# Now it's leaking pus! - Help - lopsided swollen penis?



## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

I'm not a newbie and I frequent this forum a lot, but haven't come across a question like this (nor can I find anything by searching either).

I just noticed this afternoon that DS's penis is sort of swollen/lumpy on one side. It's pretty far down and definitely on the inside, and although I could imagine that it was just his glans, it's not even on both sides like it normally would be if that were the case. It's not really inflamed in that angry, angry way although it is starting to be a little red. No pus or discharge, either.

I had him on my hip and for the first time in his life (he just turned 2) he had to adjust himself and he said "ouchie". I changed his diaper and he wouldn't really even let me wipe him down with a wipe like I normally do and then about 15 minutes later I showed him to my mom (silly me - she knows NOTHING about intact penises) and although he would let me sort of move it around so I could get a better look, he still was telling me it hurt.

I'm not overly concerned, I think it might just be some smegma working its way out, but I thought it would be closer to the tip, not so far down.

What do you all think?

I called the advice nurse on my insurance (even though I really don't trust them) and was confirmed in my suspicions b/c she asked me how often I retracted it to clean it. ARGH! I told her NEVER and then went on to explain - so it seems that I know more than the stupid nurse did.

So, if you have any thoughts, do you think it's just smegma? Something else I'm not thinking about? Cause for concern?


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## mama_at_home (Apr 27, 2004)

My first thought would be smegma, but I really don't know. Did he smash it somehow today or fall or something?


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

My first thought was smegma under the foreskin were seperation is starting. It is very common for seperation to happen unevenly.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

Thanks - I appreciate you taking time to respond.

I just needed to be reassured, I guess.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

Ok, so now it's leaking pus. I'm at my mom's house where there is like zip for decent drs. I had to go to the general practicioner today for myself and I had him take a look at it, but he tried to retract DS (promising, right!?!) and said if I was worried, take him to a urologist. This was before the puss appeared.

So, after the pus, I tried the ONE urologist in town and he's closed till next week. My ped is on vacation, so after making half a dozen phone calls, I was advised by a nurse to take him to the ER. I've tried every ped in town here and none can see him since he's not a regular patient.

Advice?

If this is just a matter for a course of antibiotics (which we're not opposed to since it appears that there is an infection), then I can call my BIL who is a physician and have him call one in.

Puss = bad, right?


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## Nathan1097 (Nov 20, 2001)

You're SURE its puss? Never happened with my boys. Is he running a fever? Has anybody retracted him? Is it warm to the touch? Is he retractable on his own at all? Have you tried soaking him in a warm clear bath with a few drops of tea tree oil? If you're still breastfeeding, you can try putting some breast milk on the area too.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

yep, I'm most sure it's pus. There's quite a bit of it too.

No fever, he seems fine. They did a urine analysis on him today and it came back clean.

The dr tried to retract him and I swatted his hand away before he got very far. He certainly didn't force anything, whatever he touched was already loose.

I don't even know that much about how far he retracts since I don't ever do it to him. He's only 2, so I'm assuming not that much. But, no, no one else has retracted him (to the best of my knowledge - I'm going to go double check with my mom now).

The bath is on my agenda, I have to get to the store to pick up some TTO, b/c I'm at my mom's and don't have any here.

Good thought on the milk. Thanks!


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## TigerTail (Dec 22, 2002)

Please (and of course, I hope it gets better soon!) PUS, PUS, PUS. One ess.

Enough people here familiar enough with Ina May Gaskin & the Farm & Spiritual Midwifery to find that _really_ disconcerting.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TigerTail* 
Please (and of course, I hope it gets better soon!) PUS, PUS, PUS. One ess.

Enough people here familiar enough with Ina May Gaskin & the Farm & Spiritual Midwifery to find that _really_ disconcerting.









Gee, thanks for having compassion for a mama who's just a little bit worried...


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## Nathan1097 (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TigerTail* 
Please (and of course, I hope it gets better soon!) PUS, PUS, PUS. One ess.

Enough people here familiar enough with Ina May Gaskin & the Farm & Spiritual Midwifery to find that _really_ disconcerting.









I made the same spelling error- but really how would you spell "pusse"? Like what I call my cat- Puss? Not Puhss.... Not pussy ... ah, forget it.


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## TigerTail (Dec 22, 2002)

What 'no compassion'? I said I hoped he's feeling better, & I thought the mamas here had some great ideas, I had nothing to add but well wishes (& I really appreciate you changing it, btw).

