OVERVIEW
Balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and Posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) are common inflammations in boys and men: In posthitis, the foreskin or the inner foreskin of the male penis is inflamed. There is usually an inflammation of the glans at the same time – this is known as balanoposthitis.
There are many causes of posthitis or balanitis. Factors that increase the risk of glans inflammation and foreskin inflammation include:
- Moist conditions that lead to softening of the tissue (e.g. in the case of a tight foreskin),
- Mechanical influences (e.g. repeated friction during frequent sexual activity),
- Frequent (several times a day) washing with soap, which increasing removes fat from the skin,
- Older age, as the top layer of skin, is thinner with age,
- Strong proliferation of already existing or (e.g. through sexual intercourse) transmitted pathogens.
As a rule, inflammation of the foreskin of the penis and the glans are caused by an infection with bacteria or other (sometimes sexually transmitted) microorganisms. Poor hygiene is often the ideal precursor to inflammation of the glans or foreskin: the smegma, the secretion from the glans and foreskin glands, accumulates locally and thus forms the breeding ground for every type of pathogen.
If there is an inflammation of the glans or foreskin, the inflamed glans or foreskin is reddened and painfully swollen, so it shows typical signs of inflammation. Other common posthitis and balanitis symptoms are itching and a purulent discharge. During the diagnosis, the doctor takes swabs from the inflamed areas to determine the cause of the posthitis or balanitis and then to be able to determine the best possible treatment.
In the case of balanitis and posthitis, the therapy consists in containing the inflammation. This is achieved by specifically combating the causative pathogens: if bacteria are the culprits, antibiotics help very well; in the case of fungal infestation (e.g. candida), corresponding antimycotics (antifungal agents) are used against posthitis or balanitis. Local therapy of the glans and foreskin with chamomile baths and a disinfecting ointment is recommended as support.
DEFINITION
Balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) are common skin diseases of the penis:
In balanitis, the glans of the penis is inflamed,
In posthitis, the foreskin or the inner foreskin (posthion) of the penis is inflamed.
Inflammation of the forest usually occurs together with inflammation of the glans. This combined inflammation of the foreskin and glans is called balanoposthitis. Typical features of balanitis and posthitis are:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Burn
- Itching
- Oozing
- Possibly watery/purulent discharge
Depending on how balanitis and posthitis develop and how old those affected are, a distinction is made between several forms of inflammation (sometimes not distinguishable from one another):
- Balanitis/posthitis in boys before puberty: in about every 20th boy; often together with congenital narrowing of the foreskin (phimosis) or adhesion of the foreskin (so-called conglutination), often infectious
- Balanitis/posthitis in young, sexually mature men: less common than in children; often resulting from sexual activity, infectious or non-infectious
- Balanitis/posthitis in mature men: less often infectious, but the influence of physical conditions as a cause of inflammation is increasing; typical: cleanliness balanitis
- Balanitis/posthitis in old men (also: balanitis plasmacellularis zoon): common; Favored by age-related thinning of the skin and tissue softening; only occurs in uncircumcised males
- Infectious balanoposthitis (e.g. balanitis candidomycetica caused by infection with Candida fungi): rare; particularly affects diabetics, but also young men if they have sexual contact with women with vaginal thrush
- Chronic balanitis: a possible consequence is what is known as balanitis xerotica obliterans, in which the foreskin is thickened and narrowed like cartilage
CAUSES
What Can Cause Balanitis?
There are many possible causes of balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) or posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin):
As a rule, the foreskin and glans of the penis become inflamed by bacteria. In addition to bacteria, viruses, fungi (e.g. Candida) or other sexually transmitted triggers (e.g. parasites such as scabies mites) can also be the causes of balanitis or posthitis.
Causes of glans inflammation or foreskin inflammation caused by infections with pathogens are primarily sexual contacts and poor genital hygiene: With a lack of hygiene, smegma, the secretion of the glans and foreskin glands, accumulates locally and thus forms the breeding ground for every type of pathogens. In rare cases, posthitis or balanitis also occurs as part of systemic diseases (e.g. with Reiter's disease or Behcet's disease).
Many factors can promote the development of glans inflammation or foreskin inflammation. Possible causes of an increased risk of balanitis or posthitis include:
- Moist conditions that lead to local softening of tissue (e.g. in the case of a tightening of the foreskin),
- Mechanical influences (e.g. repeated friction during frequent sexual activity),
- Frequent washing with soap, which increasing removes fat from the skin,
- Older age, as the top layer of skin, is thinner with age,
Excessive proliferation of pathogens that are already present or that have been transmitted (e.g. through sexual intercourse).
