According to Dr. Komarovsky, acute balanoposthitis in boys requires special attention from the parents. This disease is treated, in most cases it can be treated quite well. If the pathology is prone to relapse, they may recommend circumcision. What is balanoposthitis? Let's consider in more detail.
Causes and effects
Balanoposthitis is an inflammatory disease localized on the head of the penis. Inflammation covers the preputial sac, mainly affecting the inner leaf of the organ. In most cases, the cause of acute balanoposthitis in a boy is insufficiently responsible hygiene measures. Inattentive attitude to the hygiene of the organs of the reproductive system provokes the accumulation of smegma. The substance mainly accumulates under the foreskin. Here the glandular secretion secreted by the secretory system of the prepuce bag occurs. Such an environment is extremely favorable for the propagation of pathological microflora. As a result, the inflammatory process starts.
There are cases when, aimed at establishing the causes, the diagnosis of acute balanoposthitis in a boy showed physiological phimosis. This condition is considered a kind of norm for children under the age of five. This specific feature of the local structure of the body complicates the implementation of hygiene measures, since it is impossible to expose the head of the penis, simply by pulling the flesh. It is known that parents, having noticed such a feature in the child, are trying to forcefully pull back the covers in order to open the head. Due to such gross interference, dangerous microorganisms penetrate the prepuce bag faster, which means that the likelihood of inflammation and its potential strength become much higher.
Features and triggering phenomena
As reference books containing thematic photos explain, acute balanoposthitis in boys can be explained by a violation of the normal processes of cleaning the foreskin. These are sometimes due to synechiae.
Most often, an analysis of pathological microflora shows the presence of strepto-, staphylococcus. Possible infection with Escherichia coli, herpetic virus, yeast. Sometimes the analysis shows Proteus.
Occasionally, the disease is associated with excessive hygiene measures, too frequent washing of the organs of the reproductive system. The risks are great if they use aggressive soap or other active chemicals. Allergies and contact dermatitis are due to the use of creams. The development of the inflammatory process due to the contact of the child’s body with linen contaminated with chemicals (including detergents) is possible. Balanoposthitis in this case is usually accompanied by inflammation of the gluteal region, the entire perineum.
How to suspect?
It is not difficult to notice the symptoms of acute balanoposthitis in a boy - the disease begins with a pronounced worsening of the condition. Most often, the child complains or shows signs of concern after emptying the bladder. The head of the penis bothers with itching, this area burns and hurts. As you progress, the process of emptying the bladder becomes more difficult. If the patient is very small and cannot describe his condition, he shows concern, cries a lot and is capricious.
If parents inspect the child, they will see redness of the head of the penis surrounding its tissues. This area is swelling. If you bare your head, you can see the accumulation of smegma, emitting a bad smell. In some patients, curdled discharge is noted. Purulent and serous are possible. The volume of such substances is quite large. The source is the preputial bag. On the mucous organs of the reproductive system, on the skin in this area, foci of rash and fissures are not uncommon. The appearance of diaper rash is possible. As the disease progresses, erosion appears, the skin peels off.
Symptoms: nuances
Signs of acute balanoposthitis in a boy include a deterioration in the general condition of the patient. The child feels unwell and eats and sleeps much worse. Usually sick children are irritable and moody. In some cases, the examination shows an increase in the volume of lymph nodes in the perineum. The patient unconsciously tries to delay the emptying of the bladder due to the pain of this process. This leads to uncontrolled urination. This is possible both at night and in the daytime.
Deterioration of the patient's condition is observed for four, sometimes five days. The prepuce cavity can open independently, freeing itself from the accumulation of smegma. In this case, an independent complete cure is possible. There are cases when the lack of qualified medical care provoked a change in the form of the disease to the chronicle. This leads to scarring in the foreskin. There is a risk of paraphimosis, phimosis in a pathological form. In some, chronic balanoposthitis is accompanied by urethritis (also in the form of a chronicle). Deformation of the glans penis is possible.
How to clarify?
Diagnosis of acute balanoposthitis in a boy does not imply specialized measures. There is no need to use any professional equipment. It is enough to examine the patient, analyze the complaints. The doctor examines the condition of the child. In some cases, samples are taken for laboratory testing. This allows us to formulate a more accurate picture of the flow.
What to do?
With the symptoms of acute balanoposthitis in a boy indicating the need for treatment, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor. Only a specialist can choose an adequate course of the fight against the disease. In a predominant percentage of cases, local therapy is chosen. Assign sedentary baths. For the procedure, use herbal infusions, extracts, decoctions. You can do baths with antiseptic drugs. Instillation of an antiseptic under the foreskin is allowed. If it is not possible to expose the head of a member, they may advise you to agree to the operation. Such an event helps to divide synechia, to free the preputial sac from pathological accumulations.
Is it possible to warn?
