Phimosis of the 1st degree does not pose a threat to life, but its presence makes significant adjustments to the lifestyle of a man, affecting her quality, and most importantly - significantly affects the intimate sphere.
In the initial stages of the pathology, extremely unpleasant manifestations arise exclusively at the time of sexual arousal, which, of course, is reflected in relations with representatives of the opposite sex.
General information
Phimosis is the narrowing of the skin folds of the penis, which significantly complicates its removal beyond the glans penis at the time of erection, as well as during hygiene procedures and in other situations. This disease, like most others, goes through several stages of development, the first of which is considered the easiest.
Phimosis of the 1st degree in medical practice means the initial form of narrowing of the foreskin. With such a pathology in a man, all unpleasant symptoms are reduced, as a rule, only to difficulty in erection. If the penis is in a state of complete rest, then the disease may not manifest itself at all.
But, despite this, even phimosis of the 1st degree is capable of provoking the occurrence of paraphimosis - this is the name of the infringement of the head of the penis by the loop of the foreskin. This disease can lead to necrosis of the penis. And in the absence of the necessary treatment, even the amputation of the reproductive organ may be required.
Features
Phimosis of the 1st degree occurs in both adult men and children. True, in the latter case, the disease can go away on its own, without medical intervention. As a rule, this happens by 6-7 years, in some situations even earlier. Doctors also call this pathology physiological.
But is it necessary to treat phimosis of the 1st degree in adult men? Such a disease in patients of this age category is exclusively pathological in nature and is not able to pass on its own. In adult patients, phimosis clearly requires compulsory medical intervention. The disease arises against the background of many diverse causes, and is eliminated exclusively through appropriate treatment.
Symptoms of the disease
In children, phimosis of the 1st degree does not manifest itself at all. But in mature men, there is a systematic occurrence of pain at the time of penile erection.
This phenomenon is explained by the strong tension of the skin folds on the glans penis. In this case, prepuce can shift beyond the foreskin, which is fraught with the appearance of the same paraphimosis. But at the initial stage of development, with some effort, a man can help himself with his own hands.
It is noteworthy that in the absence of an erection, the skin fold without any problems shifts beyond the head and returns.
In addition, due to the appearance of pain in the patient, erectile dysfunction of psychological pathogenesis may occur. After all, every time a man, even before sexual arousal, will worry about the upcoming discomfort.
Self-elimination of paraphimosis can lead to microtraumas, which can only aggravate the course of pathology.
For a visual definition of the disease, it is best to read a photo of phimosis of the 1st degree. Knowing the visual signs of the pathology will help in time to identify the anomaly and begin treatment.
Reasons for the appearance
Among the likely prerequisites for the development of phimosis should be highlighted:
- damage to the skin fold due to which dense scar tissue has formed;
- inflammatory pathologies of the head of the penis and prepuce of various pathogenesis;
- hereditary predisposition, suggesting insufficient plasticity of the skin.
Most often, phimosis develops against the background of balanoposthitis and balanitis.
Often a provocative condition is the negligence of parents in relation to the hygiene of the child. Indeed, smegma accumulating in the foreskin is a very favorable environment for the propagation of pathogenic microflora.
The treatment of phimosis of the 1st degree is directly related to the initial causes of the development of pathology, therefore it is not necessary to identify them only if radical methods are planned. That is why it is so important to go through all the stages of diagnosis recommended by a specialist - this is the only way to determine the etiology of the disease.
How to treat grade 1 phimosis
It is advisable to get rid of this disease immediately after the onset of the first symptoms. In this case, you can use both surgical and conservative methods. The final choice of therapy depends on the severity of the pathology and the signs that appear.
For example, in the case of active formation of dense scar tissue and an intensive course of the disease, surgery is required. But hereditary phimosis can be completely eliminated with the help of physical influence on the foreskin, especially at the initial stage of development.
Conservative Techniques
Treatment without surgical intervention provides only one way to eliminate phimosis - by stretching the skin fold manually or using special medical devices. The necessary manipulations should be performed every day for approximately 20-30 minutes. In addition, you can increase the plasticity of the skin through the use of special moisturizing gels and corticosteroid ointments.
The procedure is standard and involves several important steps. Namely:
- Training. First of all, the foreskin must be treated with a weak solution of Miramistin or Chlorhexidine. Then, after drying the skin, you should generously lubricate it with the selected external preparation. To select a medication, you need to consult a specialist.
- Actually stretching. After partial absorption of the applied cream, gently lift the skin fold and carefully stretch it to the sides. If you experience pain or minimal discomfort, the manipulation must be stopped. After the cessation of pain, the procedure can be repeated.
- The time of exposure to the genitals, excluding preparation, should be approximately half an hour. Upon completion of the manipulations, the foreskin and skin of the penis must be treated with the solution used at the beginning of the procedure with the addition of “Chlorhexidine” or “Miramistin”.
Home Therapy Feedback
Reviews about the treatment of phimosis of 1 degree in this way indicate the inconvenience of this technique. Indeed, to obtain the effect of stretching sessions should be arranged daily for six months. Such activities, according to the numerous responses of men, are burdensome and time consuming.
In addition, not all patients have the opportunity to arrange such intimate procedures every day. However, the final choice remains with the man - for many patients, treatment of phimosis of the 1st degree at home was an excellent solution. After all, not every patient will decide to have surgery in such a sensitive place.
Operation
The elimination of prepuce of the penis by surgical intervention is deservedly considered the most effective treatment technique for phimosis of any degree. The operation is advisable when:
- high likelihood of relapse;
- the observed trend towards the rapid progression of pathology;
- regular infections of the head of the reproductive organ and foreskin.
All these processes clearly provoke a deterioration in the patient's condition and indicate a high risk of paraphimosis.
For the treatment of phimosis of 1 degree in adults, one of the options for surgical intervention can be used:
- Using a traditional scalpel. The main advantage of such an operation is its material availability. But the disadvantages include a long recovery period of the damaged organ.
- Elimination of the foreskin with a radio wave scalpel. The advantage of such a technique is considered to be minor organ trauma and a rather short rehabilitation period. But the disadvantage is the rather high cost of such an operation.
- Removal of skin folds by laser. The advantages of this operation are minor damage to the organ, a short recovery period and minimal risk of infection. But the disadvantage is, of course, the high cost of the procedure, which is clearly beyond the means of many patients.
A contraindication to the operation by any of the methods described is the stage of exacerbation of the inflammatory process.
Likely Consequences
In the absence of appropriate measures to get rid of phimosis of the 1st degree, the likelihood of rapid progression of pathology is extremely high. The disease goes to the next stage of development, which is characterized by a more pronounced clinical picture. A man experiences increased discomfort, which is explained by an aggravated narrowing of the skin fold. Because of this, the patient may appear:
- inflammatory processes of the reproductive system;
- the accumulation of a large amount of urethra in the foreskin;
- pain in the head of the penis, even in the absence of sexual arousal;
- difficulty urinating due to squeezing the penis.
Such manifestations need immediate medical attention and serious treatment, including surgical intervention or even amputation of the penis.
Conclusion
In fact, phimosis is in vain considered a pathology that must be hidden from others and even more so doctors. A similar problem can be resolved relatively painlessly, if you resort to appropriate assistance at the 1st stage of the development of the disease.
Otherwise, pathology can lead to the rapid progression of the abnormal process and the appearance of life-threatening consequences for a man. Self-made attempts to get rid of the narrowing of the foreskin that has arisen can end very poorly, therefore, treatment of phimosis of even 1 degree should be under the constant supervision of a specialist.