1. Community
  2. Men's health
  3. Penis Disorders

Is this Balanitis? I'm 21, had it most of my whole life, no treatment has worked

Posted , 190 users are following.

Verstarix
Verstarix

Hello, I've seen a doctor many times about a mild condition I have on my penis glans, have been prescribed 3 different creams including Betnovate and a Hydrocortisone, a course of antibiotics and a swab which said I was clear and still the condition remains. I used to have a tight foreskin up until last year which is now sorted from stretching, and I think the condition began during my teenage years when I wasn't able to wash the glans. It often feels dry and can sometmes feel slightly painful when the foreskin retracts, almost like its rubbing and the sensitivity everywhere is quite high still, not sure if this is due to the condition. The urethra opening is always red and inflamed and red areas appear frequently around the glans itself. Any advise on what I should do would be much appreciated, have attached a photo too. Many thanks!

12 likes, 703 replies

703 Replies

Prev Next
  • Guest
    Guest Verstarix

    Posted

    hi guys, just saw this thread and ive been experiencing the same for almost two months. Last week of Feb, i received oral sex with a girl. Next day, I felt a tingling feeling on the tip of my penis. I ignored it. The next few days after i masturbated i noticed that the meatus was swollen. I thought i might have STD or something so i had to test but it came out negative. i still took some doxycyline azithromycin antiobiotics for a week but it was still the same. i thought also that it might be herpes so i took some zithromax in a week but nothing change. i also took erythromycin for a week.

    i dont have any trouble peeing or any discharge also. Its not itchy or painful. my meatus just stings a bit only after i masterbate and it really gets swollen i also tried not masterbating for almost two weeks but it was still there.

    i cannot go to a doctor now because my country has been on lockdown since middle of March. Im currently taking flucanazole now. im on my second day but i dont see any recovery. Im really worried that i might infect someone when i have sex.

    I also noticed that when i open up the meatus, there's like a whitish circlular shape on the right inside of the meatus. i dont think its chancre or what. i dont really know what it is and its driving me crazy already for almost 2 months.

    is it balantis or what? i also saw someone posted here about the head of his penis is wrinkled and shiny a bit? i notice mine also sometimes its like that. I hope someone could help and say what this is 😦

    imageimage

  • Riggsy
    Riggsy Verstarix

    Posted

    Hey all,

    I've been on this thread a while and have experienced many of the symptoms.

    My personal conclusion, like others, is that it is a result of penis "trauma" and the resulting issue is almost like a residual "scar" of the urethra/head. I noticed this first after some rather rough sex with no condom, which made it noticeably sore, later exacerbated by unfortunately contracting gonorrhea. This was all cleared up, but the issue was significantly worse even after numerous testing and creams by the doctors (seems this a newish phenomena we are experiencing, eh?)

    I tried a few topical creams and antibiotics which I gave time to "work", but no real luck. Thanks to this forum, the best things I found:

    • Ensuring the foreskin is pulled over the tip regularly (I am uncircumcised)
    • Keeping the area free of urine after peeing and emptying the bladder before retracting
    • A clean whistle, cleansed with warm water, or a natural product if need be
    • Making sure masturbation/sex is well lubed
    • Identifying dietary triggers that affect your bladder

    I have a hugely clean diet and exercise profusely, which for all I know helps the overall health - yet, I found coffee to be severely disrupting to my bladder, and cutting that trigger out helped immensely.

    Some people said to keep the head dry and without ointment, but mine looked and felt overly dry and would make it harder to keep the foreskin over the glands, so I looked into a remedy.

    Now, I've been into natural remedies for a long while (thanks, acne) so I was trying to find something that was natural, lubricating and didn't irritate the skin.

    I eventually picked up all-natural aloe vera gel to try my luck, and lo and behold, my penis seems to have taken really well to this. As with all things, I tried if for a length of time and it seems have helped to "re-lubricate" the penis.

    My non-expert judgement is that many of us may have disrupted the natural lubrication of our penis, whether by act or by luck of the draw.

    It's not a cure, but a part of the regime I have been doing above I have found huge relief - and jeez, relief is great whilst we keep searching for some form of cure.

    I hope this helps others; ensure to use al-natural aloe vera free of "s**t" - added bonus, aloe is fantastic for so many other things!

    All the best

  • mario76489
    mario76489 Verstarix

    Edited

    Hi everyone!

    I have been following this thread for a few months and I must share with you my path since i have the same symptoms of Vestarix.

    I'm 26, from Italy, uncircumcised.

    Four years ago I've had unprotected sex (not the first time with that partner). 1/2 days later i found white spots on my glans and glans corona which turned into smegma and extreme redness in 3/4 days. Then all clear. The same path happened from time to time after sex. Then (3 years later) the up-down ended and just the redness remained.