It obviously came off more abrupt than I intended; I apologize for that. Sometimes people aren't familar with conventional spellings for nursery names of genitals; & genitals is what we're all about here.







It's not a 'loose/lose', 'voila/viola' thing that's just a visual nuisance; it's a medical term, & Lord, if I do it, please tell *me*, I want to know.

I saw you, Nathan1097.









'Spiritual Midwifery contains beautiful black and white photographs of pregnant, laboring and birthing women and their partners. The dated language like "psychedelic," "rushes" (contractions), and "puss" add to the realistic liveliness of the empowering birth stories. This book truly honors women, their ability to birth and midwifery.'
http://www.birthways.net/bookreviews.html

In a place where midwives congregate, 'puss' means something quite entirely else.









Anyway, maybe more people will see your thread & have some good ideas. I certainly will be hoping everything is copasetic penis-wise for your little guy soon!







Again, sorry. Suse


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## phatchristy (Jul 6, 2005)

What color is the pus?


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## gretasmommy (Aug 11, 2002)

Poor little guy!

I would put him in a warm bath, no soap, and let him splash around and play a bit. I might (following his lead) ask him to try to "milk" out a bit of the pus while he's in the bath. I'd do the same for a splinter - lots of soaking and a bit of gentle pressure.

Where exactly on his penis is the pus coming from? Is it red around it? Hard tot he touch? These are also signs of infection. If there is pus, you caould ask his doc to order a culture of the material and just walk into a hospital and they should hand you a cotton swab that you can use to touch and swab up some of the discharge. If he's not in too much discomfort, has no fever, aqnd it's not angry red and hard, you could wait a day for the 24 hour results. If it's a powerful bacterial infection, you'll know in 24 hours . . . 48 hours and you are 99+% sure that there's no bacterial there (over 95% SURE AT 48 HOURS).


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## glongley (Jun 30, 2004)

Not sure about the redness/swelling/ouchie part. But I do know that some boys will get an assymmetrical lump of collected smegma under their foreskins.

My first one started getting a lump on one side down near the base of his glans when he was about a year old, and it gradually got bigger and more lop-sided looking over the ensuing years. Then when he was three it discharged itself from the opening of the foreskin as about a 1/4 teaspoon amount of white, dry-ish, pasty, odorless stuff -"baby smegma", accumulated cellular debris from his ongoing separation process, that had finally worked out a way to the outside. If your son's swelling came on slowly, it could be this, but if it came up quickly, I would think its more some kind of inflammation, especially with the ouchie part.

I also remember that I once noticed a milky appearance to my son's urine when he pee'd when in the shower. I was worried this was pus, but it never happened again, and he had no other symptoms at the time. I have read since that the swirling of urine inside the foreskin can sometimes wash out the baby smegma, causing this milky appearance. As long as it is only an occasional episode, with no other signs or symptoms of illness (redness, swelling, fever, foul odor) this too is probably fine, and merely a transitory phenomenon.

HTH Gillian


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

Thanks for all the suggestions, I really appreciate them.

The pus is green and runny. When I pushed on the base of his penis, way up high, like more into his pelvis area, more came out. He won't let me touch his penis, but if I were able to, I'd be able to squeeze more out.

The biggest problem I'm facing is that I am travelling and cannot get into any kind of reliable doctor. That's why I guess I'm so freaked out - just lack of support and knowledge. Every person I've come into contact out here has either tried to retract him or asked me how often I retract him to clean it. We're in the midwest, so not exactly the bastion of intact penile care knowledge.

Anyway, I'm feeling a lot less freaked out, am on the way to get some TTO at the only place in town I could find that sells it. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the help.


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## TigerTail (Dec 22, 2002)

Oh, green. Oh dear. How 'reliable' do you need? I'd go take my chances at the urgent care & just get hand-slappy; for green pus, a Dr can be helpful (my baby had a strep infection that manifested itself as a weepy rash all over his body, which I would never have guessed till I took him in- the oatmeal baths & antihistimine weren't doing squat, but antibiotics cleared it right up.) Some things ARE useful to have Dr's look at.

I educate but assume they *want* to help, & while still protecting my babes, am cooperative.

For green pus I'd be throwing some kind of 'cillin at it, kwim? It sounds very painful. Poor guy!


