Pain around the glans penis
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Pain around the glans penis may be symptoms of trauma, infection, any disease that does not seem to have anything to do with the penis. With these pains you can cope with the treatment and lifestyle changes that the doctor will recommend.
[1],
Common causes of pain around the glans penis
- Trauma (for example, from excessive manipulation of the head of the phallus).
- Bites of the penis by a person or by an insect.
- Acne on the surface of the lesion of the penis.
- Genital herpes (visible lesions and wounds can often be hidden for 5 or 6 days, after this period they are accompanied by burning, itching or pain at the site of infection).
- Inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis).
- Syphilis (can provoke painlessness of the penis, pain in the head).
- Nonspecific urethritis caused by chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- Infections under the foreskin of men with uncircumcised penis (balanitis).
- Reitar syndrome.
- Priapism (a condition opposite to erectile dysfunction, that is, a painful condition of prolonged erection).
- Peyronie's disease.
- Cancer of the penis.
- Infected penis, in place of which the prosthesis is placed.
- Sickle-cell anemia.
Structure of the penis
The penis (from Latin it is translated as pénis, from the Greek as φάλλος phállos). This is one of the external genitalia, which refers to the reproductive system of the stronger sex - men. The penis serves to excrete the urine from the bladder, injecting the sperm into the woman's vagina, this is also the body of copulation (connection during sexual intercourse).
The phallus consists of the base and root, as well as the trunk and the body, which completes the head. The trunk of the phallus is formed by a single spongy body and two cavernous ones. These bodies - both cavernous and spongy - consist of a dense white shell. From her inside the genitals are crossbeams, there are many of them, and they are called trabeculae. Just the intervals between the trabeculae and form the so-called lacunae or caves.
The arrangement of the cavernous bodies is along the edges of the penis, and the spongy body is between them, in a special groove, and the spongy body is adjacent to the lower part. It contains the urethra, it is also called the urethra. At the end of the penis, the spongy body ends with a thickening in the form of a cone - this is the head. Its edge covers the end of the cavernous bodies, and also fuses with them. A whisk is formed at the fusion site, it runs along a circle, it is crowned by a coronal sulcus.
The penis is very delicate and thin skin. There are many glands in it. In the head is a lot of caves - lacunae, which fill with blood, when the penis is excited. There are also many nerve endings in the head of the phallus. From this she is very sensitive to friction and even touch. Because of the huge number of nerve endings in the head of the penis, it is the most sensitive part of it.
The head of the phallus is covered externally from the skin - the foreskin, which is thin and very easily shifted. It moves further into the pubic skin (this is above) and passes into the skin of the scrotum (located at the bottom of the phallus). In the lower surface of the phallus, there is a seam, it behind the thin skin of the scrotum and then - the perineum. What causes pain in the head or around the head of the penis?
What is priapism?
Priapism is a long, often painful erection. Which lasts more than four hours. Erection with priapism is not associated with sexual activity and is not relieved from orgasm. This happens when the blood fills the penis.
What causes priapism?
Common causes of priapism include:
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs (in particular cocaine)
- Some medicines, including some antidepressants and medications that reduce blood pressure
- Problems with the spinal cord
- Injuries to genital organs
- Anesthesia performed incorrectly or causing allergy
- Injection therapy of the penis (for the treatment of erectile dysfunction)
- Diseases of the blood, including leukemia and sickle-cell anemia
How to treat priapism?
Treatment of priapism is the cause of emergency medical care, since a prolonged erection can cause severe penile pain and in its head and lead in the long run to a complication of erectile dysfunction if priapism is not treated. The goal of the treatment is to relieve the condition of the penis and preserve the functions of the penis. In most cases, treatment involves draining blood with a needle that penetrates the head of the penis.
Also, drugs are used that help to narrow the blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood to the penis. In rare cases, surgery may be required to avoid permanent trauma to the penis and its sensitive head. If the condition is associated with sickle cell disease, blood transfusion may be necessary. Treatment of any underlying disease or drug problem will help to eliminate priapism.
What is balanitis?
Balanitis is an inflammation of the glans penis. A similar condition, balanoposthitis, refers to the inflammation of the glans penis and foreskin. Symptoms of balanitis include reddening or swelling of the glans penis, itching, rashes, pain and fetid discharge.
What causes balanitis?
Balanitis is most common in men and boys, the foreskin of which has not been trimmed (surgically removed), and who suffer from poor hygiene. Inflammation can develop if the sensitive skin under the foreskin is not washed regularly. This allows sweat, dust, dead skin and bacteria to gather under the foreskin and causes irritation of the glans penis. The presence of a rigid foreskin can make it difficult to keep this place clean and lead to irritation from foul-smelling substances (smegma), which can accumulate under the foreskin.
Other causes of balanitis may include these diseases
Dermatitis / allergy. This is an inflammation of the skin, often caused by irritating substances or contact allergies. Sensitivity to chemicals in certain products - such as soap, detergents, perfumes and spermicides - can cause an allergic reaction of the penis, including irritation, itching and a rash on the glans penis.
