COVID symptom: Man reports unbearable penis pain as COVID side effect

A new COVID side effect has been reported by doctors in Iran that involve excruciating pain in the penis area.

COVID Symptom: Man reports unbearable penis pain as COVID side effect
© Getty/Tharakorn Arunothai / EyeEm
COVID Symptom: Man reports unbearable penis pain as COVID side effect

A man in Iran took a trip to the doctors after reporting sudden excruciating pain in his private parts. Upon investigation, doctors concluded that the likeliest cause for the pain was the coronavirus.

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An extremely rare side effect

The case report explains that the 41-year-old unnamed man first began experiencing penile pain for three consecutive days before getting it checked out by professionals. The pain first emerged during sexual intercourse.

Doctors looked into the medical history of the patient and found that he had tested positive for the coronavirus three weeks prior to first experiencing the pain. After undergoing an ultrasound, the medical team found that the man's penis had a very noticeable anomaly to it; the penile vein was dilated and had thrombosis from the middle part down to the root of the shaft.

The purpose of the human penile vein is to provide oxygenated blood to the member, but the man's penis was lacking a great amount of it. Radiologist Seyed Morteza Bagheri said:

Roughly, 20 to 50 percent of hospitalised patients with Covid-19 infection have abnormal coagulation tests. Searching the literature showed no previously published similar case of deep dorsal penile vein thrombosis following Covid-19 infection and our patient is the first reported case.

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Fully recovered

After receiving the diagnosis of deep dorsal penile vein thrombosis, the man was given blood thinners to treat the very rare condition. Doctor's explained that:

Two months after starting the treatment, patient’s symptoms were completely disappeared and he had no penile pain during erection and sexual disturbances anymore.

And added:

Other parts of the vein showed normal velocity with no other partial thrombosis. Patient had a little pain with the pressure of ultrasound probe at the site of the partial thrombosis.
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