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## Anastasiya (Jun 13, 2006)

I agree with the PP - forget the baths and the tto and get thee antibiotics before things get worse. And maybe print out the do not retract info from the aap to let the docs know where you're coming from.

And good luck!


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## mama_at_home (Apr 27, 2004)

Poor baby! Is he running a fever yet? Obviously there is an infection if it is green. Can you just take him to the ER and just have them do a swab to see what kind of infection it is?


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## MommytoB (Jan 18, 2006)

Get to the doctor and ask the doctor to 'swab ' the pus' like get a sample of the pus. I can't belive the first ped only did a urine culture .

I wonder if pus deals with 'external gentalia would it be better to have antibiotic cream with oral antibotics ? Because don't antibiotics sometimes cause "yeast' ?


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## TigerTail (Dec 22, 2002)

They don't 'cause' yeast; they just sometimes kill beneficial bacteria that keep always-present yeast spores from taking hold. But I have probiotics; yeast I can handle. Green pus is an infection I cannot.

(The glans penis is an internal organ, btw.)


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Green says infection to me, too -- I would go get the antibiotics.








mama and baby boy!!


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## gretasmommy (Aug 11, 2002)

Okay, taking off mama cloak, donning pediatrician garb (no white coat, kids hate them!!!). I am a pediatrician, though here, mostly mama!

Call a local midwife or birthing house, as most can refer you to a reliable pediatrician or ER facility. Where are you, exactly? I just might be able to help.

I agree witht he past few posters. The location (more in the groin/base of penile shaft) and color/nature of the pus indicates infection. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO RETRACT HIM. Stay right "there", and allow no hands to go near the glans - they're missing the infected area if they concentrate their efforts there anyway! Offer to hold his penis for them as they do their exam . . . this might help DS be more comfortable - no hands more gentle than mama's hands.

Don't wait until tomorrow. If no friends/relatives in the area can help by referring you to a ped they know (for example, we see friends/relatives children if they are sick while in our neighborhood), call the local Children's hospital ER (not just any ER that happens to see kids. . one affiliated with a pediatric surgeon (probably more helpful in your situation than a urologist as this seems more of a skin issue that happens to be located on his penis), then go to the ER.

Go tonight mama. Infection can spread quickly and that's nothing to wait on.

Sending good thoughts for you and DS.


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## momto3boys (May 15, 2003)

Soak him in a bath with lavendar oil and tea tree oil. If you don't have any use baking soda. Dissolve baking soda in warm bath water and let him soak. Repeat every few hours.

I've also heard of vinegar in the bath. Follow with triple antibiotic ointment or diluted lavendar/TTO combo.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

Thank you everyone.

I agree, green pus is not a good sign.

I just don't trust the ER here at all. There is only one in a 100 mile radius.

So, the plan for tonight is to follow the advice of my BIL (who is a well known DR) and apply an antifungal cream along with an antibacterial cream. Then, in the morning, I will take him back to the Dr I saw today and have them do a swab of the pus.

I am not one to shy away from drugs if they're needed and my gut tells me that they are in this case. I'm just trying to do the best I can for him while also not letting him fall into the hands of the quacky drs that I know practice here.

At least the guy I saw today will have seen us once already and I've already swatted his hand away and said a few educational things, so maybe he'll remember.

I have to say, there hasn't been any pus since this afternoon, tho I know that doesn't mean much. It's still tender and obviously something is up.

Thanks and I'll keep you updated.


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## mama_at_home (Apr 27, 2004)

Hi , I was just checking to see how he is doing this morning.


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## TigerTail (Dec 22, 2002)

Yeah, I was wondering & hoping things are getting better too.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

Thanks ladies.

The pus is gone and the swelling has gone down considerably. He's still feeling fine, no fever and he's running around like his typical maniac self, so I'm less worried today.

I'll keep watching it, but I think we're getting whatever it is.


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## mama_at_home (Apr 27, 2004)

That is a good sign he never got a fever. I'm glad it's getting better! I wonder what it was?


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## bburnie2 (Sep 28, 2004)

I know this sounds odd- but could he have gotten something inside and it was just taking it time coming back out? There was a gal once who thought her son had pus coming out and it turned out to be hair conditioner. Apparently he had seen him mama use hair conditioner on her....hair. And thought he would do the same so it would be nice and soft....despite not have hair there.

Its a long shot, but I thought I would mention that it is possible he got something IN there.


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