    Now i'm better (most days the redness completely disappear and the glans is totally normal, few days the redness come back).

    As a lot of you stated above, my personal improvement COULD has been dependent on (since those are the only things i've applied):

    • retract the foreskin when urinating and dry the area afterward
    • always urinate after ejaculating and, again, clean with water and dry the area
    • try to retract the foreskin during the day and let the glans "breath and dry" for a few minutes

    From my side, I've experienced pain just during my extreme 3/4 days rushes but no pain since this "just-redness" status started. So I'm sure my case matches with Vestarix, but maybe not with everybody in here, since we seem to have mixed up a lot of people and issues.

    Just want to let you know that if, by any change, I'm gonna get a non-relapsing condition, I will certainly share it and its causes on this thread. You, please, do the same.

    Best of luck guys

  • Brazilian33
    Brazilian33 Verstarix

    Edited

    Hello Fellow Diseased,

    I have been dealing with an unknown condition that is underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all for a little more than a year. I have seen many doctors by now: 4 urologists, 1 dermatologist and 1 ID specialist. The diagnostics vary from mild fungal balanitis to "it is all in your head".

    Fortunately, I have an academic background, so I know my way around research databases and scientific journals. That is how I dove in the realm of male genital lesions, making doctors grin at my (not so) wild guesses, like BXO, Zoon Balanitis and Lichen.

    Last month I was about to give up and begin self-medicating when I noticed a correlation between coffee (and cookies) intake and symptom flare-ups: eczema and pruritus around the meatus.

    Have you guys tried to avoid coffee and gluten? I noticed a huge improvement after I stopped consuming coffee, tea, Coke, bread and cookies.

    I know it is hard, but it was the only way I could see my penis as it used to be. At least for a week or so.

    Give it a try. For Science.

    • Riggsy
      Riggsy Brazilian33

      Edited

      I second the flare-ups being linked to triggers.

      For me, my trauma was also bladder related and I have learned that coffee is a big no-no for me, haven't really noticed a big one on gluten?

      Black tea has also flared, so perhaps a general caffeine link? I have avoided a lot sugar for years anyway, so I cannot comment on that.

      These flares can last a few days then calm down, but it's a right pain in the...penis.

    • Brazilian33
      Brazilian33 Riggsy

      Edited

      Glad to know.

      As regard to caffeine, I do not believe it is a trigger per se (allergy), but rather an indication that whatever it is it seems to be related to pressure and, therefore, blood vessels.

      Say we all are infected by an unknown (or undiagnosed) fungus for more than a year. That is plenty of time for it to spread. And, sometimes, to create something called a fungal bezoar (fungus ball).

      So when we take caffeine, pressure increases and forces the passage through an obstructed blood vessel, which leads to skin changes (glans discoloration). Although rare, there are plenty of cases on fungal ball in the urinary tract.

      This guess is backed by some symptoms I have experienced early (low back pain) and a new one: penile discharge without smell, which I strongly suspect it is actually a semen leakage.

      So my next step is to ask for an X-ray.

    • Riggsy
      Riggsy Brazilian33

      Edited

      I've had mine just coming up a year and I do remember lower back pain, although at the time I had that down to an the bladder/kidney related issues and I don't seem to have that so much, now.

      Now that you mention it, however, I did experience back pain before my most recent flare? I had put it down to my lack of stretching and form during exercise (being active sports-wise), which seems to have been sorted with some attention to that, but I shall keep an eye on back pain coming back before a flare in the future...interesting!

      All the best with your X-Ray

    • Brazilian33
      Brazilian33 Riggsy

      Edited

      Thanks for the feedback, Riggsy. Finding our common symptoms is very important so we may accurately pinpoint the cause(s) of our problem.

      It seems we all have some sort of lichen disease (either planus or sclerosus), but I am trying to find more conditions which share similar signs or symptoms.

      I am considering creating an online form in order to do so.

    • a30971
      a30971 Brazilian33

      Posted

      Any update so far? I am having exact same issue, cytology tells polyoma virus infection.

  • Da1998
    Da1998 Verstarix

    Edited

    hello guys,

    first of all i am "glad" that I found people with the same problems as I have. We are having some terrible missfortune it seems. My problems began over 4 years ago after having unprotected sex with a girl, she felt really dry and it lasted 2 hours which may caused Trauma?

    After that the trouble started, pain while urinating, partially red glans and under foreskin. Pain while having sex and after sex in the penis. Flaky skin on the glans. Pain while and after ejaculating.

    the weird thing is that it sometimes looks better (not completely healed) and sometimes looks way worse. Doctors couldn't help me, tried a lot of creams and some pills.

