Intact 4 1/2 year old crying during erections when he urinates...

[nelson]

This has happened 2 nights in a row now.  He wakes up and says he has to go to the bathroom, everything seems fine, and then he starts screaming in pain saying that his penis hurts.  It is clearly erect and he screams and cries until the erection goes down.  The next day, everything is fine.  He gets erections without pain and normally pees without pain as well, but the two combined seem to be causing the problem.  My DH wants to take him to a Dr.  I don't know any Dr. that would be helpful.  Help please.

[sarafi]

Maybe it's a combo effect of erection/very tired/need to urinate? I would say if all these things happen separately with no screaming, the combo of each and being over tired is too much for him. I'm not a doctor, but if he is fine urinating and having erections normally, perhaps the fact that this is happening when he is over tired and simultaneously is too much for him to process.

Does he urinate after the erection goes away?

Bumping in case some one else can chime in.

[Escaping]

Full bladders can cause erections, so I would guess the fact that he doesn't urinate at night causes the erection. Maybe try limiting the amount of water before bed so his bladder doesn't get full enough? Or if it's possible, get him to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night to avoid an overly full bladder?

[nelson]

He usually doesn't urinate at night, but has been waking up and needing to go to the bathroom.  He does seem very tired, but I believe that he is in pain, and it goes away after the erection goes down.  He says that it kinda burns, but he has no other signs of a UTI.

[LLQ1011]

It can be difficult to pee with an erection. What other signs of uti are there besides burning? I would take him in.
 

[nelson]

He doesn't have any other signs - that's why it seems like it isn't and UTI
 

[LLQ1011]

I have had a few utis in my life and the only symptom I get is burning when I pee. So to me it sounds like he has a uti.
 

[akcowgirl]

Maybe TMI but My hubby has told me before that it is very hard and a little painful to try to pee through an erection.

[LLQ1011]

Originally Posted by akcowgirl 

Maybe TMI but My hubby has told me before that it is very hard and a little painful to try to pee through an erection.

I have also heard this.

[Delgadomom4]

If you do want to take him to a doctor, look for a pediatric's urologist. NOT a regular urologist. 

[nelson]

If it is an UTI, would it be possible for it to go away with just lots of water and cranberry juice?  There seems to be differing opinions on the internet.  Also, he says it doesn't hurt as much anymore, just a little.
 

[4chunut1]

Originally Posted by akcowgirl 

Maybe TMI but My hubby has told me before that it is very hard and a little painful to try to pee through an erection.

I think it depends on the individual.  I cannot urinate with an erection now, but could do so as a juvenile before puberty.  But I've read that is not a problem for some men. 

[Joe50]

Originally Posted by nelson 

This has happened 2 nights in a row now.  He wakes up and says he has to go to the bathroom, everything seems fine, and then he starts screaming in pain saying that his penis hurts.  It is clearly erect and he screams and cries until the erection goes down.  The next day, everything is fine.  He gets erections without pain and normally pees without pain as well, but the two combined seem to be causing the problem.  My DH wants to take him to a Dr.  I don't know any Dr. that would be helpful.  Help please.

When boys are born, the inner surface of the foreskin is fused with the surface of the underlying glans penis (which makes the foreskin totally non-retractable). This is completely normal. After several years that fusion starts to breakdown and the foreskin starts to separate and pull away from the glans penis. An erection can pull on the separating tissue and cause some transient pain. Also, urination can create temporary pressure inside the foreskin which makes the foreskin want to "balloon". This can also put pull on the separating tissues and cause some transient pain. Ballooning also is normal and harmless in developing boys. It is a transient condition that goes away as the opening in the tip of the foreskin enlarges with increasing age.

Most likely, your son is experiencing separation of the foreskin from the glans penis. His pain will stop when the foreskin is completely separated. If that is the case, then no treatment is necessary and his pain should end in a few weeks.