Paraphimosis (say: "para-fim-oh-sus") is a serious condition that can happen only in men and boys who haven't been circumcised. Paraphimosis means the foreskin is stuck behind the head of the penis and can't be pulled back down into a normal position.
Uncircumcised men sometimes pull the foreskin back during sex, when they go to the bathroom or when they clean their penises. Doctors and nurses might pull the foreskin back when they examine the penis or put in a catheter.
Sometimes you, a doctor or a nurse might forget to pull the foreskin back down. If the foreskin is left behind the head of the penis too long, your penis might swell so much that the foreskin is trapped behind it.
Paraphimosis usually causes pain in your penis, but not always. You might get an infection in your penis. You might not be able to go to the bathroom at all. If you can't pull your foreskin over the head of your penis, you need to call your doctor right away.
The first thing your doctor will do is treat the swelling. This can be done by pressing your penis with a hand or by wrapping your penis in a tight bandage. After the swelling has gone away, your doctor should be able to pull the foreskin back down. If the foreskin remains stuck, your doctor might need to make a small cut in the trapped foreskin to loosen it.
Paraphimosis: Current Treatment Options by JM Choe, MD (American Family Physician December 15, 2000, http://www.aafp.org/afp/20001215/2623.html)
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