Balanitis
Balanitis is inflammation of the head of the penis, managed per the BASHH balanoposthitis guideline.
Symptoms
Redness, swelling, itching, or discharge on the glans, sometimes with pain, especially with urination or sex.
Causes and risk
Candidal (yeast) and bacterial infections are the most common causes; poor hygiene, an intact/tight foreskin, and diabetes (which both increases infection risk and can be an underlying, undiagnosed factor) all raise risk.
How it is evaluated
Diagnosis is usually clinical based on appearance, though persistent or recurrent cases warrant closer evaluation since appearance alone doesn't reliably predict the cause.
Treatment
Antifungal cream treats candidal balanitis; a bacterial cause is treated with a matched antibiotic. Sexual partners are treated per CDC guidance when the cause is a symptomatic yeast infection. Uncircumcised men with recurrent episodes may be counseled about circumcision to reduce recurrence.
When to seek care
A trapped, non-reducible foreskin or inability to urinate are true emergencies. Persistent, recurrent, or non-healing lesions need in-person exam and possible biopsy, since rare precancerous changes can look similar to ordinary balanitis.