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Male Yeast Infections

What it is, the Appearance, Signs, Symptoms and Treatment of Male Genital Yeast Infection (thrush, candida) of the Penis and Testicles

There's a myth going about that men can't get yeast infections - also known as thrush also known as candida. Any man who's ever suffered through a male genital yeast infection knows this for a lie, and a miserable one at that.

Anyone can get a yeast infection, and yes, men can even get it on their genitalia - penis, testicles.

Of course, the symptoms are quite a bit different than those of a female genital yeast infection. Considering that male and female genitalia are so fundamentally different in structure, function and location, this shouldn't really come as a great surprise.

In addition, of course, a man can get a yeast infection in the mouth, in the anal canal, on the nails of fingers or toes, or around an incision or chronically moist skin just like anybody else.

Yeast infections are indiscriminate and grow wherever conditions may be right for them. An ongoing case of athlete's foot could, in fact, be a yeast infection.

Symptoms of Male Genital Yeast Infection of the Penis and Testicles

Unfortunately, the symptoms of a male genital yeast infection closely resemble the symptoms of anything and everything else that can go wrong in that area.

Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes simplex and yeast infections can all cause a skin rash or irritation on the head or tip of the penis, itching or burning, discomfort during urination and a discharge of one kind or another.

Herpes simplex and yeast infections can even both cause small white blisters or pustules on the penis.

All of these problems can also cause no symptoms whatsoever while still posing a threat to health and life.

If you should experience any of these common symptoms or if your sexual partner gets them, it's a sign that you need to go to a doctor and get thoroughly checked out.

In addition, jock itch that refuses to respond to treatment could also indicate an active yeast infection.

Finding the cause of the symptoms is the first step to making them go away permanently, after all.

Many people think that you can only get sexually transmitted diseases only through sexual transmission. This, unfortunately, is not true.

Many STDs are only designated as such because that's the most common method of transmission, certainly not the only method.

You and your partner both can develop yeast infections all on your own, no contact with another required.

However, if you or your partner develop a yeast infection, it's best for both to get treatment and to abstain from sexual contact of any kind until treatment is complete.

If a genital yeast infection goes untreated too long it can turn from a fairly simple health problem to a serious one, even if you don't suffer any initial symptoms.

Pelvic pain, discomfort during defecation, fever or chills are all early indicators of a yeast infection that's going systemic.

If chronic diarrhea, chronic constipation or ongoing pelvic pain should plague you for any more than a week and doesn't get better with normal treatment, a doctor's appointment may be in order.

Any sign of infection in the blood itself, such as fever, chills, muscle cramps, etc., is a sure sign you need to go to an emergency room quickly.

Causes of Male Genital Yeast Infection of the Penis and Testicles

The causes of a male genital yaest infection are as varied as for any other form of yeast infection from feet to mouth.

Prolonged use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, non steroidal anti-inflammatories or immunosuppressant medication can all throw the body out of balance enough to allow a yeast infection to start.

Of course, health disorders that either attack the immune system, such as leukemia or HIV/AIDS, and diseases like diabetes mellitus that increase the sugar levels in the blood both open the body up to yeast infections as well.

Last, but certainly not least, yeast infections can start up on skin that is chronically moist when it's not supposed to be.

In order to really understand yeast infections, it's a good idea to know what a yeast infection really is.

These infections are from a form of yeast that's found almost everywhere. It's not the same species that's used in bread, beer and wine, so making or eating these things won't infect you with yeast. However, Candida, the yeasts that do cause infections, like many of the same conditions as bread yeast.

Consistent moisture, warmth, and a neutral to slightly acidic environment without competition from other microorganisms all create a perfect place for Candida yeast to grow, including on your penis and testicles.

Prevention of Male Genital Yeast Infection of the Penis and Testicles

You can get a yeast infection anywhere from your toes to your mouth.

Touching an infected toe and then touching elsewhere without washing in between can spread a yeast infection to almost anywhere on the body.

However, the basic nature of yeast itself makes prevention rather simple. Always remove damp clothing after swimming and exercise, switching it out for dry with a shower in between if possible. After showering, of course, make sure you're completely dry before donning fresh clothing.

If your partner currently has a yeast infection, of course avoid sexual contact until her treatment is complete.

In addition, don't use towels after her, make sure you both wash your hands several times a day, switch out sheets on a regular basis and make sure you wash linens in water hot enough to kill microorganisms.

If you know you're prone to getting a yeast infection in certain circumstances, such as whenever you go on a course of antibiotics, taking an appropriate antifungal starting at the same time is one way to avoid the worst effects.

If you or your sexual partner keep getting yeast infections and use nonoxynol-9, the spermicide itself may be the problem. Try using other methods of birth control instead.

Some people are even sensitive to the dyes and perfumes of soaps or laundry detergents, so try changing over to a hypoallergenic variety and see if that helps.

If you have a poor diet, lack of exercise or a huge amount of daily stress, these things all attack the function of the immune system and so may be your hidden cause.

Yeast infections always happen because of some kind of imbalance, so careful investigation should yield the culprit eventually.

Treatment of Male Genital Yeast Infection of the Penis and Testicles

To treat an active yeast infection, of course you start out by doing all the stuff you do for prevention in the first place. Wash linens well, attend to personal hygiene religiously, change clothing out if damp in the least, air out the infected are often, and try getting the body back to balance as well as possible.

However, most people want relief and a quicker cure than these methods alone can ever give, so fortunately there are a few medications to look into as well.

Once you're sure that the problem is, in fact, a genital yeast infection, many of the over the counter products that women use are capable of dealing with male genital yeast infections, too. Of course, the only way to be sure that you're suffering from a yeast infection the first time is to get a doctor's diagnosis.

However, once you know what you're looking at and if you know you're prone to them, a doctor's say-so isn't necessary every last time. Especially if you and your partner are totally faithful to each other.

Most feminine yeast infection products are creams or ointments meant for insertion into the vagina. Men, obviously, are not going to use them in the same way. Rub the prescribed amount of the cream into the inflamed skin of the penis and testicles on a nightly basis instead. If possible, sleep without clothing to allow maximum air to the genital area. Do not try and use anything like antishave or rubbing alcohol to try and cure the infection. While you may kill some of the Candida, you'll also irritate the skin and make it easier for the genital yeast infection to come back.

If over the counter products don't show signs of improvement within a week, then it's still time to see the doctor.

One of the prescription anti-fungals will usually do the trick quite nicely. These come in a variety of timed doses from one day cures to seven day courses.

No matter what, it's important to finish the entire course of medication even if the symptoms abate earlier. By taking the entire course of antifungal medication you make sure the entire population is dead instead of breeding an antifungal resistant strain of a yeast infection right there on your penis.

Keep in mind that if your body is chronically out of balance, genital yeast infections of the penis and scrotum will just keep coming back. The antifungal takes care of the immediate problem, but it does not address the underlying issue in the least. That's left up to you to discover and solve.

It could be a problem with your lifestyle, it could be a problem with your partner's. Look to both of your stress levels, lifestyles, detergents and so on to find the best way to keep your body's defenses up and working.

Male Genital Yeast Infections of the Penis and Testicles in Conclusion

With education and a few modifications, genital yeast infections shouldn't return to trouble your penis again.

References used for this page on Male Genital Yeast Infections of the Penis and Testicles

The spermicidal compound nonoxynol-9 increases adhesion of Candida species to human epithelial cells in vitro., J A McGroarty, F Soboh, A W Bruce, and G Reid, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.

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