ASK THE DOCTOR
Mar 27, 2007
My penis got shorter<br>Dear Doctor,<br>Three years ago, I was circumcised because of a tight foreskin. With time, my penis has become shorter. These days, I fail to maintain an erection and the exposed part has lost sensitivity. Is this normal?<br>Worried Apuuli
My penis got shorter
Dear Doctor,
Three years ago, I was circumcised because of a tight foreskin. With time, my penis has become shorter. These days, I fail to maintain an erection and the exposed part has lost sensitivity. Is this normal?
Worried Apuuli
Dear Apuuli,
The circumcision was for medical reasons. A tight foreskin cannot be pulled back when the penis erects. This causes pain and difficulties during sex. It is removed during circumcision.
Circumcision does not decrease the size of the penis.
In people who are not circumcised, the head (glans) of the penis is very sensitive. After circumcision, because the covering skin is removed, the skin becomes thicker and less sensitive. This is normal and it should not affect your enjoyment of sex.
It does not make one fail to maintain an erection.
Apuuli, your real problem is impotence and it is not due to the circumcision.
Impotence is however just a symptom which you should ask your doctor to evaluate.
I am HIV-positive and pregnant
Dear Doctor,
I am three months pregnant yet HIV positive. I’m not prepared to have any child now. Please advise me.
Worried Nifa
Dear Nifa,
There are two possible options:
lAbortion: It is important to be sure that you want it. Get some counselling about it.
If you decide on abortion, make sure that you seek the help of a doctor, preferably a gynaecologist, to make sure that the procedure is safe. (Abortion under some circumstances is legal in Uganda)
- Keep the baby: With good antenatal care, and anti-HIV drugs, the child may be born without the virus.
Even if the child is positive, treatment today enables the child to grow up without problems.
You are three months pregnant. You have to make up your mind very soon.
What are the signs of syphilis?
Dear Doctor,
What are the signs of syphilis? Is it true that syphilis injections are very painful?
Mark
Dear Mark,
Syphilis is a silent sexually transmitted disease which lasts years, if untreated.
Some weeks after the infection, one gets a painless wound or sore usually on the genitals or the point of contact. It heals within weeks leaving no signs.
Later, one may get a rash, lasting a few weeks.
Many years later, the person develops the last stage of the disease which is the killer stage, with mental illness and problems in various body organs.
A blood test diagnoses syphilis and it can be completely cured.
The most common and effective treatment includes injections which may be more painful than usual.
It is important to remember that untreated syphilis has very serious problems, including death.
It is important for sexually active people to test for syphilis regularly and get full treatment when necessary.
Write to Dr. Paul Semugoma
semugoma@hotmail.com or
Ask The Doctor, Box 9815, Kampala OR health@newvision.co.ug
Dear Doctor,
Three years ago, I was circumcised because of a tight foreskin. With time, my penis has become shorter. These days, I fail to maintain an erection and the exposed part has lost sensitivity. Is this normal?
Worried Apuuli
Dear Apuuli,
The circumcision was for medical reasons. A tight foreskin cannot be pulled back when the penis erects. This causes pain and difficulties during sex. It is removed during circumcision.
Circumcision does not decrease the size of the penis.
In people who are not circumcised, the head (glans) of the penis is very sensitive. After circumcision, because the covering skin is removed, the skin becomes thicker and less sensitive. This is normal and it should not affect your enjoyment of sex.
It does not make one fail to maintain an erection.
Apuuli, your real problem is impotence and it is not due to the circumcision.
Impotence is however just a symptom which you should ask your doctor to evaluate.
I am HIV-positive and pregnant
Dear Doctor,
I am three months pregnant yet HIV positive. I’m not prepared to have any child now. Please advise me.
Worried Nifa
Dear Nifa,
There are two possible options:
lAbortion: It is important to be sure that you want it. Get some counselling about it.
If you decide on abortion, make sure that you seek the help of a doctor, preferably a gynaecologist, to make sure that the procedure is safe. (Abortion under some circumstances is legal in Uganda)
- Keep the baby: With good antenatal care, and anti-HIV drugs, the child may be born without the virus.
Even if the child is positive, treatment today enables the child to grow up without problems.
You are three months pregnant. You have to make up your mind very soon.
What are the signs of syphilis?
Dear Doctor,
What are the signs of syphilis? Is it true that syphilis injections are very painful?
Mark
Dear Mark,
Syphilis is a silent sexually transmitted disease which lasts years, if untreated.
Some weeks after the infection, one gets a painless wound or sore usually on the genitals or the point of contact. It heals within weeks leaving no signs.
Later, one may get a rash, lasting a few weeks.
Many years later, the person develops the last stage of the disease which is the killer stage, with mental illness and problems in various body organs.
A blood test diagnoses syphilis and it can be completely cured.
The most common and effective treatment includes injections which may be more painful than usual.
It is important to remember that untreated syphilis has very serious problems, including death.
It is important for sexually active people to test for syphilis regularly and get full treatment when necessary.
Write to Dr. Paul Semugoma
semugoma@hotmail.com or
Ask The Doctor, Box 9815, Kampala OR health@newvision.co.ug