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Penis Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Home remedies

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2023

Penis Pain:

Pain in penis can be rather excruciating. Whether caused by an in infection, disease, blockage, or simply a muscle spasm, this pain is one that must be dealt with immediately.

The pain one experiences in the penis can be so severe that it may be difficult to walk or go about your daily activities. This is why the best course of action is to just find out what is causing the pain and then trying to treat the problem to make it go away. Sometimes, the pain can resolve itself naturally over the course of a few minutes but it is imperative to know what is causing it before the situation worsens.

Penis pain can be limited to specific areas of the penis or can occur all over, including the testicles. It can be caused due to many reasons, which is why there is a multitude of treatment options to consider. One commonly occurring reason is that you may have a bladder infection, which leads to painful urination and sometimes a throbbing sensation to linger even after.

In this case, the best course of treatments is usually antibiotics. Kidney stones can also cause a lot of pain, including referral pain in penis. Vigorous sexual intercourse can lead to the tip of the penis to experience soreness. This resolves itself with rest. Pelvic pain can also occur due to an injury, fungal infection, or a muscular spasm.

What is a penis pain sign of?

Penis pain can be a sign of many underlying diseases including:

  1. Peyronie’s disease: Mostly caused by repeated penile injury, Peyronie’s disease damages fibrous tissues which cause curve and pain during erection.
  2. Priapism: It is known as an unwanted, prolonged erection of the penis without sexual arousal. It can be spontaneous or a side effect of certain antidepressant or erectile dysfunction drugs.
  3. STI: Sexually transmitted infections are caused by bacteria transfer from one body to another during sexual intercourse. One of the major symptoms is pain and unusual discomfort in the genitals after sexual intercourse with an infected person.
  4. UTI: Lower tract UTI happens in the bladder and urethra. The bacteria usually affects the urethra causing sharp pain during urination and otherwise.
  5. Injuries: Injuries during physical activity or sexual intercourse can lead to muscle spasms causing pain in the genitals.
  6. Phimosis: It is a rare condition in which the foreskin of the penis gets tight and does not roll back over the head. This condition is mostly seen in uncircumcised children and eventually goes away with time.
  7. Balanitis: Common disease in uncircumcised penis men, it develops inflammation in the foreskin and head of the penis. Causes include poor hygiene, infection, diabetes, or any skin disorder.
  8. Cancer:

    Initial symptoms of penile cancer includes pain, swelling and discolouration of the affected area.

    Or it can be a sign of:-

    • Excessive consumption of alcohol or tobacco.
    • Low immunity or stamina.
    • Loss of physical strength in muscular tissues.
    • Underlying tissue damage.
    • And many more…

What are the causes of penis pain?

A number of conditions can cause pain in penis. The intensity of the pain may vary from mild to severe. A person may experience pain while resting, during sexual intercourse or while urinating.

Some of the most common causes of penis pain are:

  • Peyronie's disease: This is a condition that occurs when there is a build-up of plaque on the penis due to the scarring of tissue. The scarring may result from an autoimmune disease or an injury. Pain is a common symptom of Peyronie's disease. Men with this condition may also experience erectile dysfunction.
  • Balanitis: Balanitis is a condition that is associated with inflammation in the penis head. Uncircumcised men are at a greater risk of this condition. The risk is even higher in Uncircumcised men who don't regularly clean the area underneath the foreskin. Diabetes and obesity are a major risk factor for balanitis. Use of harsh chemical-based soap or body wash can also result in this condition.
  • Priapism: This is a painful condition in which a man experiences a prolonged erection even without sexual stimulation. A number of conditions are believed to cause priapism such as sickle cell disease, trauma to the spinal cord or genitals or pelvic conditions. It is a serious condition which usually requires medical treatment.
  • STIs: Pain in penis may also result from sexually transmitted infections (STI). HIV, herpes, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis are some of the STIs that can cause penis pain. A person with STI may experience pain while ejaculating, urinating or during intercourse.
  • Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): A UTI is usually a bacterial infection that occurs when the bacteria enter the urinary tract. Although UTI is more common in women, it can also affect men. Besides causing pain in penis, a UTI may cause a burning sensation while peeing.
  • Prostatitis: The condition is characterised by inflammation of the prostate. Prostatitis is known to cause pain in the pelvic region and penis. Some of the conditions that can lead to prostatitis are injuries, nerve inflammation, and bacterial infections.
  • Urethritis: A person with urethritis experiences inflammation of the urethra (the tube that passes urine from the bladder via the penis). Some of the known causes of this painful condition are injury, viruses, and bacteria.
  • Phimosis: Phimosis is a painful condition that is characterised by a tight foreskin which makes it difficult to pull back. While the foreskin usually loosens during childhood and adolescent period, some men may experience tight foreskin later as well.
  • Paraphimosis: The condition is characterised by the inability of an individual to pull the foreskin back over the head of the penis. It is a painful medical condition that deserves immediate medical intervention.
  • Penile fracture: Penile fracture is not really a fracture as there are no bones in the penis. The condition occurs during sexual intercourse when an erect penis gets bent accidentally. It is a serious medical condition for which immediate medical intervention must be sought. Sudden loss of erection, pain, swelling and bleeding are some of the common symptoms.
  • Penile Cancer: Penile cancer is a rare cause of pain in the penis. However, the risk of penis cancer increases in men who are aged over 50. Some of the other factors that can increase the risk of penile cancer are being uncircumcised, smoking, having human papillomavirus infection (HPV), not cleaning the underneath of foreskin etc.

Is penis pain normal?

Pain is known as a signal our muscles send to the nervous system in case of internal damage. Depending upon the intensity and duration of pain one can detect the severity of the case.

