Mild inflammation (swelling) and infection of the penis is often due to inadequate and infrequent washing and cleaning, which leads to a build-up of a cheesy looking substance called smegma.
Smegma is a natural lubricant made up of a number of bodily secretions that allows smooth movement between the foreskin and the head of the penis (glans) during sexual intercourse. However, if it is allowed to accumulate in the foreskin it can start to smell, prevent easy foreskin movement, and become a breeding ground for bacteria. This can cause an infection of the head of your penis, called balanitis.
Balanitis
As well as poor hygiene, balanitis can also develop for other reasons, including:
- having sex with a women who has thrush in her vagina,
- untreated diabetes, which can lead to high levels of glucose in your urine that can dry on your foreskin, creating an ideal environment for infection to take hold, and
- a reaction to taking a course of antibiotics.
Mild balanitis can usually be treated by washing the affected area, twice a day, using a weak saline solution (salty water). If this does not help, see your GP who may recommend using an antifungal cream, or antibiotics.
Other causes
A sore and smelly penis can sometimes be caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI). For example:
- Non-specific urethritis (NSU) - symptoms include a clear discharge, pain inside your penis, and when urinating, which is often worse in the morning. NSU is passed on during sex, and several types of bacteria may be responsible. Half of all cases of NSU are caused by chlamydia, and about 40% are caused by other bacteria, such as ureaplasma, and mycoplasma. In the early stages of infection, these bacteria do not cause symptoms, so often women do not know that they are affected.
- Gonorrhoea - causes pain on urinating with a yellow, white, green discharge that can be either clear or cloudy. Your symptoms may be mild or severe. The infection can spread to your testicles, causing swelling and redness. Inflammation of the urethra (tube running from the bladder to the tip of the penis) is often caused by a sensitivity to perfumed toiletries.
If you have any discharge, or pain, you should have it investigated by your GP, or a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic as soon as possible. If the condition is left untreated, more serious problems may occur.
Many infections are easily treated with antibiotics, antifungal, or steroid creams, or by using simple self-care measures, such as removing the source of any possible allergy.
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