic lung disease): 2 people, 22.22%, Scrotal Erythema (redness of scrotum area): 1 person, 11.11%, Neoplasm Malignant (cancer tumour): 1 person, 11.11%, Colorectal Cancer Metastatic (cancer of colon and rectal spreads to other parts): 1 person, 11.11%, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (acute cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal myeloblasts): 1 person, 11.11%. Balanitis. The type of antibiotic and duration will . No, balanitis isnt a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and it isnt contagious. Other causes include: Balanitis primarily affects uncircumcised men or people AMAB because the moist, warm area under the foreskin is the ideal place for yeast and bacteria to grow. DISCLAIMER: All material available on eHealthMe.com is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. In men who are not circumcised, this area is covered by a flap of skin known as the foreskin, or prepuce. If we combine this information with your protected Balanitis, Author(s): Dr Casey Paul Schukow, Michigan University College Medicine, United States. Sores or lesions on the head of your penis. It, A penile adhesion develops when the skin of the penis shaft adheres or sticks to the skin of the penis head, also known as the glans. 6 Most cases represent nonspecific balanoposthitis, usually caused by inadequate hygiene of the preputial-glanular sulcus. You can get balanitis at any age. Once a doctor treats the underlying condition, the balanitis should clear on its own. Zoon's balanitis: Also just called balanitis, this is the primary type of balanitis. Last medically reviewed on January 28, 2022. Balanitis is an inflammation of the head of the penis or clitoris due to infection or another cause. Lasting inflammation can lead to health issues, including: Rarely, theres a link between chronic inflammation and a higher risk of developing penile cancer. If conservative treatments aren't effective in uncircumcised . 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Dont have sex while youre having balanitis symptoms. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on Douglawi A, et al. It's, Eczema makes your skin red, itchy, flaky, and cracked. Phallosan Forte Reviews: Does This Penis Extender Really Work? Balanitis is an infection or inflammation of the skin on the head (glans) of the penis. This article will use the terms male, female, or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. With medical big data and proven AI algorithms, eHealthMe provides a platform for everyone to run phase IV clinical trials. doi:10.4103/0253-7184.142415. privacy practices. Circumcision is a procedure that removes skin (the foreskin) from the head of the penis (glans). Drugs such as clotrimazole, fluconazole and miconazole are available in cream and tablet form and can be prescribed according to the condition of the patient. National Library of Medicine (NLM) However, this article will focus on balanitis of the glans of the penis. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. 44882003, 52643007, 403463007, 236745001. Untreated balanitis can have a wide range of complications, such as urethral stenosis, phimosis, and malignancy. Balanitis is a symptom rather than a condition and therefore cant be transmitted. To help quickly relieve swelling and pain, you can take over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Balanitis caused by a bacterial infection may be treated with antibiotic medications. However, in many cases, you may need an oral antibiotic. Preventing balanitis begins with practicing proper hygiene. But does it actually work? A person should pull back the foreskin to expose the glans. Signs and symptoms of balanitis may include: Moist skin on the penis, possibly with areas of a thick, white substance collecting in skin folds. Rarely, sexual contact can pass an infection back and forth between partners. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. Morbidity is associated with the. Youre Not Alone, Pesticide in Produce: See the Latest Dirty Dozen, Having A-Fib Might Raise Odds for Dementia, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Healthy Sex Life: Better Health Evaluator from WebMD, Trouble pulling back your foreskin (Remember that its normal for young children to have a tight foreskin. Balanitis and related inflammatory conditions affecting the penis. In fact, an article published in the April 1996 edition of Genitourinary Medicine states that a single dose of fluconazole is equivalent in efficacy and safety to topical clotrimazole cream applied for 7 days 4. Until you receive a balanitis diagnosis from a healthcare provider and they determine that its cause isnt an STI, its a good idea to avoid having sex. arrow-right-small-blue Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Dosage of drugs is not considered in the study. 2023 eHealthMe.com. include protected health information. Check if you have balanitis With balanitis, the head of your penis is usually: red, swollen, itchy and sore Other symptoms can include: pain when peeing An All-In-One Terrasil Balanitis healing system combined with Terrasil Calendula Soap supports natural skin health and calms common skin issues. Other treatments can be used to help relieve the inflammation and treat the underlying cause. Macrolides act by preventing the synthesis of new proteins in the bacterial cell and are usually prescribed for 7 days to be taken two times daily. If the foreskin is also inflamed, it is referred to as balanoposthitis. include protected health information. Balanitis in adults. Cephalosporins are usually administered four times a day for 7 days. Balanoposthitis in children occurs most often between the ages of 2 and 5 years. If you dont wash regularly, this debris can build up and form smegma, which smells bad. Balanitis is an infection or inflammation of the skin on the head (glans) of the penis. Does Viril X really work? It can make you uncomfortable in one of the most sensitive areas: the end of your penis and the loose flap of skin that covers the tip. Forcible retraction can lead to paraphimosis; a urologic emergency. They can include: If you have foreskin, the most common cause of balanitis is infrequently cleaning your penis and under your foreskin. Globe Triple Antibiotic First Aid Ointment 1oz Exp 01/2021 Similar To Neosporin. People of any age with penises can develop balanitis, but those at highest risk are children under the age of 4 and uncircumcised, middle-aged adults. (2017). Review/update the 2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK. It's also known as Candida balanitis. For example, if you take dapagliflozin (Farxiga), youre more likely to get balanitis, because the drug works by flushing sugar out of your body in your urine. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made. Balanitis can occur in both circumcised and uncircumcised men, although it occurs more commonly in men who are not circumcised. irritation, soreness, inflammation, or itchiness around the head of the penis, lumpy, thick discharge coming from under the foreskin, avoiding excessive washing of the genitals, applying a topical antifungal cream, such as clotrimazole, miconazole, or nystatin, taking oral antifungal medication, such as fluconazole, using a combination of oral and topical antifungal medications, undergoing circumcision (mainly as prevention), not using soaps, bubble baths, or anything containing chemicals that could act as an irritant, drying the area beneath the foreskin following urination, substituting harsh soaps for an emollient, a swab from the glans to test for infection. You can use the study as a second opinion to make health care decisions. Balanitis is when the head of the penis is swollen and sore. Balanitis describes inflammation of the glans penis, and posthitis describes inflammation of the prepuce (foreskin). If you have symptoms of balanitis, you should visit your provider. generic drugs) are not considered. Discoloration or discolored patches on your penis. In one study, both balanitis and inflammation of the foreskin, called posthitis, were reported in 45% of subjects with penile cancer compared to 8% of control subjects who did not have cancer. Consult a healthcare professional if you have symptoms of balanitis or if treatment for balanitis hasnt worked. Bacteria can also cause the infection. the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. It is a common condition, affecting 311% of all males during their lifetimes. Penile Inflammatory Skin Disorders and the Preventive Role of Circumcision. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats. Lam K, Cook DK. 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