Our body contains lots of microorganisms. They have always been there! But this does not suggest that all of them are always having harmful effects on our body. Commonly, microorganisms exist in harmony in the body. But if the environment changes, for example, we had a different body temperature, or our body hygiene changed, some microorganisms would start to thrive.
Men can suffer from an overgrowth of some of these typically harmless microorganisms. Candida albicans can multiply in your body and cause disease. With this, men can get their penis infected with a form of yeast infection. The area of the head of the penis can get infected with the overgrowth of Candida albicans. Read more of this article to have a background on this penile yeast infection and what you need to do about them.
Penile Yeast Infection: The Basics
A group of microorganisms that we need to be wary about is the yeasts. They are natural residents of the flora in various parts of our body. You have them on your skin, mouth, and digestive system. When they are in a situation where they overgrow healthy microorganisms, you will start to have a yeast infection.
Yeast infections in the genital area have been pretty typical. Unfortunately, men can get their penis infected with this. Reports have shown that 37% of men have an asymptomatic yeast infection. Here, 27% will develop penile yeast infection or balanitis.
These yeasts behave the same way, even on other body parts. The overgrowth of Candida albicans can cause infection even to other parts of your body. Other than the male and female genitals, the oral cavity can also form oral thrush due to Candida albicans. This manifests as white patches on the tongue and palate.
A common misconception is that yeast infections are a female genital problem. The truth is men also suffer from this. Penile yeast infection can become very painful and uncomfortable, especially if you do not treat it appropriately. If you neglect your yeast infection, the microorganisms can carry the infection to your bloodstream and cause systemic harm to your body. Moreover, it will not be very pleasant to your partner.
Symptoms of Penile Yeast Infection
Knowing the symptoms of penile yeast infection can help you assess if you need to have yourself checked. Moreover, the signs can inform you and your partner regarding the sexual health of both of you.
Look out for a red rash or even a white and shiny patch on the penis. These are early symptoms of penile yeast infections. Moreover, a common symptom to look out for would be moistened or thickened white stuff under your foreskin.
Other than these, early penile yeast infections can make your penis feel itchy or burning. The burning sensation can sometimes be felt during urinating or during or after sex. This means that your penis might be irritated by the infection.
The symptoms of other conditions of the male genitals, which include sexually transmitted ones, can also manifest as itchiness, redness, and pain. Whether you feel like your symptoms lead to penile yeast infection or other diseases, you must immediately attend to these symptoms.
How Can You Get Penile Yeast Infection?
As mentioned earlier, Candida albicans are the microorganisms that cause the penile yeast infection. The presence of this increases your risk of contracting the disease. Moreover, some other factors make you susceptible to the overgrowth of Candida albicans on your penis.
Diabetes is a risk for having penile yeast infections. Raised blood sugar makes yeasts capable of growing more in your body. Moreover, yeasts grow better if you have weak immunity. Your body will lose the balance which it keeps in preventing the overgrowth of harmful microorganisms.
Like a weak immune system, radical use of antibiotics can make your body favor the growth of yeasts and fungi. This increases the chances of you having penile yeast infections.
Also, note that hygiene plays a significant role! If you fail to keep your body clean, do not expect it to be free from infections. If you are uncircumcised, microorganisms can harbor in your penis. This increases your risk of having yeast infections.
A usual way of getting a yeast infection would be having sexual intercourse with partners with a yeast infection.
Treatment For Penile Yeast Infection
Currently, we have lots of choices for treating penile yeast infections. Treatment for this infection ranges from leaving it to resolve its own to placing some medications on it.
A commonly prescribed medication for penile yeast infections is a topical antifungal cream. In the market, you can buy miconazole or clotrimazole. To use these creams, all you need to do is apply them over the infected parts once a day for one to three weeks. A medical professional can also help you with the number of applications and their duration.
Treatment for this is very easy to purchase. They are available as over-the-counter drugs. However, your doctor would prescribe more potent medications such as oral fluconazole or topical steroids for more severe cases. Taking these should be more closely monitored by your doctor because these are very potent and could give you more harm than good if misused.
If you are uncircumcised and your penile yeast infection does not seem to get better, circumcision might be recommended for you.
Getting treated for penile yeast infections is very important. Even if it is previously mentioned that they sometimes resolve on their own, if you happen to have a moderate or severe illness, untreated penile yeast infections can transmit harm to your whole body.
Prevention Of Penile Yeast Infection
Prevention, is of course, better than any treatment out there. Begin with adequate hygiene, especially for uncircumcised men. Bathing regularly and using mild soap to clean your genitals will help a lot already. Also, your partner needs to be also involved since they can pass their infection to you. Help them seek treatment if they have any symptoms.