So, any form of pain which is unpleasant is not normal as it might be a symptom of underlying wear and tear in the body, especially in sensitive areas like the genital. Do not ignore any sort of discomfort, pain, soreness, or swelling in any part of your body. It can be cured easily if detected in the early stages.

Does penis pain go away?

If treated properly, penis pain can easily be cured. Here are some of the things that you might find helpful to ease out the penis pain.

  • Wear breathable undergarments to reduce unwanted friction between the genitals.
  • Keep good care of your hygiene, especially after intercourse. STI (sexually transmitted infections) symptoms commonly show pain as surface-level symptoms.
  • If needed, don’t be afraid to use extra lubricants during coitus, friction caused during sexual activity might cause discomfort in the genital area.
  • In the case of recurring infections, major accidents, or any surgical activity, one must concern a specialist to know the pain’s underlying reason.

How pain in penis causes diagnosed?

The first step on your part is to visit a urologist to find out what the problem is. The urologist may conduct a series of tests, including a urine test, x-ray of your penis, or a blood test to see whether there are any indicators for specific infections.

You will also have to undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases as a lot of them manifest as pain in the penis. Once the diagnosis is made, you can then get on with the treatment.

How do I know if my penis pain is serious?

One can identify the seriousness of the condition by examining the penis on these criteria:

  • Duration: Pain can be serious if it is too long. Even if the intensity of pain is mild, one must concern a doctor if the pain doesn’t ease ours within 12 hours.
  • Intensity: One must seek medical help in case of intense pain followed by a certain activity or sudden action.
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How pain in the penis treated?

Treatment for relief from penis pain depends on the underlying medical condition. Some of the treatment options for penis pain include:

  • Injections are an effective remedy for plaques resulting from Peyronie's disease. Surgery may be necessitated in severe cases to remove plaques.
  • Men with priapism can benefit from draining the blood from the penis. This can help in reducing the erection. Men with this condition can also consider medication to reduce the blood flow to the penis.
  • Antibiotics are effective against urinary tract bacterial infections and sexually transmitted infections (such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis).
  • Penis pain resulting from Balanitis can be treated with antifungal medications and antibiotics.
  • Antiviral medications can provide relief from penis pain resulting from herpes by reducing the duration of outbreaks.
  • Men with phimosis can benefit from stretching their foreskin with fingers. Stretching can help loosen the foreskin. They can also consider the topical application of steroid creams on the penis. Surgery may be required in severe cases of phimosis.
  • For pain caused by paraphimosis, it is recommended to ice the head of the penis to reduce swelling. Putting pressure on the penis head can also be helpful. A physician may also use injections to drain the penis.
  • For penile cancer, surgery can be performed to remove cancerous regions. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy can be considered as well.

Are there any side effects of treatment?

Most antibiotics tend to cause a mild fever as a side effect. However, this is natural as they raise the body temperature and its nothing to be alarmed about.

Is a penis pain an emergency?

Depending upon the intensity and duration of pain, penis pain can be normal or critical. One must take advice from a medical professional if:

  • If the pain is prolonged and doesn’t show any relief naturally within 12 hours.
  • The intensity of pain is fatal, especially during micturition, sexual intercourse, physical exercise, or otherwise.
  • If it has more than one symptom. For instance, if you are experiencing uncontrollable itch along with constant mild pain.
  • If your gentiles show any sign of soreness, inflation, burn, redness, or anything which might look unusual to the normal during erection or urination.

What are the post-treatment guidelines?

The post treatment guidelines vary with the cause of the pain. In the case of infections, your guidelines may include to maintain hygiene and avoid having sex for a while. If it is an STD, a vital guideline that you must keep in mind is to use protection at all times.

How long does it take to recover?

The recovery period depends largely on the cause of the pain. However, most infections tend to clear up within 3-5 days so you can expect the time period to be within the same ball park.

What is the price of the treatment in India?

Antibiotics in India can cost anywhere between Rs. 50 – Rs. 200, depending on the brand of the medicine and the dosage that is recommended to you.

Are the results of the treatment permanent?

The results of the treatment are permanent. Any infection you may get on your penis post the treatment is considered to be a fresh infection and not an extension of the original one.

How to prevent pain in penis?

It might not be possible to prevent penis pain in certain circumstances. However, you can follow the below-mentioned measures to reduce the likelihood of penis pain:

  • Use condoms during sexual intercourse
  • Avoid sexual intercourse with people who may be having any type of infection
  • Avoiding rough movements and risky postures during intercourse

Men who are experiencing problems with foreskin or recurring infections should clean the inside of their foreskin every day. Men with these problems can also consider circumcision.

How to relieve pain in penis at home?

Low-to-mild intensity penis pain doesn't usually require medical treatment or intervention. There are certain measures that an individual can follow at home to get relief from penis pain. Some of those measures are:

  • Wash your penis regularly while bathing
  • Men with foreskin should gently pull it back and clean the underneath
  • Clean the smegma (a cheesy-looking substance) accumulated on the penis head and under the foreskin
  • Wash the penis base and scrotum
  • Wash the region between bottom and testicles
  • Avoid anything that can cause irritation
  • Use moisturizer when needed
  • Use a mild soap or body wash to clean the pubic region
  • Wear white underwear made with cotton fabric and no chemical dyes
  • Practice safe-sex (use condom and lubricant)

What are the alternatives to the treatment?

If you experience pain in your penis after sex, and have already been tested for STDs and do not have any, then it is important to consider that you may have to change your sexual positions as it might be causing your penis harm.

Sometimes, with height differences and in a difference in the body type, the penile muscles get stretched far too much, leading to pain. Only trial and error can help you here.

References

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Written ByDr. Ajay Kumar Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS)Sexology
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