Circumcision is the excision of the foreskin, the retractable fold of skin that covers the head of the penis. It is a treatment option for a tight foreskin (phimosis) where it is difficult to retract the foreskin over the head of the penis. Phimosis often causes pain...
Seeing blood in the semen (haematospermia) can be startling. It rarely, however, signals a serious problem, especially in men under the age of 40. Haematospermia often doesn't last long, as it's usually a self-resolving problem. Possible causes of haematospermia...
Haematuria is the medical term for passing blood in the urine. Several different conditions and diseases can cause haematuria. Although most causes are benign, it can be a sign of a significant health problem, even if it happens only once, so you should talk to your...
Kidney stones are crystal deposits from urine that build up to form a solid stone. They usually form silently in the kidneys and often do not cause symptoms until they start to pass from the kidneys to the bladder. As they pass, they may cause abdominal, loin or back...
The prostate gland is located just below the bladder in front of the rectum. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. A normal prostate weighs around 20 to 30 grams and is approximately the size of a large walnut. It tends to...
A testicle lump or swelling is an abnormal mass that can form in or around the testicles, sometimes referred to as scrotal swelling. Scrotal swellings are relatively common, can occur at any age and have many different causes. Most scrotal lumps are benign or...
Pelvic pain is felt below the belly button and between the hips. It may be a sudden, severe pain(acute pelvic pain) or a more moderate pain but last for more than six months (chronic pelvic pain). It can affect both men and women. Common causes of acute pelvic pain...
Chronic scrotal pain refers to constant or intermittent scrotum pain lasting more than three months. The pain may be around one or both testicles or change from side to side. The pain can also originate in the epididymis, a crescent-shaped organ around the testicle...
A Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) is the result of a bacterial infection affecting part of the urinary tract causing either a bladder infection (cystitis), kidney infection (pyelonephritis), urethral infection (urethritis), or in men, the prostate (prostatitis). The...
A vasectomy (male sterilisation) is an effective form of birth control whereby the vas deferens, the ducts that carry sperm from the testicles, are cut and tied or sealed off. It prevents sperm from being released during ejaculation. Vasectomies are generally...
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate. It is often painful and can affect both sexual function and the ability to urinate. Prostatitis is one of the commonest causes of urinary symptoms in men under 50 years of age. A bacterial infection may cause it, but the...
An anal fissure is a small tear on the skin around the anal canal that often give symptoms of bright red bleeding and pain on passing a bowel motion. This can either be an acute anal fissure or a chronic, long-standing, non-healing anal fissure. If you have these...
An anal fistula (‘fistula-in-ano’) is an abnormal connection from the skin on the outside of the back passage to inside either the anal canal or sometimes the rectum itself. An anal fistula can result from several conditions but most commonly from prior abscess around...
Cancers arise when abnormal cells divide uncontrollably, then invade surrounding tissues or organs and eventually spread to other parts. Cancer that grows from within the large intestine (colon) or back passage (rectum) is termed colorectal cancer. Bowel cancer is the...
Diverticular disease is a very common condition that can affect anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract but most commonly involves the large intestine, particularly the sigmoid colon. Diverticular disease often causes no symptoms. Diverticulitis is the term given to...
The gallbladder is located underneath the liver and is part of the biliary tree. The liver makes bile, the function of which is to dissolve fats in your diet to allow their absorption in the intestines. Once the liver makes the bile, it goes through a network of tubes...
Haemorrhoids (piles) are very common. They often present with bright red bleeding from the back passage either on the toilet paper or in the toilet basin. Haemorrhoids are essentially enlarged veins around the back passage. They are graded from grade 1 (internal...
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a range of conditions where there is inflammation throughout the intestines. Most cases of inflammatory bowel disease are either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract...