Doctors warn of painful penis issue that affects 11% of men and causes 'unpleasant smell'

A doctor has issued a warning about a health issue which can commonly affect penises.

The condition reportedly impacts as many 11 percent of people with a penis in the UK, and is more likely to affect someone who is not circumcised, according to Cleveland Clinic.

While it's very common, the symptoms of the condition mean that it can be confused with other health issues as they can be quite similar to someone who is not trained to tell the difference.

So what are these symptoms?

Well, fair warning, you might end up crossing your legs after reading through these.

The main symptom is that the tip of the penis becomes inflamed, causing discomfort and pain.

Symptoms can also include redness, irritation, soreness, and itching, as well pain when you're peeing.

It can cause a lot of discomfort (Nuttawan Jayawan/Getty)

As we mentioned, these could apply to a large number of conditions, but the one we're talking about here is called Balanitis.

Dr Jeff Foster is medical director of men’s health at Voy, and explained the condition is 'massively common', and even more so in people with diabetes, or who have 'anatomical penis issues'.

He told Metro: "It can be really painful if you get an erection."

There is one big factor, which we mentioned earlier.

Dr Foster said: "It tends to occur in people who are not circumcised. In fact, you can only really get it if you still have a foreskin."

While it's not a serious condition by itself, the symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable for a patient, and in addition to the swelling and redness there might even also be discharge with a bad smell, or even bleeding.

But how does it happen?

Not cleaning enough can cause it, but so can cleaning too much (JW LTD/Getty)

Dr Foster said: "This can happen due to poor hygiene leading to a build-up of smegma."

That's the substance which can build up around the genitals.

So not washing enough down there can cause it, but confusingly so can washing too much as this might result in irritation to the skin or reacting badly with soaps or other products, as the skin may be a bit more sensitive.

Alarmingly, it can be mistaken for something more serious, though fortunately Dr Foster said this isn't common.

"Some associated skin conditions can also change the appearance of the skin in ways that look similar to cancer, but it is not common to mix them up," he said.

The good news is that it's easy to treat, with Dr Foster adding: "With the right care and advice, most cases settle quickly without any long-term problems."