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For the past 30 years, a tireless campaign has urged women to check their breasts for cancer.
Some studies show that increased self-examination has led to a 39 percent increase in the number of women seeking help for sinister lumps.
Now, a men’s health expert says we should do the same checks on one area of men’s anatomy…the penis.
According to urologist Dr. Peter White, a man’s genitals are an important window into his overall health, and subtle changes can indicate serious diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
And periodically checking for some signs can detect a problem before it becomes life-threatening.
Most men do not examine their penises frequently. But Dr. Peter White, a urologist from Australia, urges men to change this and check their penis more frequently.
Dr. White said: “Penis health is not just about physical appearance, it is a reflection of overall well-being.”
“Everyone looks unique, but identifying and addressing problems and issues early is crucial.”
Dr. White detailed the five changes in your penis health that warrant a visit to the doctor.
BLISTERS AND ULCERS COULD MEAN CANCER
Spots of white skin on the penis could indicate the thinning skin condition, lichen sclerosus, according to Dr. White.
This affects approximately one in ten men between 30 and 50 years old.
This condition can cause pain during sexual intercourse and scarring, as well as itching and irritation of the skin.
Lumps, rashes, or blisters likely indicate a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as herpes, syphilis, or human papillomavirus (HPV).
Syphilis causes small, painless sores, while herpes causes blisters on or around the penis and HPV can cause genital warts.
Doctors are particularly concerned about syphilis, which can cause abnormalities in babies if passed to a woman, and HPV, which increases the risk of cervical cancer in women.
Blisters and ulcers that change in size or shape or discoloration of some areas of the skin could also be a warning sign of penile cancer, Dr. White added.
This disease is not common, affecting fewer than one in 100,000 men each year, but it can go unnoticed in the early stages.
But Dr. White said some penile skin changes were also benign or not a warning sign of a complication.
He pointed out pearly penile papules, or small flesh-colored bumps that appear around the head of the penis, which he said were harmless growths.
A CHANGE IN FLUIDS DURING SEX
It is natural for the genital glands to release less fluid during orgasm as a man ages.
But if this happens before age 45, it may indicate a problem, Dr. White warns.
Reduced ejaculation may indicate lower levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone that tells glands to produce fluid that carries sperm.
Doctors may want to perform blood tests to diagnose a deficiency and perhaps prescribe treatments such as testosterone injections.
Other factors that could cause a decrease in the amount of ejaculate include dehydration or excessive porn consumption.
Dr. White also expressed concern about weakened ejaculations, or when fluid is released from the body with less force.
He said this is likely the result of a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles.
To treat this, Dr. White recommended increasing exercise, including squats and crunches that work the pelvic floor.
UNPLEASANT SMELL
If you notice an unpleasant odor in the genital area, it is likely due to an accumulation of dead cells and bacteria caused by poor hygiene.
This affects both circumcised and uncircumcised men.
If the area is not washed properly for longer periods, men can develop a nasty yeast infection called balantitis, which causes the foreskin around the head of the penis to become red and swollen.
To avoid this, doctors recommend washing the area once a day with warm water and soap..
However, they advise against doing this more regularly because it can increase the risk of skin irritations.
NOT URINATING ENOUGH
The average man should urinate six to seven times a day, doctors say.
But surveys suggest that three-quarters of men may not reach this frequency due to dehydration.
Dr. White said not urinating often enough can increase the risk of kidney problems, including kidney stones: hard deposits of minerals and acidic salts that stick in concentrated urine.
Stones require surgery to remove them, which can be painful.
About 11 percent of men and six percent of women get kidney stones at least once in their lives.
A weaker stream may be a sign of weakened pelvic floor muscles, making men less able to expel urine from the body.
Dr. White says it’s also important to be careful about urinating more frequently. This could be a sign of diabetes: the body uses urine to expel excess glucose.
In older men, frequent urination may be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which grows with age and can put pressure on the bladder.
Doctors say men should drink 15 glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration.
IF YOU NOTICE A NEW… CURVE
It’s normal to have some curvature in the penis, says Dr. White.
However, if it is pronounced (for example, approaching a right angle), it could be a sign of Peyronie’s disease.
This occurs when scar tissue has formed in the penis, which does not expand along with the rest of the organ when erect, causing a curvature.
It often forms as a result of injury to the penis, such as through sports or rigorous sexual intercourse.
Dr. White said the condition can make men unable to have sex and cause self-image problems, leading many to have difficulty maintaining an erection in front of others.
To treat the condition, many doctors recommend traction therapy, in which someone places a device on the penis that helps correct the curve.