15 Most Common Penis Diseases & Disorders

Noticing changes to your penis can be alarming, but it’s important to find out what you’re up against before panicking. Some changes might have a minor cause, while others may need more intensive treatment.

Many people find talking to their doctor about their penile health embarrassing, but if you’re concerned about your penile health, it’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider to rule out potentially serious issues. A few minutes of feeling embarrassed might help catch your problem early while it’s still easiest to treat.

Read on to learn about 15 of the most common penis problems.

There are a lot of conditions that can cause changes to your penis, whether you’re having trouble getting it up or noticing some spots that weren’t there before.

Here’s what you need to know about 15 of the most common penis conditions, their symptoms, and how to treat them.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition characterized by a problem achieving or maintaining an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. It’s estimated to affect between 30 to 50 million people in the United States and becomes more common with age.

Achieving an erection is a complex process, and there are many reasons you may develop erectile dysfunction, including:

• Psychological factors such as high stress

• Neurological problems

• Blood vessel problems

• Hormonal problems

Treatment for erectile dysfunction depends on the underlying cause but can include:

• Talking to a sex therapist

• Incorporating more stress-relieving activities into your life

• Making lifestyle changes, such as increasing exercise and quitting smoking

• Taking medications such as Viagra^Ⓡ (sildenafil) or Cialis^Ⓡ (tadalafil)

• Shockwave therapy

• Penile injections

• Using a penis pump

• Testosterone replacement therapy

• Penile implant procedures

Balanitis and Balanoposthitis

Balanitis is swelling and inflammation of the glans (head) of your penis. Balanoposthitis is swelling and inflammation of the head of the penis and foreskin. Balanitis affects about three to 11 percent of males during their lives and is more common in uncircumcised males. Balanoposthitis affects up to 20 percent of uncircumcised males.

Males with balanitis often notice itchiness and pain at the head of their penis. Your skin may be red, but redness may be more difficult to see on darker skin tones.

Underlying causes can include:

• Not washing your penis thoroughly

• Phimosis, which is a tight foreskin that can make it difficult to clean underneath

• Yeast infection

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhea or chlamydia

• Irritation from soap or condoms

• Diabetes

Treatment might include:

• Steroid creams or ointments

• Antifungal creams or ointments

• Antibiotics

Yeast Infections

More than half of cases of balanoposthitis are caused by yeast infections of the penis, most of which are caused by a type of yeast called candida. Symptoms can include:

• Redness, pain, or swelling of your penis

• White patches on your penis

• Red spots on the head of your penis

• Dry and cracked foreskin

• Thick white discharge under your foreskin

• Pain during sex

• Pain when pulling back your foreskin

• Itchiness

• Burning sensation during urination

Antifungal creams are the most common treatment for yeast infections. You might receive:

• Lotrimin^Ⓡ (clotrimazole)

• Monistat^Ⓡ or Cruex^Ⓡ (miconazole)

• Mycostatin^Ⓡ or Nystop^Ⓡ (nystatin)

Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is when ejaculation during sexual activity occurs before you or your partner would like. It’s one of the most common sexual dysfunctions and is estimated to affect 30 percent of males between 18-59 — with some reports estimating it up to 75 percent.

A combination of psychological and physiological factors can play a role in the development of premature ejaculation. The best treatment depends on the underlying cause but can include:

• Behavioral therapy

• Wearing condoms during sex

• Topical creams to delay ejaculation

• Psychosexual counseling

• Ejaculating before sexual activity

• Medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Priapism

Priapism is the medical term for a long-lasting and often painful erection. Generally, long-lasting is considered to be any duration over four hours. Priapism is estimated to affect up to 5.4 people per 100,000.

Priapism is often a complication of sickle cell disease, but it can also be caused by:

• Warfarin and other blood thinners

• Antidepressants

• Cannabis and cocaine

• High blood pressure medications

• Some blood diseases, such as thalassemia and leukemia

• Medications to treat erectile dysfunction

Priapism is a medical emergency and requires emergency treatment. This might include:

• Having blood drained from your penis with a needle after getting local anesthetic

• Medication injections into your penis

• Surgery to drain blood

Penile Fracture

The human penis doesn’t have any bones inside, unlike the penis of some animals, but it can still become damaged if it’s forcefully bent or hit. Penile fracture is thought to occur in about one in 175,000 men per year.

Penile fracture develops when a layer of the penis called the tunica albuginea is injured. This layer covers the part of the penis called the corpora cavernosa that fills with blood and allows you to have an erection.

Immediately after a penile fracture, most people have pain, bruising, and swelling. You might experience a sudden snapping or cracking sound at the time of the injury.

The primary treatment is surgery to fix the broken tissue, which you should get as quickly as possible.

Retrograde Ejaculation

Usually, both urine and semen pass through your urethra on their way out of your penis. When this happens, your prostate and bladder’s sphincter muscle close off your bladder so that semen doesn’t travel backward.

