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Candida balanoposthitis.
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Candidal balanoposthitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the inner layer of the foreskin.
As a rule, with candidal balanoposthitis, the head of the penis suffers. The disease is caused by fungi of the genus Candida. This type of balanoposthitis occurs in 70% of men with diabetes. The disease also affects those patients who have undergone antibacterial therapy (in 78% of cases). The lesion of the foreskin slowly spreads to the entire penis.
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Causes candida balanoposthitis
The main causes of candidal balanoposthitis are:
- Diseases that cause balanoposthitis:
- Disruptions in the immune system, HIV infections.
- Disorders of the endocrine system (diabetes, hormonal imbalance, obesity, enlargement of the thyroid gland).
- Diseases, the treatment of which involves taking antibiotics, hormonal drugs or undergoing a course of radiation therapy.
- Long-term infectious and inflammatory diseases (gonorrhea, cancer, leukemia, tuberculosis).
- Reasons independent of external factors:
- Mechanical irritation of the head of the penis over a long period of time (wearing tight underwear, injury).
- Failure to observe personal hygiene rules (infection of fungus from the intestines).
- Infection during sexual intercourse from a sick partner.
The treatment plan and doctor’s recommendations that will help get rid of the disease depend on the cause of the disease.
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Symptoms candida balanoposthitis
Candidal balanoposthitis is much easier to differentiate from other types of inflammatory process. This is due to the fact that with this type of inflammation, a white coating appears on the head of the penis, due to which the disease received a second name - thrush. The disease requires mandatory treatment, since candidal balanoposthitis causes very serious consequences. In rare cases, the disease is asymptomatic, which leads to the fact that the infected man infects sexual partners and does not even suspect it.
The following symptoms of candidal balanoposthitis are distinguished:
- Redness and swelling in the genital area.
- Pain in the groin.
- Severe itching and burning.
- White discharge covering the head of the penis (when the coating is removed, an area covered with ulcers and microcracks appears on the skin).
- Unpleasant odor and pain when urinating.
Where does it hurt?
Forms
Fungal balanoposthitis
Fungal balanoposthitis is an inflammatory and infectious disease caused by Candida fungi due to damage to the urogenital area. The main symptom of fungal balanoposthitis is dirty white discharge of a cheesy consistency that appears during urination and ejaculation. In addition to the discharge, the patient develops ulcers, thinning of the epidermis, and wounds on the head and prepuce of the penis.
The peculiarity of this form of inflammation is that painful symptoms appear suddenly, without any known reason. As a rule, the first symptoms appear in the form of ulcers, swelling and redness of the head of the penis. When these symptoms appear, you must immediately seek medical help. Since without proper treatment, the symptoms begin to worsen, causing an increase in body temperature and pain in the groin area. Another danger of fungal balanoposthitis is that the disease can cause complications such as: gangrene and deformation of the penis, lymphadenitis of the inguinal lymph nodes. Complications from balanoposthitis can make further sexual activity impossible.
Chronic candidal balanoposthitis
Chronic candidal balanoposthitis has a long course, often recurs, is characterized by periods of exacerbation, and proceeds in waves. The disease can cause phimosis, since ulcers appear on the skin of the penis due to inflammation, which leads to narrowing of the foreskin. Cases of lymphadenitis, granulomas, and lymphangitis are especially dangerous.
The main forms of chronic balanoposthitis:
- Indurative - characterized by wrinkling of the head of the penis and foreskin.
- Ulcerative-hypertrophic - the patient develops ulcers that do not heal for a long time, and the inflammatory process grows.
Chronic balanoposthitis is typical for patients with sexually transmitted diseases, chronic endocrine system disorders (diabetes mellitus), fungal and herpes infections.
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Treatment candida balanoposthitis
Treatment of candidal balanoposthitis depends on the stage of the disease at which the patient seeks help and the causes of the inflammation. As a rule, treatment is local, but in particularly advanced cases, patients are prescribed antifungal drugs. A mandatory rule of recovery is maintaining intimate hygiene and regularly changing underwear. Both sexual partners, i.e. both the man and the woman, must undergo treatment for candidal balanoposthitis.