    This 'disease' made me very depressed over the last 4 years. I am too afraid to go into a relationship or have sex.

    I also want to mention that I have abstained from masturbation and sex for 2 (!!) years and this has not fixed anything.

    I really don't know what to do anymore guys. But one thing is certain, if I were ever to get this horrible thing cured, you will be the first I will inform. I hope somehow we can find a cure together and bless you guys!

    • Gabe007
      Gabe007 Da1998

      Edited

      Have you done tests to discard out a problem of another type? ITS

    • Da1998
      Da1998 Gabe007

      Posted

      Hey Gabe,

      I got tested for STD's by urine and by swab and both came out negative

  • caleb04109
    caleb04109 Verstarix

    Edited

    going to a std clinic tomorrow to restart it all again. hopefully a doctor there has seen this issue before. going to retest again for mycoplasm genitalium.

    • junior03056
      junior03056 caleb04109

      Posted

      id recommend an in depth UTI test which uses next generation sequencing and polymerase chain reaction methods... i was tested for everything at the clinic multiple times, they found pus in my urine but only tested for a few things.

      i self medicated 3 days of trimethorprim which is only the length of a womens course and my symptoms were relieved by like 70%.

      I'm trying to find a company in the UK that does these in depth tests to see it i have any bacteria left in my urine.

    • caleb04109
      caleb04109 junior03056

      Posted

      has your swelling of the meatus changed at all? mine still looks exactly like OP's what about your stream does it take a long time to empty your bladder or did you not have that issue in the first place?

      im hoping as these std doctors have seen it all they can give some kind of answer but i have not got my hopes up.

    • junior03056
      junior03056 Gabe007

      Posted

      ive been to the clinic around five times, multiple blood tests/ urine tests they even found pus in my urine and their tests came back with nothing.

      this is why im going for a more in depth test with urine because there is clearly something there.

      when all this first started i was constantly in pain when urinating but after self diagnosing and taking 3 days of anti biotics this reduced symptoms alot but i still have a bumpy meatus and sometimes the skin on my glands goes dry and scaley.

      im approaching a year into this.

    • caleb04109
      caleb04109 junior03056

      Posted

      they have also found pus in my urine before but never found anything from it.

      have you been tested for mycoplasm genitalium? i tested positive to this before but i never followed up with another test. it is very resilant to antibiotics and 50% of people need different course of antibiotics to fix.

      anyway, my point is MG causes urethiritis which is probably what we have in some form.

    • Guest
      Guest caleb04109

      Posted

      how does your meatus looks like? mine is like this. Sometimes its more inflammed than the usual. I do not have any discharge coming out from it. No itchy feeling. Just a stinging feeling time to time but not always.I have taken several anti biotics already but its still the same. I have tested negative for std

      image

    • caleb04109
      caleb04109 Guest

      Posted

      yep mine is the same. more red then yours though. urine only passes theough the top and the bottom. also she noted that my head was more white/grey and should be more pink.

    • Brazilian33
      Brazilian33 caleb04109

      Posted

      your description sounds like mine, except it looks more white/purple instead of grey. And yes, it used to be pinkier and smooth.

    • Guest
      Guest caleb04109

      Posted

      mine is also kinda white/grey? and also it looks dry winkled sometimes. I noticed also that it's w bit shiny. It isnt supposed to be shiny right? This has been bothering me for almost 2 months now. Cant consult with a doctor since we are on lockdown

    • Guest
      Guest caleb04109

      Posted

      im sorry for the follow up question. If you have MG, what are the antibiotics prescribed to you? is it Moxifloxacin? for the past month, ive taken different antibiotics and none has worked. I hope the Moxifloxacin will help. I noticed also that if i open my meatus outward, i could see on the right side inside that there is like a reddish whitish bump looks like a tiny cold sore which i think is causing the meatus to be swollen.

    • caleb04109
      caleb04109 Guest

      Posted

      for mg that i had years ago i was prescribed azithromycin. just one dose. however, most people this does not kill MG as it becomes resistant to azithromycin. so now what they do is they send it away to check for MG and they can now check to see if it is a resistant strain and they will put you on different medication.

      when i originally got it done i was never told to follow it up so i suspect i may still have it, but i should know within a few days when the results come back.

      i almost wish it does come back positive so i can try to treat and put a name to this condition thats ruining our lives. one day at a time.

    • Guest
      Guest caleb04109

      Posted

      copy brother. My mind is already crazy just thinking about this. Ive read also about the azithromycin. then if it doesnt work, moxiflacin. Its just hassle here in my country i cant go to a doctor to check up. Our lockdown will be lifted end of the month. Just update us here when you can. Thank you

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.