Patient's question:
I got tested for a physical last week and found balanitis. It seems to be getting worse recently, with some bleeding and discharge, and it looks like there are also blisters. Is the condition getting serious?Please ask: What causes itching on the head of the penis?
Doctor's answer:
Infectious causes are often due to unprotected sex, leading to infections with Candida albicans, trichomonas, chlamydia, mycoplasma, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or other bacteria. Non-infectious factors are mostly due to excessive foreskin, insufficient hygiene, and the accumulation of unclean substances between the foreskin and glans, known as smegma, which can irritate the local foreskin and mucosa, causing inflammation and triggering glans itching. When the foreskin is excessively long and the foreskin opening is tight, forcibly retracting it without timely repositioning can result in the foreskin being trapped, forming a tight ring-like constriction around the glans. This condition is called phimosis. Below the trapped foreskin, blood circulation and lymphatic drainage are obstructed, leading to swelling of the penis and foreskin, making repositioning even more difficult.