- What are the signs and symptoms
- How the treatment is done
- What is the difference between paraphimosis and phimosis
- Possible causes of paraphimosis
Paraphimosis happens when the skin of the foreskin gets stuck and cannot return to its normal position, compressing the penis and reducing the amount of blood that reaches the glans, which can lead to the development of an infection or progressive tissue death in that region.
Because it can lead to tissue death, paraphimosis is an emergency situation, which must be treated as soon as possible in the hospital.
The treatment of paraphimosis varies according to the age and severity of the problem, but usually the first step is to reduce the swelling of the penis by applying ice or removing blood and pus and in more severe cases it may be necessary to perform circumcision.
What are the signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms of paraphimosis include swelling at the tip of the penis, severe pain at the site, and a change in the color of the tip of the penis, which may be very red or bluish.
How the treatment is done
Because it can lead to tissue death, paraphimosis is an emergency situation, which must be treated as soon as possible in the hospital. On the way to the hospital, you can apply cold compresses on the spot to reduce pain and swelling.
Treatment for paraphimosis varies according to the age and severity of the problem, but usually the first step is to reduce the swelling of the penis by applying ice or removing blood and pus with a syringe and needle.
After reducing the swelling, the skin is manually returned to its normal position, usually under the effect of anesthesia, as it can be a very painful process.
In the most severe cases, the doctor may recommend emergency circumcision, where the skin of the foreskin is completely removed through surgery to free the penis and prevent the problem from happening again.
What is the difference between paraphimosis and phimosis
Phimosis consists of an inability or greater difficulty in exposing the glans, because the foreskin, which is the skin that covers it, does not have sufficient opening. Paraphimosis is a complication that is caused by phimosis, when the person is unable to cover the glans, leading to the appearance of symptoms such as severe pain, swelling and the appearance of a bluish hue in the penis.
Better understand what phimosis is and what forms of treatment it is.
Possible causes of paraphimosis
Paraphimosis occurs more frequently in men with phimosis, with a previous history of genital infection, direct trauma during intimate contact, piercing implantation or in the elderly with a bladder catheter. Eventually, paraphimosis can appear after sexual intercourse, when proper organ hygiene is not done and the foreskin does not return to the correct place after flaccidity.
Paraphimosis can also appear in boys with physiological phimosis, when parents try to reduce phimosis incorrectly, for example.
