The
penis is a very important organ in the male anatomy, allowing the emission of
urine, semen and participates in sexual intercourse. The penis is also the area
of the body through which man, from early childhood, takes on the meaning of
his male identity.
The
penis is a sensitive organ - able to perceive a high range of pleasurable
sensations over the whole surface - and strong enough to make possible
penetration during intercourse. However, the penis may suffer from certain
diseases and conditions that impede the normal functioning of male sexuality
and sometimes fertility. Consult your doctor if you have any of the following
conditions or illnesses, in some cases immediately:
Phimosis: Rare condition that occurs when the
opening of the foreskin is too tight and prevents the glans be exposed, either
in flaccid state or during erection. Usually during mid-childhood foreskin will
be able to retract fully, as a result of urination and constant erections. This
condition prevents proper toilet and sex can be painful. You can also generate
and balanitis urinary infections. Phimosis can be treated with gentle manual stretching
of the foreskin. Patients can also often seek medical circumcision - surgery in
which the foreskin is completely removed - or treated by other surgery, less
traumatic, which preserves the foreskin.
Paraphimosis: After erection or as a
result of an injury to the glans, foreskin gets stuck behind it. If this
happens for a long time, it prevents blood flow to the penis, and may cause
swelling or pain. It is a medical emergency that must be addressed immediately
as it can have serious complications. When left for a long time, the lack of
blood in the penis can cause tissue death. In these cases, it is sometimes
necessary to amputate the penis.
Balanitis: This medical condition is characterized
by the inflammation of the skin covering the glans penis. Symptoms include
redness, pain, swelling, rash and discharge with an unpleasant odour. Usually
it happens when hygiene is poor and dirt or grease accumulates between the
foreskin and glans oily substances from the body due to dead skin cells, sweat
and bacteria. Inflammation can also occur due to the use of strong chemical
based soaps. Balanoposthitis is a similar disorder, but in this case the
foreskin and glans become swollen.
Priapism: Persistent erection that will not
go away and may take several hours or even several days. This type of erection
is usually painful, and has no connection with sexual arousal, hence cannot
subside with orgasm. It occurs when the blood supply to the penis is not
properly drained due to multiple causes, including the use of certain
medications (antidepressants or antihypertensives), genital injury and spinal
cord problems. You need to treat priapism, as prolonged erection can produce a
scar on the penis.
Peyronie disease: It is the disorder that caused
by the formation of a plate or a hard lump in the penis, causing a curvature
during erection. This plaque can develop in the upper or lower side of the
penis. The disease can be mild, and in this, case goes away by itself after a
few months and only manifests as an inflammation of the penis. In severe cases,
the disease lasts for years, the plaque hardens and flexibility is reduced.
This forces the penis to bend or arc during erection, which can be very
painful. Severe cases may require surgical intervention.
Epispadias: It is a rare congenital
anomaly - present at birth - where the opening of the urethra is either on the
top or sideways of the male organ instead of the tip of the glans. It needs to
be treated by surgery.
Erectile Dysfunction: It is the difficulty of maintain a hard erection, and can be a sign of other health problems that
caused this sexual complication, as clogged blood vessels or nerve damage
caused by diabetes. Therefore, it is critical that you go to the doctor if you
are experiencing erectile dysfunction.
Cancer of the penis: It is a rare form of
cancer that is curable if detected early. The exact cause of penile cancer is
unknown; however, there are certain risk factors: the presence of smegma
(greasy smelly substance that accumulates under the foreskin where hygiene is
not thorough) that causes irritation and inflammation of the penis; smoking;
history of genital warts or human papillomavirus (HPV); and age, since most
cases occur in men over 50 years. The symptoms of penile cancer consist of
bumps, pimples, warts or painless sores on the penis (usually at the top), and
in more advanced stages can experience pain, bleeding and abnormal discharge
from the penis.
