Penis Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

February 15, 2023 Helal Medical

Penis pain can be experienced anywhere in or around the male organ. It can be in the base, shaft, glans, or foreskin. The severity and onset of the pain may vary depending on the cause. It may be sudden, such as cases after an injury, or gradual in intensity in most cases of the cases. It’s important to address any kind of penile pain and seek a diagnosis, especially if it occurs during an erection, hinders urination, or is accompanied by discharge, sores, redness, or swelling.

Other Symptoms with Penis Pain

Penile pain may be accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty urinating, bloody semen or discharge, Alos it may be accompanied by visible bruises, rashes, or sores. Pain may also be accompanied by irritation in uncircumcised men due to buildup of secretions under the foreskin. In some other cases, it may also be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen or testicles.

Characteristics of Penis Pain

Penile pain is likely to have one or all of the following characteristics:

Intensity: sharp, dull, throbbing, or burning
Location: anywhere in the penis, root, along the shaft, or in the glans
Duration: acute or chronic depending on the cause
Duration of erection: erection may last 3 hours or more in cases of priapism
Occurrence: usually during sexual activity, urination, or physical activity

Causes of Penile Pain

The following are the most common causes of penile pain:

Sexually transmitted diseases caused by viruses or bacteria
Urinary tract infections, (UTI), or bladder infections
Allergies caused by soap or detergents
Skin diseases caused by infections or autoimmune disorders
Poor hygiene in uncircumcised men causing infection and inflammation under the foreskin
Prostatitis, or swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland

Rare causes of Penis Pain

Insect bites from mosquitoes, ticks, or spiders
Injuries from accidents or vigorous physical activity
Priapism, a painful and prolonged erection lasting for hours
Penile fracture caused by a partner falling onto an erect penis during sexual activity

Cause	Description	Example
STDs	Viruses or bacteria	Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea
Urinary Tract Infections	UTI or bladder infections	Cystitis, Urethritis
Allergies	Soap or detergents	Rash, Itching
Skin Diseases	Infections or autoimmune disorders	Psoriasis, Balanitis
Poor Hygiene	Infection and inflammation under foreskin	Yeast Infection, Phimosis
Prostatitis	Swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland	Acute Prostatitis, Chronic Prostatitis
Insect Bites	Mosquitoes, Ticks, Spiders	Localized itching, redness
Injuries	Accidents or physical activity	Bruising, Fractures
Priapism	Painful and prolonged erection	Erection lasting for hours
Penile Fracture	Fracture caused by partner falling onto erect penis	Pain, Bruising

SUMMARY

Penile pain can be caused by a variety of conditions. To determine the cause of your penis pain, go through pain history and accompanying symptoms. To reduce the risk of health complications in the penis, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, good hygiene, and use condoms during sexual activity. If you experience persistent or severe penile pain, it’s important to seek medical care promptly. Any pain in the penis should be evaluated to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

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