As the directories with photos demonstrating the features of the disease allow to understand, acute balanoposthitis in boys is an extremely unpleasant disease. To prevent it, you must carefully observe hygiene measures. The task of parents is to educate the child to maintain hygiene of the reproductive system as soon as possible. Toddlers need especially responsible care from their parents. You need to choose the right diapers, track the frequency of replacement of these items. No less significant measures to wash the genitals, the entire perineum. It is necessary to care for the skin of the child using specialized tools. The task of parents is to choose only safe, non-allergenic formulations.
What do parents say?
As can be concluded from the reviews, acute balanoposthitis in boys brings a lot of suffering to the patient. No less worrying are the parents whose baby is the victim of the disease. Some note that balanoposthitis bothered, despite a very responsible attitude to hygiene. This proves that the aggressive chemicals used for washing irritate delicate baby skin. But those who teach children from a young age to take care of themselves, and until they acquire such skills, they are responsible for hygiene of the baby without using an excessive amount of aggressive agents, rarely complain about this problem.
Many note that the treatment of balanoposthitis did not cause any particular difficulties. Some say in their reviews that the illness in the child went away on its own, although there was no therapy. Despite a fairly large number of such cases, it is not worth risking and saving, so as not to provoke undesirable consequences and complications.
Balanitis and balanoposthitis
These two diseases often develop simultaneously. If treatment of acute balanoposthitis in a boy was required, it is likely that balanitis should also be treated. So called the inflammatory process affecting the head of the penis. Balanitis is a narrower process than balanoposthitis. In practice, these two pathologies flow one into the other. Doctors say: recent studies suggest that the lack of treatment for such a disease can provoke malignant processes in the reproductive system. To avoid such a risk, it is necessary to start therapy in a timely manner, signs of the inflammatory process are barely noticeable. If the disease is prone to relapse, consult a surgeon.
The disease can be primary, secondary. In boys, primary acute balanoposthitis, balanitis appears due to infection by pathological microflora. There is a danger of congenital phimosis, in which the probability of these diseases is much higher. Urine, smegma linger in the preputial sac, the inflammatory process begins. The secondary form of the disease is observed if the body is already infected with the infection, the focus is outside the penis, but the pathological agent penetrates here, moving through the urethra. Most often, a Trichomonas defeat occurs in this way. The nature of the gonorrheal, syphilitic disease of the head of the penis is similar. If a child has a diabetic disease, suffers from allergies, eczema, the probability of getting sick is much higher.
Candidiasis balanoposthitis
Acute balanoposthitis in boys is relatively rare due to the invasion of fungi from the genus Candida. Such a disease can be called a thrush. Many girls, girls, women suffer from it, but the representatives of the stronger sex suffer from thrush much less often. This is due to the specific anatomy of the male body. Modern doctors know well how to deal with candidal balanoposthitis. The task of parents, the patient and the doctor is to take effective enough measures so that the disease does not become chronic.
Fungi belonging to the genus Candida are classified as opportunistic. This means that they adversely affect human health if certain risk factors are present. In a normal state, the fungus lives in the total microflora in a small amount and does not harm a person in any way. If the immune system weakens, active reproduction of this form begins, as a result, an inflammatory focus develops, a person becomes ill. There is a higher likelihood of such a development of events if the child suffers from immunodeficiency or a diabetic disease, if the body is infected with a genital infection. There is a higher danger that you will have to deal with the acute candida balanoposthitis that developed in the boy, if the child is sick with an autoimmune disease, the skin is affected, there is a chronic pathology of the reproductive system or some kind of internal organ. The same risks are associated with a lack of vitamins, general exhaustion, and non-compliance with hygiene norms and rules. If a child uses tight underwear made of synthetics, the risk of thrush is significantly increased.
Case features
Candidiasis acute balanoposthitis in boys is relatively rare due to specific anatomical features. The penis is an external organ, so it rarely becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, if hygienic rules are followed with sufficient responsibility. For pathogenic microflora from the genus Candida to appear, the optimum degree of humidity for it must be maintained. Fungi need heat and acidity. Often, thrush accompanies a change in the hormonal background. Usually, with infection with candidiasis, the body successfully copes with the pathology on its own.
In addition to the acute form, candidal balanoposthitis can appear as a chronic disease. An acute disease is easier to cure, it has vivid symptoms. Relapses to this course are rare. With candidal balanoposthitis, the head of the penis reddens and swells, bothers the patient with a burning sensation. This part of the body itches, hurts. On the skin under the foreskin, you can see a whitish cover. Empty bladder is accompanied by pain, lymph nodes in the perineum are enlarged. Inspection shows small ulcers, erosion on the skin of intimate organs. The patient is irritable, quickly gets tired. Occasionally, an increase in temperature to subfebrile is observed.
What to do?
Treatment of candida balanoposthitis offers the use of systemic drugs, the use of local treatment. Antimycotic agents are prescribed to prevent the reproduction of yeast. Systemic drugs are rarely prescribed, often cost local. They can prescribe Antifungol, Nizoral, Pimafucin. To combat fungi from the genus Candida, "Ifenek", "Ginezol", "Lomexin" are used. A good reputation known funds "Mikogal", "Orungal", "Flucostat."