Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSelf-CareWhen to See a ProviderTreatmentsAbnormal ErectionsWhen to Restart Sex
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Self-Care
When to See a Provider
Treatments
Abnormal Erections
When to Restart Sex
Injuries can also lead to swelling, including a penile fracture or an abnormal curve calledPeyronie’s disease. There are also rare but serious causes likepenile cancerandparaphimosis(a medical emergency in which the foreskin becomes trapped behind the head of the penis).
This article looks at nine possible causes of a swollen penis. It also describes ways to treat or manage the condition and when it is time to see a specialist known as aurologist.
The Good Brigade / Getty Images
Causes of a Swollen Penis
The penis may be abnormally swollen for many different reasons. This includes conditions that affect different parts of the penis known as:
The causes can range from skin reactions and injuries to infections (includingsexually transmitted infections) and even cancer.
Contact Dermatitis
While both can cause red, swollen skin, allergic contact dermatitis often causes a delayed reaction, while irritant contact dermatitis tends to be immediate. Other symptoms include a rash, skin dryness, itching, cracking, burning, or flaking.
Here are some allergensand irritantsthat can cause a swollen penis.
AllergensLatex (such as latex condoms)Nickel (such as nickel cock rings or genital piercings)Scented soaps and bubble bathPerfumes and body spraysTopical anesthetics in desensitizing gelsSpermicides (like nonoxynol-9 found in certain condoms and personal lubricants)
Latex (such as latex condoms)
Nickel (such as nickel cock rings or genital piercings)
Scented soaps and bubble bath
Perfumes and body sprays
Topical anesthetics in desensitizing gels
Spermicides (like nonoxynol-9 found in certain condoms and personal lubricants)
Soaps
Laundry detergent and bleach
Body or massage oils
Alcohol-based cleansers
Hair dyes
Topical antibiotic or antifungals use to treat penile infections
How Contact Dermatitis Is Treated
Penile Injury
Any injury to the penis can causeinflammationand swelling. Inflammation is a protective immune response that causes blood vessels to widen (dilate) to increase circulation and promote healing. The dilation, in turn, causes tissues to swell.
In addition to swelling, injuries to the penis can causecontusions(bruising) andhematomas(the pooling of blood under the skin).
Severe injuries can sometimes cause apenile fracture. This is when the membrane surrounding the inner shaft of the penis (called thetunica albuginea) ruptures. This can occur during aggressive sex or a sex accident (such as falling onto your erection).
Even minor traumas can cause cumulative damage over time, leading to a condition calledPeyronie’s disease (PD), in which the penis suddenly develops an abnormal curve. While PD does not cause overt swelling, it can cause a lump at the site of the bend. People over 40 are most commonly affected.
Peyronie’s Disease
When to Seek Emergency CareA penile fracture is a medical emergency that can lead to permanent deformity anderectile dysfunctionif left untreated.Go to your nearest emergency room if a penis injury occurs during sex causes:A popping or cracking sound when it happensImmediate, extreme painAn immediate loss of your erectionSevere bruising or discolorationBlood in your urine
When to Seek Emergency Care
A penile fracture is a medical emergency that can lead to permanent deformity anderectile dysfunctionif left untreated.Go to your nearest emergency room if a penis injury occurs during sex causes:A popping or cracking sound when it happensImmediate, extreme painAn immediate loss of your erectionSevere bruising or discolorationBlood in your urine
A penile fracture is a medical emergency that can lead to permanent deformity anderectile dysfunctionif left untreated.
Go to your nearest emergency room if a penis injury occurs during sex causes:
How Peyronie’s Disease Is Treated
Lichen Sclerosus
Lichen sclerosusis a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can cause itching and pain. While it can affect any part of the body, it most often involves the genitals and the skin around them.
Lichen sclerosus is more common in males who areuncircumcised(who have a foreskin) and/or haveurinary incontinence(the loss of bladder control). The cause of lichen sclerosus is unknown but is thought to involve a combination of factors, including genetics, an overactive immune system, and previous skin damage.
While lichen sclerosus typically causes the tightening and hardening of the foreskin and glans, it can also cause swelling due to the build-up of fluids (known asedema). Other symptoms includepainful urination, painful erections, and dribbling.
How to Treat Lichen Sclerosus
Balanitis
Balanitisis inflammation of the head of the penis. It affects around 11% of adults and 4% of children with penises, primarily those with foreskins. It can occur at any age but is most common after age 40.
Poor hygiene plays a central role. In people with foreskins, the accumulation ofsmegma(a curd-like mixture of dead skin cells and body oils) can cause inflammation under the foreskin, leading to redness, swelling, pain, and itching.
When the glans and foreskin are both affected, it is calledbalanoposthitis. The swelling of the foreskin alone is referred to asposthitis.
With treatment and proper skin care, balanitis can clear in five days. If left untreated, balanitis can lead to complications like phimosis and paraphimosis (to be discussed).
