Patient's question:
I've been feeling uncomfortable down there for a while. It's both painful and itchy, and my glans seems particularly red and a bit swollen. The odor is especially unpleasant, and there's yellow discharge from my glans. Is this balanitis? Please ask: What are the common treatments for balanitis?Doctor's answer:
The treatment methods for balanoposthitis, considering the situation you described, are likely due to excessive foreskin, which leads to the accumulation of smegma. Smegma provides a suitable environment for bacterial growth, thus causing inflammation of the glans penis and foreskin. Inflammation occurring at the urethral meatus can result in scarring, leading to urethral stricture and difficulty in urination. Prolonged irritation from smegma on the glans penis may also increase the risk of penile cancer. Therefore, individuals with excessive foreskin should seek surgical treatment at a hospital as early as possible. For non-inflammatory cases of excessive foreskin, regular cleaning by retracting the foreskin is sufficient.