A Holistic Approach to Phimosis in Children

Phimosis is described as condition in which prepuce or foreskin of glans penis is not retracted backwards resulting in poor narrowed stream of urine during micturition causing ballooning of prepuce along with recurrent attacks of balanoposthitis and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). Majority of new born boys do have non-retractile foreskin called as Physiological Phimosis. In Ayurveda phimosis is described as Nirudhaprakasha. Physiological phimosis usually does not require any kind of treatment as it resolve spontaneously within first couple of years mostly taking 3 to 6 years after which measures are considered to correct it surgically. Pathological phimosis is condition in which prepuce get adhered to glans secondary to adhesions or scarring made because of infection, inflammation or trauma. Pathological phimosis and physiological phimosis with recurrent attack of balanoposthitis and UTIs do require treatment. There are several treatment modalities are available according to severity of adhesions such as local application of steroid cream or oil, manual retraction, dilatation and Circumcision. In this review article we assess the various treatment modalities available in Ayurveda and contemporary medical science for better management of Phimosis.