Priapism
Causes of priapism include:
When to Seek Emergency CareAn erection that lasts for more than four hours can severely deprive the penis of oxygen, gradually destroying tissues and nerves. If left untreated, priapism can lead toerectile dysfunction.
An erection that lasts for more than four hours can severely deprive the penis of oxygen, gradually destroying tissues and nerves. If left untreated, priapism can lead toerectile dysfunction.
Phimosis
Phimosisis a condition in uncircumcised males in which the foreskin cannot be pulled back over the head of the penis.
Paraphimosis
Paraphimosisis when a foreskin gets “stuck” behind the head of the penis after it has been pulled back. It is considered a medical emergency as the trapped foreskin can cut off the blood supply. If the foreskin cannot be restored to its normal position, the loss of blood flow can cause severe edema and tissue death (necrosis).
Paraphimosis typically causes pain and swelling along with the dark purplish discoloration of the glans. However, some people may experience little pain until the condition turns severe.
When to Seek Emergency CareParaphimosis is always treated as a medical emergency regardless of whether the pain is severe or not. While rare, the condition may cause extensive tissue death and require a partial or complete amputation of the penis.
Paraphimosis is always treated as a medical emergency regardless of whether the pain is severe or not. While rare, the condition may cause extensive tissue death and require a partial or complete amputation of the penis.
Urethritis
Urethritisis the inflammation of the urethra. In males, the urethra runs from the bladder to the end of the penis.
Urethritis typically causes urination problems such asfrequent urination,pain with urination, andfrequent nighttime urination. It can also cause redness and swelling of the meatus.
How to Treat Urethritis
Penile Cancer
A rare cause of a swollen penis ispenile cancer. Penile cancer can affect anyone with a penis, but uncircumcised males with a history of recurrent balanitis are at an increased risk.
Penile cancer is rare, affecting fewer than 1 of every 100,000 males in the United States and accounting for less than 1% of all cancers in males.
Why Do I Have Bumps on My Penis?
Self-Care for Swollen Penis Symptoms
There are times when a swollen penis can be treated or managed at home. Certain at-home treatments can help ease symptoms and even resolve the condition without medical treatment.
Examples include:
Seeing a Provider for a Swollen Penis (With or Without Pain)
Even milder cases of contact dermatitis, balanitis, and phimosis may benefit from treatment if the symptoms are persistent, recurrent, or worsening.
It is important to see a healthcare provider if your swollen penis:
What a Penis Discharge Means
Prescribed Treatments for Penile Swelling
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications
It’s best to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider before using OTC medications to ensure the drug is appropriate for the condition. Some of the OTC drugs that can ease penile swelling and related symptoms are:
Prescriptions
Prescription drugs used to treat conditions like balanitis, lichen sclerosus, phimosis, and urethritis include:
Specialist Procedures
Specialist procedures are generally considered when symptoms are severe or conservative treatments fail to provide relief on their own. Options include:
Abnormal Erections Without Sexual Arousal
An erection is a natural physiological response to sexual stimulation that causes the penis to achieve a hardness suitable for sexual intercourse. But there are times when an erection can occur abnormally and be unwanted, generating significant distress and anxiety.
Persistent Genital Arousal Syndrome
Hard-Flaccid Syndrome
Most people with HFS report that symptoms started after a sexual injury at the base of the penis. Commonly cited causes include the aggressive use ofvacuum pumps,jelqing, or rough sex.
What to Do
Neither PGAD nor HFS is well understood, and no standard treatments exist. While various medical and surgical treatments are being explored, the bigger concern may be the general reluctance of males to report symptoms of sexual dysfunction compared to females.
Given the negative impact that sexual dysfunction can have on a person’s well-being, it is important to reach out to urologists with knowledge about conditions like PGAD and HFS. They will know best which treatment options are available and may even be able to refer you to clinical trials.
When to Resume Sexual Activity
Penile swelling is not a normal situation, and you will generally want to avoid sex until you’ve at least found out what is causing it.
With acute conditions like balanitis and urethritis, sex should not be resumed until the infection is treated and cleared, usually within five to 10 days.Even if an STI is not involved, you can still pass harmful bacteria to a female partner and causebacterial vaginosis (BV).
If an STI is involved, you need to avoid sex until the infection is cleared (and advise your partner of the diagnosis so they can get treated, too). With an STI like gonorrhea, you need to wait seven days after completing treatment before having sex.To avoid reinfection,wear a condom.
If you’ve experienced paraphimosis or have painful erections due to phimosis, you need to take care when engaging in sex. Use plenty of lubrication and consider wearing a condom to stabilize the foreskin and prevent it from slipping behind the head of the penis.
Signs of STIs in Males
Summary
Persistent swelling of the head, foreskin, or shaft of the penis is never considered normal, especially if it causes pain, interferes with sex, and has signs of an infection.
Some causes are medical emergencies, including penile fractures, priapism (an abnormally prolonged erection), and paraphimosis (the trapping of the foreskin behind the head of the penis). A rare but serious cause of a swollen penis is advanced penile cancer.
11 Penis Diseases You Should Know About
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