Patient's question:
Recently, I've been experiencing penile itching almost always, with occasional pain. After a check-up, it was diagnosed as balanitis. Is this balanitis? How should balanitis be treated? How is balanitis treated in men?Doctor's answer:
Balanoposthitis, which is further divided into balanitis and posthitis, can be infectious or non-infectious. In clinical diagnosis, infectious balanoposthitis is more common. The infectious type is often caused by unprotected sexual intercourse, transmitting Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or other bacteria. Alternatively, it may result from excessive foreskin, insufficient hygiene, and the accumulation of unclean substances between the foreskin and glans, known as smegma, which can lead to inflammation of the local foreskin and mucosa. Based on your current symptoms, it is primarily considered likely to be caused by balanitis. You do not need to be too anxious. If there are no other discomforts, you can focus on careful observation for now.