Patient's question:
When taking a shower at night, I noticed a white ring around the head of my penis, and the head of my penis seems a bit wrinkled and red. Recently, I've also found that I'm not urinating smoothly. After checking at the hospital, they said it's balanitis. I'm asking: What is the best way to treat redness and swelling of the head of the penis?Doctor's answer:
Erythema and swelling of the glans are the most common symptoms of balanoposthitis. The causative agents of this infection include bacteria, fungi, or parasites. Among fungi, Candida albicans is the most common cause. In addition to redness and swelling of the foreskin or glans, small, irregular, and disordered white patches may sometimes be observed covering the surface of the glans. Trichomoniasis (a parasitic infection) typically causes ulcerative balanoposthitis. One type of disordered balanoposthitis is caused by bacterial infection and is more common in patients with phimosis. This usually presents with foul-smelling discharge and multiple small, round, superficial disordered areas on the glans surface. Regardless of the cause of glans erythema and swelling, attention should be paid to local hygiene and avoiding various irritants. In cases of phimosis, circumcision can be performed after acute inflammation is controlled.