Infection. Infection of fungi Candida albicans (thrush) can lead to itching, a red, spotty rash on the glans penis. Some venereal diseases - including gonorrhea, herpes and syphilis - can lead to symptoms of balanitis and pain in the glans penis or around it.
In addition, people with diabetes have a higher risk of balanitis. Glucose (sugar) in the urine, serves as a breeding ground for bacteria under the head of the penis.
How to treat balanitis?
Treatment of balanitis depends on the cause. If there is an infection, the treatment will include appropriate antibiotics or antifungal drugs. In cases of severe trauma or permanent inflammation, circumcision may be recommended.
Taking appropriate measures of hygiene, a person can help himself to prevent future attacks of balanitis, such as delaying the foreskin and daily adequate cleaning and wiping the head of the penis to dryness. In addition, it is important to avoid soaps with chemicals or chemicals from lotions, especially those that cause irritation of the glans penis and pain around it.
What is phimosis?
Phimosis is a condition in which the foreskin of the penis sits so firmly that a man can not open the glans penis.
Causes of phimosis
Phimosis, which is most often seen in children, can be present at birth. It can also be caused by an infection or scar tissue, which is formed as a result of trauma or chronic inflammation. Another cause of phimosis is balanitis, which leads to the formation of scarring and tightness of the foreskin. Seek immediate medical attention if urination is difficult or impossible.
How to treat phimosis?
Treatment of phimosis can be gradual with the help of medications. Sometimes the foreskin can be weakened by using drugs that treat the penis. Circumcision, surgical removal of the prepuce, is often used to eliminate phimosis. Another surgical procedure involves the separation of the flesh from the glans penis. This procedure affects the foreskin less traumatically than circumcision. The pain around the head of the penis decreases significantly, and then disappears altogether.
What is paraphimosis?
Paraphimosis occurs when the foreskin is first pulled back, and then can not return to its original place, inflamed and surrounding the head in the form of a ring. Paraphimosis is called a boa or Spanish collar. This condition requires urgent medical care, which can cause serious complications if paraphimosis is not treated.
What causes paraphimosis?
Paraphimosis can begin to develop after an erection or sexual activity, or as a result of damage to the glans penis. When paraphimosis, the foreskin does not cover the glans penis. Around the head of the phallus may be pain due to the narrowing and pressing on her ring. If the paraphimosis continues, it can cause pain and swelling in the head and disrupt the flow of blood to the penis. In extreme cases, the lack of blood flow can lead to the death of the tissues of the penis (gangrene) and amputation of the penis.
How to treat paraphimosis?
The treatment of paraphimosis is aimed at reducing edema of the head and foreskin. The use of ice can help reduce swelling, and can exert pressure on the head of the phallus to dislodge blood and fluid from the glans penis.
If these measures fail to reduce the tumor and prevent the foreskin from returning to its normal position, injections are administered. In severe cases, the surgeon can make small incisions in the foreskin to release the head. Circumcision can also be used to treat paraphimosis.
What is penile cancer?
Cancer of the penis is a rare form of cancer that occurs when abnormal cells of the penis divide and grow uncontrollably. Some benign (non-cancerous) tumors can develop and become cancerous.
What is the cause of penile cancer?
The cause of penile cancer is unknown, but there are certain risk factors for this disease. Risk factors are everything that increases a person's chances of getting a cancer. Risk factors for developing penile cancer may include the following.
No circumcision. Men whose foreskin is not circumcised at birth, have a higher risk of developing penile cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV infection). HPV includes more than 100 types of viruses that can cause warts (papillomas) on the glans penis and pain around it. Some types of HPV can infect the genitals and the anus area. These types of papilloma virus are transmitted from one person to another during sexual intercourse.
Smoking. Smoking involves many carcinogenic chemicals that enter the body and affect the lungs.
Smegma. Oily discharge from the skin can accumulate under the foreskin of the penis. The result is a thick, smelling substance, which is called a smegma. If the penis is not completely cleaned, the presence of smegma can cause irritation and inflammation around the glans penis and pain in this area.
Phimosis. This is a condition in which the foreskin becomes narrowed and difficult to pull.
Treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis and other skin diseases that have the property of causing pain in the phallus are sometimes treated with a combination of drugs and ultraviolet rays, which can increase the risk of developing penile cancer.
Age. More than half of cancers of the penis occur in men over the age of 68.
What are the symptoms of penile cancer?
Symptoms of penile cancer include tumors or ulcers on the glans penis, abnormal discharge under the foreskin and bleeding from the head.
What procedures can be used to treat penile cancer?
The operation to remove a cancerous tumor is the most common method of treating penile cancer. A doctor can treat a cancerous phallus with one of the following procedures.
