Eight things your penis can tell you about your health… from lumps to spots – and when to see your GP
You might not know it but your penis can tell you a lot about your own overall health.
Running to the loo in the middle of the night frequently could be a sign of prostate disease or diabetes.
Struggling to maintain an erection could be linked to mental health issues as well as blood pressure problems.
Although all penises are different, there are certain signs that every man should watch out for.
It's all about knowing what's normal for you.
If the colour of your member changes, the texture seems different or you suddenly start developing loads of little bumps all over the shaft, it could be time for a trip to the GP - but you’d only know that if you are aware of what your penis normally looked like.
We reveal eight things your penis can tell you about your health and when you need to book that GP appointment:
1. It's itchy
Unless you've been bitten by a midge being really itchy down there isn't something worth ignoring.
Itching is a common symptom of fungal infections and in the case of itchy penis is it could be a sign that you've got an inflammation of the foreskin or penis head.
That could be caused by something like herpes or a failure to clean your penis effectively.
Your GP can diagnose on the spot and prescribe the necessary antibiotics.
2. It's a tighter fit than usual
No, we don't mean it's grown suddenly overnight - we talking about the foreskin feeling tighter than usual. If you wake up and your foreskin feels like it has shrunk but it's not painful, you could have something called lichen sclerosus.
Urologist Dr Ryan Terlecki told that it's a condition usually caused by hormonal or immune system imbalances.
If left untreated it can block your urinary tract and you'll end up in A&E. So, if you haven't been circumcised and you wake up with a feeling of tightness, it's really worth getting checked out.
3. You've got spots
Fordyce spots are small yellow or white spots on the head or shaft.
They are really common and can appear in other places on the body including the lips. they are sebaceous glands that don't have hair follicles and you don't have to have treatment.
4. There's penile discharge
Discharge isn't normal. It tends to be a common symptom of gonorrhea and other STIs.
But it's also one of the main signs of penile cancer - particularly if it smells really bad.
Other signs of cancer can include a thickening of the skin a change in the colour of the penis skin on foreskin and a rash but don't wait for every symptom to show up before you seek help.
5. It has a lump
Lumps can be scary and you really don't want to ignore them.
A lump on the penis could be a sign of penile cancer while lumps found around the balls can be a symptom of testicular cancer. Penile cancer is a lot rarer but in both cases early detection and treatment are crucial.
While it's unlikely a lump on your penis is caused by penile cancer, it needs to be investigated.
But not all lumps are a sign of cancer. A hard swelling that appears after sex could be down to your lymph channels being temporarily blocked.
If the swelling goes down after sex or masturbation then it's probably a lymphocele - but if it's permanent then get it checked out.
6. There are lots of tiny little bumps
If you find lots of little bumps you could have a rash as an allergic reaction to your washing powder... or you could have an STI.
Genital warts tend to look like lots of small lumps and are easily removed once you have them diagnosed.
What you don't want to do however is to be walking around with them in the long term In case they grown size or you spread them to someone else - so it really is worth biting the bullet and going to your nearest GUM clinic or GP to have them diagnosed.
Sores and ulcers are also symptoms of things like herpes definitely need medical attention.
Small flesh coloured lumps around the head could also be pearly penile papules.
The NHS says that they usually go all the way around the head in one or two rows and are completely normal.
They're not caused by bad hygiene or STI's and they don't require any treatment.
7. There's a curve when erect
It's totally normal for penises to have a slight curve when erect but if you find that yours has a significant bend then your GP needs to look at it.
A curve can be a symptom of Peyronie's disease.
That's a good edition which tends to affect men over 40 but it can happen at any age and it can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Symptoms of Peyronie's disease
According to the , symptoms of Peyronie's disease include:
- a thickened area or hard lump (plaque) in the shaft of the penis (it's rare to get more than one plaque)
- a curve in the penis when it's erect (usually it curves upwards)
- pain in the penis, usually during an erection (pain in the non-erect penis is rare)
- the penis looking misshapen, like an hourglass
- loss of length or girth of the penis
8. Blood in urine
There shouldn't really be blood in any bodily excretions - whether that's in your poo, pee or semen.
It's always worth getting checked out if you do find blood turning up unexpectedly.
MORE ON MEN'S HEALTH
In the case of penile health, it can be a sign of bladder cancer.
If you find it when you pee make an appointment to see your doctor ASAP.
If, however, your pee seems normal but you find little dots of blood in your pants check your scrotum and shaft to see if there are any cuts, nicks or spots.
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