It is not only the weaker sex that is prone to such an unpleasant disease as thrush. Representatives of the strong half of humanity can also face an inflammatory process that causes a lot of inconvenience. To be more precise, in men there is an increase in the number of fungi belonging to the Candida family.
Description
Such inflammation can develop due to many different reasons, not only internal, but also due to external conditions. And in order to identify the pathology in time and begin its treatment, it is desirable to know the signs of candidal balanoposthitis in men. This is what doctors call the analogue of thrush in the stronger sex.
Candida balanoposthitis is a pathological condition of the genitourinary system that affects men of any age. The causative agent of this disease is the well-known fungus Candida, after which the disease is named. These bacteria are able to penetrate the mucous membranes and skin, where they begin to multiply actively. Women are also susceptible to a similar disease - they can infect men and vice versa.
Features
In fact, Candida bacteria are constantly present in the body of every person, they belong to the category of opportunistic microbes. And this means that if their number does not exceed the permissible norms, then the "owner" does not even know about their existence. But when conditions favorable for the reproduction of microbes arise, the protective properties of the immune system decrease, and an inflammatory process begins.
It is impossible to resort to self-treatment of this pathology in any case. After all, the use of illiterately prescribed medications can lead to serious deterioration in the general condition and complications of the disease.
Causes of disease
Candida balanoposthitis in men is considered a fairly common disease. There can be a huge number of prerequisites for the development of fungal pathology:
- obesity and diabetes are diseases that weaken the immune system, due to which, in fact, lead to infection;
- injury to the epithelium of the penis - an open wound becomes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria;
- prolonged use of antibiotics, cytotoxic drugs and hormonal drugs - these drugs in large quantities negatively affect the general condition of the body, provoking the occurrence of candidal balaposthitis;
- phimosis - narrowing of the foreskin, as a result of which the head does not come out of the skin shell;
- regular stress;
- dysfunction of the thymus gland - due tolow activity of the organ produces too few lymphocytes, resulting in weakened immunity;
- neglect of basic personal hygiene;
- refusal to use contraceptives - microbes are transmitted from the carrier in any case, but pathology develops only if conditions are favorable for them.
Symptomatics
Candidiasis balanoposthitis is a rather insidious and unpleasant pathology. If treatment is not started on time, the disease is likely to become more complicated and bring great harm to the male body. That is why, if the initial symptoms of candidal balanoposthitis occur, you should immediately consult a specialist.
Main signs of pathology:
- redness of the head of the penis, often occurs after drinking alcohol, which is why men usually do not attach importance to this symptom;
- burning, severe itching and bad smell in the groin;
- swelling or swelling of the foreskin;
- a scattering of red spots on the head, as a rule, occurs only a few hours or days after infection;
- microcracks or peeling of the shell of the inner leaf of the foreskin.
If you do not start treatment of candidal balanoposthitis in time, then after a certain period the patient's condition will noticeably worsen. Other symptoms will gradually develop:
- appearance of erosions and sores on the surface of the genital organs;
- appearance of areas with dead epithelium;
- increased lymph nodes in the groin;
- pain when urinating, as well as specific discharge after them.
You can determine the presence of such an insidious disease with the help of photos of candidal balanoposthitis, which will help you understand the external symptoms of the disease.
Varieties of pathology
Doctors divide the disease into two forms:
- chronic candidal balanoposthitis is characterized by constant itching, discomfort, head moisture, white coating, reddening of the foreskin, swelling, discomfort increases during intercourse;
- an acute disease is characterized by reddening of the organ, unbearable itching and fever.
In addition, the pathology can proceed in a simple or complicated form:
- Mild candidal banaloposthitis. With this form of pathology, therapy takes no more than a week. In the absence of proper treatment, the patient gradually develops erosive balanoposthitis. It is characterized by more severe symptoms. Among the signs of such a disease, experts distinguish: purulent discharge from the urethra, redness of the head, the appearance of red spots, burning and itching during contact with clothing, as well as swelling and wrinkling of the skin of the organ.
- Erosive form of pathology. This species is characterized by the occurrence of numerous erosions on the head and foreskin of the penis. First of all, a small outgrowth of dead epithelium appears on one of the skin areas. A few days later the filmthis formation bursts, and instead of it a painful spot remains. Although the wound does not leave scars after healing.
