GROIN GRIPES
While men are notoriously reluctant to discuss health issues – even with healthcare professionals – the situation is exacerbated when the health issue is related to the groin area, the penis or the ‘waterworks’.
H
ere are some of the most common conditions you may be approached about. Most will involve signposting to a
GP although, in some situations, the provision of advice and information may be advantageous to the patient.
Urinary tract infections Although usually associated more with women, men are also affected by urinary tract infections (UTIs): bacterial infections that develop in the urinary tract, such as the bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection).
A UTI can cause pain or a burning sensation in the penis during urination, but other symptoms include: urinating more often than usual, or waking from sleep to urinate; urine that smells bad and blood in the urine.
UTIs are usually treated with antibiotics to help fight a bacterial infection, but medicines may also be given to decrease the pain and burning during urination.
As a preventative measure the patient should be advised to: • Empty their bladder often • Drink liquids as directed. They may need to drink more liquids than usual to help flush out bacteria
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and citrus juices
Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) An STI can sometimes cause a sore penis and is often accompanied by an odour. The most common STIs are gonorrhoea, which causes an unusual white, yellow or green discharge from the tip of the penis; pain or a burning sensation during urination, and inflammation of the foreskin, and chlamydia: a white, cloudy or watery discharge from the tip of the penis; pain during urination and pain in the testicles.
STIs are most commonly treated with antibiotics.
Non-specific urethritis Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, the tube running from the bladder to the tip of the penis. It's normally caused by an STI, but it's called non-specific urethritis (NSU) if the cause is unknown. The condition tends to make the penis sore, but other symptoms of NSU can include: a white or cloudy discharge from the tip of the
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