Common Penile Disorders
There are many different penile disorders that all men should be aware of. They can range from a little discomfort to extreme pain. The results of the different disorders can be anywhere from small irritations to serious damage. Below we will take a look at the most common types of penile disorders and what causes them, as well as what the symptoms and treatments are.
Most Common Penile Disorders:
1.) Priapism is one of the most common penile disorders there is. This condition is when a man experiences a persistent and sometimes painful erection that has nothing to do with sexual arousal. This erection can last from a few hours to a few days.
The reason that most people get Priapism is that the blood that flows into the penis is not drained back out properly. This is most common in people who have abused drugs or alcohol. Occasionally this can happen in people who have genital or blood diseases. Those with sickle cell anemia or leukemia can also experience Priapism. In fact, 42% of adults with sickle cell anemia will eventually develop Priapism.
The most common treatment for this condition is decongestant medications. Medications like Pseudoephedrine will decrease the blood flow to the penis and help the condition. If this doesn’t work, the doctor will most likely proceed with aspiration, which is removing excess blood in the penis, allowing it to return to normal.
2.) Peyronies’ disease is a condition in which hard, bumpy growths of plaque develop on the penis. This condition begins as a swollen, scar type place on the penis, and then develops into a hard lumpy scar. This can cause an extreme amount of pain, and result in loss of function in the areas which are affected by the plaque. Experts are not quite sure what causes this condition, however there are a few speculations. One of the things that may lead to Peyronie’s disease is injuries that happen to the penis during sex or surgery. Another thing that may cause this condition is an abnormality in collagen.
If you seek treatment for this problem, your doctor will probably want to wait and see what happens with the condition. Most of the time, this will heal in a few months and you will just have to take it easy. Some doctors will recommend waiting up to two years to allow Peyronie’s disease to heal. If the condition doesn’t go away, you may have to have surgery to correct it.
3.)Phimosis and Paraphimosis happens in boys and men who are uncircumcised. Phimosis is a condition in which the foreskin of the penis will not retract over the tip or ‘glans’ of the penis. This can result in bacteria or fungal infections. This happens most often in young boys, and may need to be corrected with surgery.
Paraphimosis happens when the foreskin of the penis is retracted and is unable to return to it’s normal position over the glans. This is considered a medical emergency, and will most likely need an emergency circumcision. This is because the foreskin can cut off the blood flow to the glans of the penis and kill the tissue.
There are many penile disorders that can happen, however, these are only the most common. With any type of penile infection, disorder, or symptom, you should speak with your doctor right away. With all of the disorders, the most important thing is early treatment. This can ensure that no further damage occurs.
