Penile Yeast Infections

Also known as candidiasis, a yeast infection is a fungal infection that can attack any part of the body that is routinely moist. Yeast organisms are a natural part of every human’s physiological ecosystem, and when something knocks this ecosystem out of balance and allows yeast to grow out of control, you end up with a yeast infection. While vaginal yeast infections are much more common than penile yeast infections, both conditions can be very painful and embarrassing.

Male Yeast Infection Causes

Sex: As with most fugal infections, this one can be spread by direct physical contact. If you or your partner has a yeast infection, it’s best to remain celibate until it has been cured or you can end up passing it back and forth. It can also be spread to your mouth (aka thrush) so just be very careful.

Nonoxynol-9: This is a common spermicide found in many contraceptive products. There is evidence that while this spermicide does kill sperm, it rapidly increases the growth of naturally occurring yeasts.

Diabetes: Yeast feeds on sugars; the elevated blood-sugar levels associated with diabetes are candy to yeast.

Antibiotics: As I mentioned earlier, yeasts are a naturally occurring part of the human physiological landscape. They are kept from growing out of control by other organisms that are also naturally occurring. Prolonged use of antibiotics can kill off all of the yeast-balancing organisms leaving lots of room for the yeast to grow. Male Yeast Infection Symptoms

The symptoms of a male yeast infection can appear very similar to those of genital herpes. If you exhibit any of these symptoms, swallow your pride and go to your doctor. If you do have a yeast infection, the fastest method of getting rid of it is with oral antibiotics, which will require a prescription anyway.

The most common set of symptoms includes:

* Itchiness, redness, and/or soreness localized at the head of the penis * Tiny, reddish bumps at the head of the penis * White, clumpy discharge

Treating Male Yeast Infections

Since most yeast infections are the result of an imbalance in the body’s physiology that allows the naturally occurring yeast to grow out of control, the most effective remedies are oral antibiotics which correct the imbalance from the inside-out. The most commonly prescribed medications are Diflucan (fluconazole) and Nizoral (ketaconazole) which attack the yeast directly.

Topical treatments include the application of over the counter vaginal yeast infection creams like Monistat-7 directly to the penis. Due to the internal nature of male yeast infections, these treatments aren’t always effective, so if you don’t see improvement within the first few days, go see your doctor.