Wide local excision of a site with cancerous tumors
Elimination of cancer by scraping the tumor with a curette (thin, long instruments with a cleaned edge) and applying an electric current to the affected area to kill cancer cells.
Cryosurgery - this method uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and kill cancer cells.
Microsurgery (Mohs surgery) is an operation that removes cancerous and normal tissues as much as possible. During the operation, the doctor uses a microscope to look at the areas of cancerous tumors and make sure that all the cancer cells are removed.
Laser surgery uses a narrow beam of light to remove cancer cells. Circumcision is an operation that removes the foreskin.
The amputation of the penis (penectomy) is an operation that removes the penis. It is the most common and most effective method of treating penile cancer. With this method, part of the penis is removed. As a result, the entire penis will be removed. Lymph nodes in the groin can be taken into account during surgery.
What is Peyronie's disease?
Peyronie's disease is a condition in which plaques form on the penis, or a hard lump. Plaques can develop on the upper (more often) or lower part of the penis, in layers that contain erectile tissue. Plaques or hard lumps often develop as localized areas with irritation and swelling (inflammation), and can also develop into a hardened scar. Scars reduce the elasticity of the penis and its head. In this case, the pain in the head can bother the man quite often.
Peyronie's disease can develop in a mild form, which heals from six to 18 months without treatment. In these cases, the problem is aggravated by the phase of inflammation. In severe cases, the disease can be permanent. A hardened plaque on the penis head reduces its flexibility, causing pain and forcing the penis to bend into the arc during an erection.
In addition to the bending of the penis, Peyronie's disease can lead to general pain, as well as a painful erection. It can also cause emotional stress and affect a person's desire and the ability of his penis to function during sex.
What causes Peyronie's disease?
The exact cause of Peyronie's disease is unknown. In men who develop the disease quickly, it lasts a short time and passes without treatment. The likely cause is injury (stroke or too large bend), which causes bleeding inside the penis. Nevertheless, in some men, Peyronie's disease develops slowly and is a reasonably serious reason to require surgical treatment. Other possible causes of Peyronie's illness include:
Vasculitis. It is an inflammation of the blood or lymphatic vessels. This inflammation can lead to the formation of scar tissue on the penis or its head and cause pain in the head of the penis.
Disturbance of the development of connective tissue. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 30% of men with Peyronie's disease develop disorders that affect connective tissues not only in the phallus, but also in other parts of the body, such as hands and feet.
These conditions usually cause a thickening or hardening of the connective tissue of the penis. The connective tissue is a specialized tissue - for example, cartilage, bones and skin - that acts to support other body tissues.
Heredity. Some studies show that a person who has relatives with Peyronie's disease receives an increased risk of developing the disease.
How is Peyronie's disease treated?
There are two ways in which treatment of Peyronie's disease can be treated: surgery or non-surgical treatment.
Since the plaque from Peyronie's disease often decreases or disappears without treatment, many doctors suggest waiting for one to two years or more before trying to remedy the situation surgically. In many cases, the operation gives positive results. But since complications can still occur, many problems associated with Peyronie's disease (for example, contraction of the penis) are not surgically corrected, most doctors prefer to operate only men with the curvature of the penis so serious that sexual intercourse is impossible.
There are two surgical methods used to treat Peyronie's disease. One way is to remove the plaque from the penis head and the penis itself, and then place a skin patch or artificial material in it (skin grafting). With the second technique, the surgeon removes or clamps the tissue from the side of the penis opposite the dental plaque, which compensates for the bending effect . The first method may involve partial loss of erection. The second method causes a shortening of the penis.
A penile implant can be used in cases where Peyronie's disease has affected a person's ability to achieve or maintain an erection.
Without surgical treatment, Peyronie's disease involves the introduction of drugs directly into the plaques in an effort to soften the affected phallus tissue, reduce pain in the penis and its head, and correct the curvature of the penis. Vitamin E and pills that relieve inflammation also benefit some men with Peyronie's disease. Less invasive options are laser therapy for thinning plaques in Peyronie's disease.
Who to contact?
Home care for pain around the glans penis
Home treatment for pain around the glans penis depends on the cause of the pain. Consult your doctor if ice helps ease the pain.
If the pain in the penis is caused by sexually transmitted diseases, it is also important for the treatment of a sexual partner.
Priapism requires urgent medical attention, and with this disease you need to seek medical help immediately.
Call your doctor if
- The pain does not go away for a long period of time.
- The penis does not fall (priapism). This can lead to impotence, if this condition continues constantly.
- Diseases that are difficult to explain and identify.
Physical examination will probably include a detailed examination of the penis, in particular, the head of the penis, examination of the testicles, groin.
Pain can be treated after its cause is identified. With priapism, the condition of the penis should be relieved to relieve the delay of urine, and take medication or perform an operation, if necessary. Antibiotics, antiviral medicines or other drugs may be necessary to remove infections. Sometimes circumcision can be used. It is recommended for the prevention and removal of a chronic infection.
[6],