You might think of your penis as more pleasure centre than health indicator. But what’s going on in your trousers can provide clues on how the rest of your body is faring too.
Changes to erections, sensation, or even the way your foreskin behaves can have a number of explanations, ranging from relatively minor irritation to health conditions that need to be checked out.
Although some symptoms are nothing to worry about, knowing what’s normal for you — and recognising when something isn’t — can help you know when to speak to a doctor.
Dr Babak Ashrafi, Superdrug Online Doctor GP, unzips some of the most common penile changes, along with what they potentially signal.
Erectile dysfunction
‘Many men think of erectile dysfunction as a condition in itself, but it’s often a symptom rather than the underlying cause,’ Dr Ashrafi tells Metro.
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‘An erection relies on healthy blood vessels, nerves, hormones and psychological wellbeing all working together. If something is disrupting one of those systems, the penis can sometimes be one of the first places it becomes noticeable.’
Struggling with softness can be indicative of a number of different things beyond the bedroom.
High blood pressure
Because the blood vessels supplying the penis are much smaller than those supplying the heart, your hard-on (or lack of) can be an early warning sign they’re starting to narrow or lose their elasticity because of high blood pressure.
As such, Dr Ashrafi says ‘some men may notice changes to their erections before they experience any other symptoms,’ adding: ‘That’s why persistent changes shouldn’t simply be put down to age.’
Diabetes
Diabetes can affect the blood vessels and nerves involved in erections, so if you’re also experiencing increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision or unexplained fatigue, Dr Ashrafi advises speaking to your GP to ‘rule out’ the condition.
High cholesterol
Again, these two things don’t always go hand in hand, but Dr Ashrafi warns that ‘for some men, changes in erectile function can be an early clue that it’s time to have their cholesterol checked.’
Low testosterone
As low testosterone can impact both sexual desire and sexual function, Dr Ashrafi says ‘it’s important to look at the wider picture rather than focusing on one symptom alone.’
That said, if reduced sex drive is accompanied by persistent tiredness, low mood, reduced muscle strength or fewer spontaneous erections, hormones could be playing a role.
Sleep issues
You might not immediately connect your sleep with your sex life, but getting enough good-quality rest plays a role in hormone production, cardiovascular health and sexual function.
‘If someone notices changes in their erections alongside loud snoring, excessive daytime tiredness or poor quality sleep, it may be worth investigating whether an underlying sleep disorder could be contributing,’ explains Dr Ashrafi.
Warts, bumps, rashes, sores or pimples
Finding a new mark, lump or rash on your penis can understandably send your mind into overdrive.
While not every mark, lump or rash on your penis is sinister — pearly penile papules (PPP), for example, are totally harmless — some can be linked to sexually transmitted infections such as HPV or herpes, as well as other infections and skin conditions.
Dr Ashrafi recommends paying attention to anything new or unusual, but advises against trying to self-diagnose based on appearance alone.
‘If a change is new, painful, persistent, spreading or accompanied by discharge or other symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional,’ he adds.
A bent or curved penis
Some penises naturally curve slightly, and if yours has always looked that way and isn’t causing you any problems, there’s usually no reason to be concerned.
However, Dr Ashrafi says: ‘What men should be more aware of is a new or worsening curve, particularly if it’s accompanied by pain, a lump or hard area in the penis, or difficulty having sex. This can be a sign of Peyronie’s disease, where scar tissue develops within the penis.’
As ever, it’s a good idea to seek medical advice if this is the case for you, as treatment options are available.
Pain during sex or painful erections
Sex isn’t supposed to hurt — and neither is having an erection.
There can be several reasons why penile pain occurs, ‘from infection and inflammation to conditions such as Peyronie’s disease’, although the cause isn’t always immediately obvious, which is why professional investigation is always advised.
Do you regularly check for changes in your body's health, such as signs that your body gives about conditions?
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Dr Ashrafi adds: ‘If the pain is accompanied by symptoms such as sores, blisters, unusual discharge or pain when urinating, it’s particularly important to consider whether a sexually transmitted infection could be responsible.’
Difficulty retracting the foreskin
For some, difficulty retracting the foreskin can be something they’ve experienced for years. For others, it can develop later in life.
Either way, Dr Ashrafi says this is a sign of phimosis, a condition ‘where the foreskin is too tight to retract comfortably’.
According to the NHS, it’s time to see a doctor if your tight foreskin is causing ongoing pain, interfering with sex or urination, or is accompanied by bleeding, discharge or an unusual smell.
It’s better to deal with this issue sooner rather than later, and there are a range of treatments offered, from steroids to surgery. It also means you can get ahead of it before having to visit A&E with paraphimosis, where the retracted foreskin gets stuck.
Swelling or an unpleasant smell
As Dr Ashrafi explains, redness, soreness and swelling around the head of the penis, particularly alongside itching, discharge or an unpleasant smell, can sometimes point towards an STI.
Alternatively, it could be a condition called balanitis, where the glans becomes inflamed.
‘This can have a number of causes, including irritation, bacterial or fungal infections such as thrush, and certain skin conditions,’ says the GP.
‘Recurrent balanitis can sometimes also be associated with underlying conditions such as diabetes, so repeated episodes are something you should discuss with your GP rather than continually treating yourself.’
Numbness or reduced sensation
A temporary change in sensation isn’t necessarily cause for alarm, as pressure or irritation can sometimes leave the penis feeling numb for a short period.
But if you’ve noticed a persistent or unexplained change, it may actually be nothing to do with the organ itself.
‘Conditions such as diabetes can affect the nerves, while certain nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin B12 deficiency, can also cause neurological symptoms,’ says Dr Ashrafi, who recommends speaking to a doctor about long-term sensation issues, ‘particularly if you’re experiencing numbness or tingling elsewhere in the body too.’
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