Balanitis literally translated means an inflammation of the glans (head of the penis). It's this seemingly simple definition that has contributed to balanitis being poorly treated in most patients and millions suffering unnecessarily from prolonged pain.

As the definition might suggest, most treatment approaches simply focus on reducing the inflammation of the glans and foreskin. However, equating balanitis to simple inflammation is like calling genital herpes a simple rash. It misleads the sufferer and drives them to pursue ineffective treatments.

The truth is, balanitis is notorious for being resistant to conventional treatments and this has to do with how most people (including doctors) look at balanitis.

Many people wrongly assume that the inflammation itself is the main (and only) problem, that once treated, will cure their balanitis for good.

At the outset, it almost seems to make logical sense. You treat inflammation by simply reducing inflammation. Correct?

Not when it comes to balanitis.

While this kind of treatment approach may bring temporary relief, this faulty logic is the main reason why most balanitis cases relapse within days to weeks of stopping treatment.

Inflammation from balanitis is a red flag, a warning from your body, signaling deeper ongoing damage. Simply treating the inflammation only addresses the problem on the surface without actually resolving the underlying cause of the inflammation.

It is the equivalent of constantly using numbing gel for a tooth ache and expecting the underlying cavity to fix itself. While the pain may be temporarily masked, the damage will continue unchecked until, as in the case of the cavity, it has reached the bone or as in the case of balanitis, it progresses to cause penile tissue damage.

Simply removing the warning sign (inflammation) doesn't always interrupt the progression of the disease. In fact, it often allows the damage to proceed invisibly and unhindered because you strip away your body's only natural defense against the underlying cause of the inflammation.

While inflammation is one of the noticeable symptoms of balanitis, it should never be the sole focus of your treatment. Remember, inflammation never occurs without a cause and understanding this underlying cause can help you permanently cure your balanitis.