Penile Diseases: 12 Problems That Can Happen To Your Penis

Written by the UPGUYS Editorial Team

Published on January 31, 2022

Following risky sexual behaviours and poor hygiene, many conditions may affect the health of your penis. Viruses, fungi, and bacteria can all cause infections and conditions that may cause problems in your penis functions. 

Below is a list of conditions and diseases that can happen to a penis:

1- Erectile dysfunction

2- Ejaculation problems

3- Anorgasmia

4- Decreased libido

5- Sexually transmitted diseases

6- Balanitis

7- Peyronie's disease

8- Penile fracture

9- Priapism

10- Phimosis

11- Paraphimosis

12- Penile cancer

Penis diseases

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (also known as ED) is when you can't keep your penis firm enough to have sex. It can happen due to many reasons.

Erectile dysfunction is highly treatable, and there are lots of medications and herbal drugs that can help.

Ejaculation problems

There are a plethora of conditions when it comes to ejaculation. Inability to ejaculate, delayed ejaculation and premature ejaculation are just three of the most common problems regarding ejaculation.

Most of these conditions are highly treatable, and there are various over-the-counter and prescription treatments available for them.

Read more: Supporting Your Husband Through Erectile Dysfunction

Anorgasmia

Anorgasmia is a persistent inability to reach orgasm, even with sufficient stimulation. This condition is also known as delayed orgasm (DO) and can cause some men to take a very long time to reach climax. 

There are no excellent pharmacotherapies available for it. However, DO can be treated by addressing potential causative factors and psychotherapy.

Decreased libido

Decreased (or loss of) libido is a reduced desire for sex. It is usually linked to relationship issues but may also happen due to reduced hormone levels.

Treatment of decreased libido is highly related to its underlying cause. But a healthy lifestyle, changing a medication that might've adversely affected libido, hormone therapy, and counselling have proven to treat this condition.

Loss of libido

Sexually transmitted diseases

Also known as STDs, these are diseases and infections that can be transmitted during sexual intercourse. 

Genital warts, genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, penis discharge, and blisters on the penis are among STDs.

STDs caused by bacteria are usually treatable with antibiotics, while some, like herpes, are persistent for life. Therefore, mainly antibiotics or antiviral drugs are helpful with STDs.

Read More: 5 Most Common Sexually Transmitted Infections In Canada

Balanitis

Balanitis is swelling and irritation of the head of the penis. It usually happens following a yeast infection; however, bacterial or viral infections can also cause balanitis. In addition to red rashes and white patches on the penis, you might see white penis discharge as well.

About 10% of men experience balanitis at one point in their lives. However, it is more predominant in uncircumcised men.

Penis infection

Treatment for balanitis depends on the cause, but doctors will advise you to avoid certain substances and practice good hygiene in most cases.

Peyronie's disease

Peyronie's disease is a chronic condition in which scar tissues inside the penis cause curved and painful erections. This condition usually happens after a minor penis injury, such as bending the penis during sex or a sports accident.

Mild cases (which are more common) heal on their own in 6 to 15 months. Severe cases can be treated with:

- Surgery

- Injecting collagens

- Penile traction therapy

- A combination of all three

Note that not all curves in the penis are Peyronie's disease. If you've always had a curve in your penis, and it works and feels fine, you're ok.

Penile fracture

Penile fracture is a rupture in two areas of the penis that are responsible for erection. It's a rare injury, yet if it happens, you need emergency medical attention. Penile fracture mainly occurs due to trauma during sexual intercourse.

Treating penile fracture is by undergoing surgery, in which the doctor will stitch the torn tissue and check for possible other tears in other parts, such as the urethra.

Priapism

Priapism is a prolonged and painful erection. 

In priapism, full or partial erection can go on for hours, and it's often not caused by sexual stimulation.

Priapism is not a common condition but can happen to men of all ages.

The goal of treating priapism is to make the erection go away and preserve future erections. To this end, the doctor may give you decongestant medications or ask you to apply ice to the area. Other treatments, such as aspiration (draining excess blood from the penis with a needle) and surgeries or injections, are also available.

Read more: Unravelling The Truth: What Causes Penis Shrinkage?

Phimosis

Phimosis is a condition in which the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis is too tight to be pulled back over its head. Phimosis is normal in babies but not in older children or adults, and it can cause painful urination and erections.

There are three treatments options for phimosis:

1- The first option is to wait and see if it will go away on its own 

2- The second option is using steroid creams to stretch the foreskin 

3- The third is circumcision

Paraphimosis

Paraphimosis is a condition in which the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis can't return to its original position after retraction. It causes swelling and pain in the head of the penis and is a medical emergency.

Penis swelling 

Treatment for paraphimosis highly depends on the age and severity of the case, but the general goal is to reduce swelling. Paraphimosis treatments include applying ice, draining the pus and excess blood, and wrapping tight bondage around the penis.

Penile cancer

Penile cancer is when cells grow out of control in a penis. It usually begins as a blister on the penis, then works its way in, making wart-like growth that discharges pus. Penile cancer rarely affects young men, and in most cases, occurs in men who are 55 and older.

The primary treatment for penile cancer is surgery. Sometimes chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be used instead of, or in addition to the surgery as well.

Other rare conditions like Epispadias and Hypospadias are mainly congenital disabilities and are usually treatable by surgeries.

Scary, huh?

Who knew so many things could go wrong with a penis? 

Now that you know all the problems and conditions that can happen to your penis, you should know that you have the power to prevent most of them.

There are risk factors and risky behaviours that, if you stay clear of them, you can minimize the chance of encountering a penis problem.

Read more: Dealing With Cumming Too Much: Understanding, Causes, And Solutions