Phimosis

Treatment:

Diagnosis of Phimosis

The diagnosis of phimosis is a simple technique. The surgeon makes full note of the medical history of the patient by asking questions regarding any prior infection or injuries to the penis. There may be some questioning pertaining to any impact that might have occurred during sexual activity. Followed by the questioning round, the healthcare provider does a physical examination in which he thoroughly looks at the penis and foreskin. To confirm, the doctor recommends a urinalysis to check for any urinary tract infections or perform a swab test by taking a sample from the foreskin area for checking bacteria.

Surgery

The surgical removal of the foreskin is referred as circumcision. In this process, the surgeons frees the foreskin from the penis’s head and the extra skin is removed. The benefits of circumcision are discussed here-
• Lowering risk of urinary tract infections
• Lower chances of sexually transmitted diseases in men
• Reducing the risk of penile cancer in males and cervical cancer in females
• Preventing conditions as balanitis and balanoposthitis
• Preventing phimosis and paraphimosis

Is phimosis curable?

Yes, of course phimosis is curable. Circumcision is the process to treat phimosis once and for all. Laser circumcision is the safest way for removal of the tight foreskin from the penis.

Are phimosis and paraphimosis the same?

Phimosis and paraphimosis are both common problems of foreskin but are different from each other. In phimosis, the prepuce becomes tight and cannot be retracted over the penis glans. It is mainly in babies and young boys. In older men, the problem may cause due to chronic penile infection and inflation in the foreskin and the penis. The tight foreskin also causes urination problems and any sexual activity as well.

In paraphimosis, the foreskin can be retracted but cannot be pulled forward again. It mostly cause if the foreskin is retracted immediately after a medical process. Paraphimosis is swelling of the glans penis and increases pressure to the retracted foreskin. While phimosis is not a medical emergency, Paraphimosis requires medical treatment at the earliest.

Benefits of circumcision

The primary benefits are:
• Decreased risk of STIs in men
• Protecting against penile cancer
• Lesser urinary tract infections
• Prevents smegma build-up
• Lowers the cervical cancer risk in their female sexual partners
• Prevents balanitis

Following are the benefits of laser circumcision over open surgery:

• Non-invasive procedure
• Completes within 15-20 minutes
• Painless procedure- with the anesthesia usage
• Outpatient procedure
• No stitches, wounds, or scars
• Resume work from the next day
• Fast and smooth recovery
• No need for daily dressing

In today’s scenario ZSR circumcision is a modern painless technique of circumcision that is minimally invasive.

When should I see a doctor for Phimosis?

Talk to your doctor about phimosis if you’re worried about being able to move your child’s foreskin or your own foreskin. Your doctor can make sure you know how to care for your child’s penis. If you or your child have trouble urinating or have pain, contact your doctor immediately:

• Trouble while urinating
• Urine with traces of blood
• Unable to empty the bladder properly
• Pain in the penis while erection
• Redness, soreness, or swelling of the penis