- Gangrenous variety of balanoposthitis. The most severe stage of the disease. In addition to general damage, the patient also suffers signs of intoxication: malaise, high fever, weakness. There are bleeding and purulent ulcers on the genitals, after which scars can remain.
Diagnosis
First of all, the doctor interrogates the patient and examines him. Then the patient is issued a referral for research.
- General blood test. It is necessary to determine the number of leukocytes and erythrocytes. If there are more of the former, and the connection density of the latter is lower, this indicates inflammatory processes in the body.
- Urethral scraping (required to rule out syphilis).
- Complete urinalysis (required to determine the number of leukocytes).
- Chain polymerase test. Allows you to detect individual varieties of bacteria.
- Bacteriological examination of urine. Helps to identify the cause of the pathology.
If the patient has a regular sexual partner, he should also be examined and examined.
Treat candidal balanoposthitis
It is extremely important not to ignore the pathology, but to start diagnosing and choosing therapy in time. Otherwise, the patient risks getting complications or chronic candidal balanoposthitis. In men, this disease can cause numerous disorders.of a sexual nature. In addition, this infection progresses very quickly and may soon spread to other organs.
But the treatment of candidal balanoposthitis in men should be qualified - only under the supervision of a specialist. Only a physician is able to correctly diagnose and select the appropriate treatment regimen.
Usually the doctor prescribes local and complex treatment. However, in some situations it is impossible to do without surgery.
Topical therapy
It is recommended to treat the damaged organ with certain medicines. For effective therapy, the patient must wash the penis daily, eliminating curdled discharge.
A clean organ must be lubricated with an antifungal cream. Usually, doctors recommend the use of Clotrimazole, Lamisil, Flucanazole, Pimafucin. Then it is necessary to apply powder containing dermatol, xeroform, streptocide.
Special baths help to achieve a good result. They can be made on the basis of potassium permanganate, dioxidine, rivanol.
Also, a doctor may prescribe antimycotic agents for a patient diagnosed with candidal balanoposthitis, which should be taken orally for two weeks.
If you strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations, then the symptoms of the disease may completely disappear in a week.
Comprehensive approach
In case of late diagnosis, the patient is assignedthis type of treatment. In this case, the patient treats the injured organ in the same way. But besides this, he additionally takes medications.
- Drugs. To get rid of the infection, men are prescribed Fluconazole tablets, which must be taken twice a day. This drug allows you to quickly destroy pathogenic fungi. If the patient has a severe stage of the pathology, the doctor prescribes broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- Diet. A special diet helps to make the treatment more effective. The patient is advised to give up fatty, sweet, spicy, pickled foods, pastries and alcoholic beverages. In order to strengthen the immune system, men are prescribed vitamin complexes and immunostimulants.
- Auxiliary stage. Among other things, for the period of therapy, it is advisable for the patient to refuse intimacy, so as not to damage the skin of the penis even more and not to transmit the disease to the partner. The duration of treatment is determined by the stage of the pathology and the individual characteristics of the organism. As a rule, balanoposthitis can be eliminated in a few weeks. If the patient has a permanent partner, he should also undergo complex treatment.
Surgery
Specialists rarely resort to this technique. The operation is prescribed to the patient if the disease has passed to the gangrenous stage or has passed into the chronic form. During such a manipulation, the head of the penis is dissected.
After surgery, the patientmust undergo medical therapy using antibacterial and antifungal drugs.
Prevention
Of course, candidal balanoposthitis in men is much easier to prevent than to cure. To do this, you must follow a few simple rules.
- Rejection of sweets. Foods high in sugar create a favorable environment for the spread of fungal infections.
- Abstaining from wearing synthetic underwear.
- Regular intake of garlic, cranberries, yogurt, citrus juice, pepper. These foods are best consumed daily.
- Using a barrier method of contraception.
- Rejection of self-medication.
- Timely contact with a specialist.
- Abstaining from casual sex.
- Constant personal hygiene.
- Avoiding extreme stress.
- Systematic surveys.
By following these simple rules, a man can avoid such an unpleasant disease.