For example, in boys before puberty, congenital narrowing of the foreskin (phimosis) and adhesions of the foreskin is often possible causes of inflamed foreskin and glans. Children in infancy and toddlers with a severely narrowed foreskin have an increased risk of posthitis and balanitis: in the case of a narrowed foreskin, there is a disproportion between the size of the glans and the stretchable width of the foreskin opening, so that the foreskin cannot be pulled back over the glans. The urine accumulates under the foreskin, which promotes bacterial infections.
Other causes of an increased risk of posthitis and balanitis are a restricted function of the immune system and certain diseases: For example, people with HIV or other immune deficiencies or with diabetes mellitus develop glans inflammation or foreskin inflammation more quickly.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of an inflammatory reaction occur in balanitis (glans inflammation) and posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin): the inflamed foreskin or glans is painfully reddened and swollen. Burning and itching are other typical signs of posthitis and balanitis. Small, weeping blisters can also appear on the glans. Those affected often experience a purulent discharge.
If balanitis and posthitis progress, the symptoms increase: Then, as a result of glans inflammation and inflammation of the foreskin, fever or problems with urination up to blood poisoning (sepsis) can develop.
DIAGNOSIS
If balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and/or posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) are suspected, the first step in diagnosis is to examine the penis and inguinal lymph nodes. The latter are usually palpably enlarged in the case of inflammation. The suspected diagnosis is based on the typical symptoms: If the glans and foreskin of the penis are inflamed,
Is the skin there red and swollen?
- The inflamed area burns and itches,
- Weeping blisters appear;
- Sometimes there are also watery-purulent discharges (discharge).
Swabs of the inflamed glans and foreskin are necessary to precisely determine the cause of the inflammation when diagnosing balanitis and posthitis: the doctor uses a cotton swab to collect pathogens from the inflamed areas and then cultivates them in an environment suitable for their reproduction. As soon as the pathogens have been determined, the doctor can initiate targeted treatment of the inflammation or inflammation of the forest.
THERAPY ( TREATMENT )
In the case of balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin), the therapy consists of eliminating the infection by specifically combating the pathogens. If bacteria caused posthitis or balanitis, treatment with antibiotics is primarily carried out. If fungi (e.g. Candida) are responsible for the inflammation of the glans and/or foreskin, antimycotics are used for therapy. In some cases, balanitis or posthitis also requires chemotherapy or immunotherapy to effectively combat sexually transmitted microorganisms.
If you have balanitis and/or posthitis and are sexually active, therapy is not only allowed for you: In most cases, it is justified and sensible to also treat the partners of the affected men. If your glans inflammation or foreskin inflammation is due to a systemic disease (e.g. Reiter's disease or Behcet's disease), the treatment of this underlying disease is the priority.
In addition to medical balanitis and posthitis therapy, there are also some things you can do yourself against the inflammation of your glans and/or foreskin: You can treat the glans inflammation or foreskin inflammation with local measures such as chamomile baths and a disinfecting ointment. In addition, it makes sense - especially if the foreskin and glans are repeatedly inflamed - to have an existing narrowing of the foreskin removed at an early stage. This surgical procedure is best performed in an infection-free interval.
COURSE
Balanitis (glans inflammation) and/or posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) can be positively influenced by appropriate treatment: both foreskin inflammation and glans inflammation have good chances of recovery if drug therapy is carried out consistently. Inflammation of the foreskin or glans usually heals without complications if pathogens have caused it.
Complications
If therapy for balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) begins too late (if, for example, those affected do not seek medical help in good time), complications that require treatment can occur later on: since the inflammation spreads from the glanspenis to the urethra can spread, urethritis, cystitis, and prostatitis can develop as a result. Epididymitis is also possible.
PREVENT
how to cure balanitis naturally?
In general, you can prevent balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) by using condoms during intercourse. In addition, the following measures are effective for the prophylaxis of inflammation of the foreskin and glans:
- Regular chamomile baths
- Flushing with saline solution
- Consistent but not excessive genital hygiene (retract the foreskin when washing the glans to remove smegma)
- Adherence to drug therapy in case of illness
With these measures, you can also prevent possible complications if you already have balanitis and/or posthitis. In this case, it is best to make sure that you do not infect anyone: Especially during drug treatment for glans inflammation or foreskin inflammation, it is recommended to only have sexual intercourse protected with a condom so that you do not transmit any bacteria or fungi to your sexual partners.
If your glans and/or foreskin has become inflamed due to contributing factors (e.g. immune deficiencies and/or underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus), it is possible for you to pay particular attention to hygiene and basic therapy: In this way, you can accelerate healing and also future inflammation largely prevent on the penis.