Balanitis is a disease that is characterized, first of all, by inflammation of the glans penis. In the event that the inflammation is also transmitted to the foreskin, then this disease is already called "balanoposthitis."
Types of balanitis
This type of disease manifests itself exclusively in the formation of edema, redness and cracks after a member injury. Penile injury can occur in absolutely any way.
Appears due to the accumulation of smegma or urine in the foreskin of the penis. This species is manifested by redness and swelling.
This type of disease can manifest itself with completely different symptoms, which will depend only on the nature of the pathogen.
- Xerotic balanitis obliterans
A much more complex form of the disease, the causes of which are still not fully understood.
The causes of the disease
- Various skin diseases, such as psoriasis or sulfur-borne dermatitis.
- Injury to the glans penis or irritation. Trauma can be coital or even caused by excessive masturbation.
- Concomitant infectious diseases - often balanitis can be the result of sexually transmitted diseases, for example, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia or syphilis.
- Urethritis
- Diabetes mellitus, because due to the development of this disease, there is a constant irritation of the glans penis with urine.
- Lack of proper hygiene and, as a result, accumulation of smegma, urine or any other irritating factors.
- Phimosis
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of the disease directly depend on the pathogen, but it is quite possible to characterize some local symptoms.
- Erythema of the foreskin
- Head redness
- Swelling
- Dryness
- Irritation
- Burning
- Itching
- Cracks
- Corky
- Nodular rash
- The appearance of erosion and ulcers on the genital organ
- Headache pain
- Premature ejaculation.
The more extensive symptoms include general weakness of the body, rashes in the area of the oral mucosa, swollen lymph nodes, especially in the inguinal region. If all the symptoms indicate that the patient has balanitis, treatment in this case should not be postponed until later, because any disease is easier to treat in the initial stage of its development.
Diagnosis of the disease
If the patient develops common symptoms, the doctor appoints him an examination for a group of STDs. Only bacterial examination can determine the presence of balanitis, but, for example, a blood test helps to judge the indirect presence of this disease.
Balanitis - treatment
If the patient has balanitis, the treatment primarily consists of daily hygiene procedures - it is necessary to wash the penis with warm water and soap, and in order not to cause excessive alkali irritation, you can use moisturizers.
Drug treatment consists of baths for a member with potassium permanganate and furacilin, which must be done for at least 20 minutes several times a day. After this bath, the head of the penis should be greased with syntolicylic, zinc or tetracycline ointment. If the patient has anaerobic balanitis, treatment is carried out with the help of such antibiotics as tetracycline or metronidazole.
Surgical treatment of the disease is necessary only if it is caused by phimosis of the foreskin, which is circumcised during surgery.
Treatment of balanitis in children is generally similar to treatment in adults, but there are many small nuances that need to be clarified in advance by the pediatrician observing the baby.
For successful treatment of the disease, most patients undergo physiotherapeutic procedures. In particular, electrophoresis, ozone therapy, heliotherapy and others.