Generality
Breaking the frenulum is the unpleasant injury that leads to the laceration of the frenulum of the penis.
Breaking the frenulum requires no special therapy; in fact, the lacerations of the penile frenulum heal spontaneously.
The prognosis in the event of a frenulum rupture is generally excellent.
A brief review of what the penis frenulum is
Also known as the frenulum of the foreskin of the penis or the frenulum of the penis, the frenulum of the penis is the thin band of elastic tissue which, in the male reproductive organ, connects the lower part of the glans to the foreskin.
Visible only when the penis is erect, the frenulum has a role in the sliding mechanics of the foreskin with respect to the glans and a role in sexual dynamics:
- As regards the first role, it limits the distension of the foreskin, when the penis goes into erection, and allows the correct sliding of the foreskin over the glans, when the penis returns flaccid;
- As for the second role, it is an area rich in nerve endings, which allow man to experience pleasure during sexual intercourse or to feel pain if his penis is subjected to violent maneuvers.
Figure (of the penis): Anatomy of the pen ; the glans and foreskin are, respectively, the head of the penis and the sliding skin fold, which covers part or all of the glans when the penis is flaccid.
What is the breaking of the frenulum?
Breaking the frenulum is the laceration of the frenulum of the penis.
The laceration of the penile frenulum is an unpleasant injury, which affects a not inconsiderable number of men.
From the breaking of the frenulum derives the condition that, in the slang language, takes the name of a broken frenulum .
Short clarification
In anatomy, the term " frenulum " without any specification indicates a thin strip of tissue that fixes or limits the movement of some moving parts or parts of them. The human body includes several examples of frenulum; in fact, besides the frenulum of the penis, it includes the lingual frenulum, the superior labial frenulum, the inferior labial frenulum, the frenulum of the clitoris, the frenulum of the labia minora, the frenulum of the superior medullary veil and the frenum of the ileocecal valve.
In the light of this brief anatomical explanation of the concept of frenulum, the phrase "breaking the frenulum" with reference to the laceration of the penile frenulum could be improper and above all inaccurate. However, it is still well accepted and widely used, even among members of the medical community, since the type of frenulum most prone to lacerations and the one that arouses the greatest interest - especially among the male population - is the frenulum of the penis.
Causes
Breaking the frenulum is the result of medical activities or procedures that have as their object the penis.
In most cases, at the origin of the frenulum rupture episodes there are too strong sexual relationships ; more rarely, there are too vigorous masturbation acts, medical-surgical procedures (in which the penis was the object of the intervention) or completely accidental injuries.
Risk factors
The main risk factors for breaking the frenum include:
- The practice of too energetic sexual activity;
- The presence of the so-called short frenulum . With a short frenulum the doctors understand the anatomical anomaly that the frenulum of the penis is shorter than the norm;
- The presence of a particularly thin frenulum;
- Accidental injuries to the penis;
- Penile surgery.
Symptoms and complications
The symptoms and signs resulting from the frenulum rupture are:
- Penile pain ;
- Loss of blood where the penile frenulum resides.
Why is the frenulum rupture painful?
Breaking the frenulum produces considerable pain, since - as stated in the opening of the article - the penile frenulum is an anatomical area rich in sensitive nerve endings.
Why does the frenulum rupture cause blood loss?
Breaking the frenulum is responsible for bleeding that is by no means negligible, as the frenulum of the penis is a flap of highly vascularized tissue, ie it has a vast network of blood vessels.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of frenulum rupture is based on a simple and rapid visual examination of the penis, in particular of that area where the penile frenulum takes place.
Breaking the frenulum is an event that lends itself very well to the so-called self-diagnosis .
Therapy
Breaking the frenulum does not require any specific therapy, as the laceration of the penile frenulum is the object of the same spontaneous healing process, which most normal skin wounds encounter.
The only foresight that the patient must have, during the period of healing of the wound on the penile frenulum, is to abstain from sexual activity and masturbation, to avoid relapses or a slowing down of the healing process.
The healing of a broken frenulum occurs spontaneously, that is, without the practice of any specific therapy.
Healing times
The recovery time from a frenulum rupture depends on the severity of the laceration: the slightest lacerations heal within 1-2 weeks, while the most severe lacerations within at least a month.
Does not abstention from sexual activity have serious consequences?
Failure to comply with abstinence from sexual activity has no serious consequences; therefore, as previously stated, it only involves relapses or a slowing down of the healing process.
Clearly, slower than normal relapses or healings coincide with a persistence of painful and hemorrhagic symptoms.
What happens if the healing process is abnormal? The frenuloplasty
In some very unfortunate cases, the recovery process from a frenulum rupture occurs incorrectly and the laceration heals "badly" to the point of altering the normal anatomy and normal function of the penile frenulum (the sliding mechanism of the foreskin does not occur more adequately).
The incorrect closure of a laceration of the penile frenulum, followed by a profound alteration of the anatomy and functionality of the latter, requires the use of frenuloplasty, that is, a surgical intervention for the remodeling of the penile frenulum (when it is clearly not functional to its purposes).
During sexual activity, a penile frenulum altered in anatomy, due to an abnormal healing process, can be a source of pain, sometimes very intense.
frenuloplasty
The frenuloplasty is a safe and effective intervention; it is, in fact, at low risk of complications and ensures, in most cases, the desired results.
Performed under local anesthetic, frenuloplasty essentially involves the transverse incision of the penile frenulum, followed by its longitudinal suture.
The duration of a frenuloplasty can vary from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of the remodeling.
In the period following the execution of the frenuloplasty (post-operative phase), the patient must apply on the surgical wound some specific ointments, prescribed by the attending physician and fundamental for the correct recovery; furthermore, he must strictly abstain from sexual activity for at least 6 weeks.
Prognosis
The prognosis in the event of a frenulum rupture is generally excellent, as long as the patient takes care to abstain from sexual activity or other similar practices.
Fortunately, the incorrect closure of a laceration of the penile frenulum is a very rare event.
Prevention
Without a doubt, the most important rule of prevention against the breaking of the frenulum is to avoid too energetic sexual relations and too vigorous masturbation.