Retrograde ejaculation, also called dry orgasm, is a condition where semen flows back into your bladder instead of coming out of your penis. It’s caused by a problem with the muscle that usually closes off your bladder. Conditions that may contribute to its development include:

• Diabetes

• Multiple sclerosis

• Parkinson’s disease

• Spinal cord injury

• Medication side effects

• Prostate or bladder surgery complications

It’s hard to estimate how often retrograde ejaculation occurs, but it’s seen in up to two percent of males visiting fertility clinics. The main symptom is no or little semen during ejaculation.

Retrograde ejaculation may not require treatment. In some cases, your doctor may recommend medications to help your sphincter muscle function.

Penile Cancer

Penile cancer is rare in the United States and is estimated to affect fewer than one in 100,000 males per year.

Penile cancer typically starts as a small painless growth or ulcer, usually on the head of your penis or foreskin. Sometimes, it appears as a white-gray mass that protrudes from the shaft.

Risk factors for penile cancer include:

• HPV infection

• Being uncircumcised

• Phimosis (tight foreskin)

• Smegma, or build-up under your foreskin

• Smoking or tobacco use

• UV light treatment for psoriasis

• AIDS

• Increasing age

Treatment options for penile cancer often include:

• Surgery, which is the primary treatment

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

Phimosis and Paraphimosis

Phimosis is an inability to pull back the foreskin from the tip of the penis. It’s most common early in childhood, and most children outgrow it by their teenage years. By age 16 or 17, it’s only seen in about one percent of boys.

If treatment is needed, your doctor may recommend corticosteroids or circumcision.

Paraphimosis is an emergency that can develop in uncircumcised males where you can’t pull your foreskin back into its normal position. This can lead to loss of blood flow to the tip of the penis.

Paraphimosis may require surgery to circumcise your penis or create a slit to allow your foreskin to move back to its normal position.

Peyronie’s Disease

Peyronie’s disease causes the build-up of fibrous scar tissue called plaque under the skin of the penis, which can cause a curvature to form in your penis. Sometimes, this curve can make erections or sexual intercourse painful.

Approximately one in 100 men in the United States have Peyronie’s disease. The underlying cause often isn’t known, but it has been linked to traumatic injury to the penis or autoimmune disease.

Peyronie’s disease doesn’t always need treatment, but when it does, your doctor might recommend:

• Surgery

• Injections

• Mechanical traction in combination with injections

• Shockwave therapy or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication for pain

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common STI that’s passed through sexual activity. Globally, it’s estimated to affect four percent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 and 2.5 percent of males. Many people with chlamydia don’t have any symptoms. When symptoms do appear in a person with a penis, they can include:

• Burning when urinating

• Discharge from penis

• Pain in the testicles

You can treat chlamydia with antibiotics, which are effective in more than 95 percent of people when taken correctly.

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that’s passed on through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It can cause symptoms such as:

• Stinging, itching, or tingling around your genitals, anus, or thighs

• Small bumps or blisters around your penis

• Pain when urinating

• Rash or cracked skin around your penis

• Fever

• Headaches

• Fatigue

Most cases of genital herpes are caused by the virus HSV-2. More than half a million new cases are reported in the United States each year in people between the ages of 14 and 49.

Genital herpes doesn’t have a cure. Symptoms generally clear up by themselves but can flare up periodically. Doctors sometimes prescribe antiviral medications to treat flare-ups and creams for pain.

Genital Warts and HPV

Genital warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). They can develop on your penis or around your penis and genital area. Warts often appear as cauliflower-shaped bumps that may be flat or raised.

Genital warts can be transmitted through sexual or skin-to-skin contact. People infected with HPV can spread the virus even if they haven’t had symptoms.

Genital HPV infection is thought to occur in 10–20 percent of people, and about one percent of people are believed to have noticeable symptoms. About 80 percent of infections occur between the ages of 17 and 33.

Genital warts can be treated with creams or a procedure to burn or freeze them off.

Lichen Planus

Lichen planus is a rash triggered by an immune response characterized by purple, itchy, flat bumps on the skin of your penis or other areas such as your limb, mouth, nails, or scalp.

It’s not clear what causes lichen planus, but it’s thought that it may be triggered by:

• Viruses

• Drugs

• Allergic reactions

Lichen planus occurs in about 0.2 to one percent of people worldwide and usually develops between the ages of 30 to 60.

Steroid creams can help relieve itchiness and pain. Most cases clear up within nine months. Other penis skin diseases can cause similar symptoms.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a common STI that usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 24. It usually spreads through sexual contact.

Gonorrhea often doesn’t cause symptoms, but in males, symptoms can include:

• Burning sensation when urinating

• White, yellow, or green penis discharge

• Painful or swollen testicles

You can treat gonorrhea with antibiotics.

Many different conditions can cause changes to your penis. While it may be embarrassing to talk about any issues down there, you should get medical attention as soon as possible to help you treat your problem before it gets worse.

Some common penis problems, like many STIs, can be diagnosed and treated by a general doctor, and a urologist may treat structural abnormalities. Either way, any common penile problems are treatable with medications or lifestyle changes.

If you want to know more, you can learn about your penis health in our full guide.