2023-11-06 18:45:05
The male sexual health is often neglected. However, certain situations, such as paraphimosis, can have serious consequences… And require special attention ! What is it exactly? How to recognize it and take care of it? We take stock with Dr Antoine Faix, urological surgeon, andrologist and member of the French Urology Association (AFU).
Definition: what is paraphimosis?
“Paraphimosis is a complication of phimosisa narrowing of the end of the foreskin (the skin covering the glans) which prevents the men concerned from removing the cap completely and easily”, summarizes the expert. As a reminder, the foreskin naturally covers the end of the penis. But in certain cases , when he finds himself behind the glans, it remains stuck at the level of the balano-preputial groove. Concretely, men suffering from paraphimosis are no longer able to recap their glans: we are talking regarding irreversible retraction of the foreskin which ends up “strangling” the glans.
“All uncircumcised men can be affected by paraphimosis, regardless of their age”, notes Dr Faix. And insists: “Children, adult men and older men affected must go quickly to the emergency room: the glans must be recapped as quickly as possible by a doctor.
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Phimosis, age, infection, scratches… What are the causes of paraphimosis?
Paraphimosis generally occurs in patients with phimosis, or when the foreskin is left retracted for a period of time, following a medical procedure (catheterization or cystoscopy, for example), following an erection, or following cleaning a child’s penis. The foreskin swells, increasingly encloses the glans and gradually limits the irrigation of the penis….
A infection of the genital area (balanitis, lichen sclerosus, etc.) can also cause inflammation and swelling which contributes to the development of paraphimosis. Because ? They make penis retraction more difficult and uncomfortable. The same applies to scrapes or other trauma at the level of the foreskin.
Edema, pain, swollen foreskin… What symptoms should alert affected men?
The warning signs are relatively simple to identify:
- the inability to return the foreskin to its normal position (on the glans);
- the development of a edema and the swelling of the foreskin ;
- adiscomfort when urinatingor even the inability to urinate;
- the appearance pain or discomfort ;
- the purplish coloring you shine.
In some cases, signs of infection may also accompany paraphimosis: redness, warmth, and/or abnormal discharge at the level of the penis.
At the slightest warning symptom, go to the emergency room for rapid treatment, insists Dr. Faix. The sooner paraphimosis is diagnosed and treated, the better the chances of avoiding complications.
Is it serious to have paraphimosis?
You will have understood, paraphimosis should not be taken lightly : it can cause serious complications which impact the physical – and ultimately mental – health of the men concerned.
What are the potential complications ? How quickly do they occur?
Complications are rare and can occur following several hours, even very long minutes. Paraphimosis generally causes more or less unbearable pain, but can also lead to infectious complications and/or necrosis of the glans. “The foreskin remains stuck behind the glans and compresses the blood vessels, which can lead to ischemia of the glans tissues, itself the cause of permanent tissue damage and necrosis,” explains the surgeon-urologist.
Can paraphimosis be prevented? And how to avoid it?
The best way to prevent paraphimosis is to practice good genital hygiene:
- avoid forcing retraction of the foreskinespecially among young boys;
- consult a healthcare professional in case of unusual symptoms;
- clean the genital area regularly with lukewarm water and mild soap to limit irritation and other infections;
- always place the foreskin back over the tip of the penis following cleaning, sexual intercourse, urination or a medical examination.
And at the risk of surprising you, paraphimosis can also be prevented by medical circumcision complete. Ask a professional for more information.
Treatment: how to deflate your foreskin? Can you treat phimosis yourself?
Paraphimosis rarely resolves on its own. It is possible to apply ice regarding ten minutes or take a hot bath, but medical care is generally necessary to deflate the foreskin, recap the glans and restore blood circulation. In some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary, summarizes Dr. Faix.
- In mild cases, a healthcare professional may try to manually reduce the size of the foreskin (following applying numbing gel to the patient’s glans, the doctor gently pulls back the foreskin into place).
- Of the anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed to reduce swelling.
- In severe cases, a small incision can be practiced to free the foreskin.
- In case of infectionantibiotics may be administered before attempting to recap the glans.
“Very often, once the emergency has been dealt with, Circumcision is offered to patients to avoid recurrences”, warns Dr Faix. Very common, this intervention consists of totally or partially removing the foreskin. It is carried out under surgical intervention outpatient, with a short general or local anesthesia. The stitches reabsorb on their own following three to four weeks, while the healing takes place.
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