Men’s Health Service

Complications of Peyronie’s disease might include:

• Inability to have sexual intercourse
• Difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction)
• Anxiety or stress about sexual abilities or the appearance of your penis
• Stress on your relationship with your partner
• It can affect fertility as well

4) Pearly penile papules (PPP)

It’s perfectly normal to be a bit worried if you notice any small growths on your penis. The medical term used to describe pearly penile papules is Hirsutoid papillomas. They typically develop around the head of the penis.

Their size and colour can vary across individuals. They typically appear pink-white and measure between 1 to 4 millimetres in diameter, resembling small pimples. Pearly penile papules often cluster in rings or rows, commonly around the circumference of the base of the penis’ head. Pearly penile papules are often mistaken for symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection, such as genital warts. If you have bumps on your penis, be sure to get checked out right away to be sure that they are PPP and not something else.

We offer radiofrequency removal services here at DTAP for PPP removal.

5) Penis and foreskin infections

The foreskin is the sheath of skin that covers the head (glans) of the penis. At birth, the foreskin is fully attached to the penis. In time, the foreskin separates and can be retracted (pulled back). This can usually be done by the age of about two. Sometimes, the foreskin separates later. Occasionally, the foreskin doesn’t separate evenly and areas remain stuck to the glans. These attachments almost always resolve by puberty.

Conditions that may affect the foreskin include:

a) Inflammation –
sore and red foreskin. Common causes include forced retraction, irritants such as bubble baths or dirty nappies.

b) Infection –
the most common include posthitis and balanitis. Posthitis is infection of the foreskin, usually caused by fungus thriving in the hot and moist conditions. Balanitis is infection of the foreskin and glans, and is usually caused by poor hygiene. Smegma encourages the growth of infection-causing germs.

c) Chronic infections –
for some males, posthitis or balanitis tends to reoccur. A complication of chronic infections is scar tissue, which could stick the foreskin to the glans and make retraction impossible. Chronic infections of the penis and foreskin also increase the risk of urinary tract infections. Repeated kidney infections can affect kidney function.

d) Phimosis –
the foreskin is abnormally tight, which prevents it from retracting. This can cause recurrent balanitis because good hygiene is difficult or impossible. An erection may cause trauma to the foreskin and bleed. The tight foreskin can make urination difficult in some cases, the foreskin fills up with urine like a little balloon. Phimosis is the most common reason for circumcision after infancy.

e) Paraphimosis –
permanently retracted foreskin. The foreskin gathers like a tight rubber band around the penis, causing swelling and pain. This condition is the second most common reason for adult circumcision.

f) Tumour –
rarely, abnormal growths develop on the foreskin. In some cases, the tumour is cancerous. Penile cancer is extremely rare in circumcised men.

g) Zipper trauma –
the foreskin (or other parts of the genitals, commonly the scrotum) gets caught in a zipper. Wearing underpants is the best prevention.

6) Penile frenulectomy

Tight penis frenulum (frenulectomy):

A tight penile frenulum can occur in both circumcised and non circumcised men and create a restriction that is susceptible to microtrauma causing painful erections and bleeding. Some men go through their entire life suffering from pain and bleeding unaware that there is a cure.

Penile frenulectomy is a procedure that can alleviate the pain by removing the restricting tissue for increased range of movement in the penile skin. The procedure usually take no more than 20 minutes and generally results in relief with a brief recovery period.

7) Prostate issues

For such a little gland, the prostate seems to cause a lot of concern. The prostate is a gland that is a part of the male reproductive system that wraps around the male urethra near the bladder. All men are at risk for prostate problems.

Common prostate problems in men include:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis
• Chronic prostatitis (non-bacterial)
• Prostate cancer

The following can be signs of a prostate problem:

• Frequent urge to urinate
• Need to get up many times during the night to urinate
• Blood in urine or semen
• Painful or burning urination
• Not being able to urinate
• Painful ejaculation
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, pelvic or rectal area, or upper thighs
• Dribbling of urine

If you have any of these symptoms, you should get yourself checked by a doctor right away.

8) Urinary problems and urinary tract infections :

Bladder and urinary problems can strike men of any age and for any number of reasons. The urinary tract system removes waste and excess fluid from the body in the form of urine. This includes, in descending order, the kidneys, the ureter (which connects the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder, and the urethra (through which urine leaves the body through the penis). If any of these organs are damaged, infected, or diseased, the system can break down and manifest with characteristic urinary symptoms.

• Most common urinary tract problems affecting men are :
• Decreased urine output
• Bladder stones
• Stress urinary incontinence
• Urge urinary incontinence
• Overflow incontinence
• Urethritis
• Urinary tract infection

9) Blood in Semen

Seeing blood in the semen can make a man anxious. For men 40 and over, chances are higher that blood in the semen needs evaluation and treatment. This is especially true for men who:

• Have repeated episodes of blood in the semen
• Have related symptoms while urinating or ejaculating
• Are at risk for cancer, a bleeding disorder, or other conditions

Blood in the semen can be caused by tumors, infections, anatomical abnormalities, stones, or inflammation in many sites throughout the genitourinary system.

Depending on the cause of the blood in your semen,  we help you diagnose and decide the course of treatment that is right for you.