Tinea cruris (jock itch) is a common fungal skin infection of the groin. Sometimes doctors call it the medical term tinea cruris or ringworm - we should be clear it has nothing to do with worms! This fungal infection usually occurs in warm, moist areas such as the groin or in the armpit area or feet (where it is called tinea pedis or athletes foot). It produces symptoms of a rash that is usually red, sore and itchy and has clear edges that can form a ring-like pattern. It is commonly found in athletes and the elderly but can affect anyone. It is often found in the crease of the groin and can spread a short way down the upper thigh. The majority of cases are mild and can be treated easily with over the counter antifungal creams available from your pharmacist. If the medication is for a child you will be asked to see the doctor first rather than getting an over the counter cream. There are a number of different antifungal creams available (you will see names such as terbinafine, clotrimazole, econazole and miconazole so check the directions that come with each cream as it will tell you how often and how long to use the cream for. Apply the cream to the affected area and to the non-affected skin that is up to 5cm around the affected area.

Testicular lumps are more common than you would think and can be caused by a variety of things. The majority of these are nothing serious, but they should always be checked out by your doctor. This is because a small number of cases may turn out to be cancerous. The good news is the survival rate for testicular cancer is high, especially when caught early and treated. Healthwords' advice is that anyone with testicles should remember to check their balls at least once a month. This is different to prostate cancer.

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that lies between the penis and the bladder and produces a fluid that nourishes sperm to create semen. Prostatitis usually occurs in 30 and 50 year olds. It can be very painful but, rest assured, it does get better with time, and treatment if needed.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It mainly affects men over the age of 75 but can also occur in younger men. It affects around 1 in every 8 men in their lifetime, with around 52,000 men diagnosed with it each year in the UK. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men by the base of the bladder that produces seminal fluid, which helps sustain semen and transport sperm. Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the gland change, causing abnormal growth and – like many cancers - it develops slowly over time and so may cause few, if any, symptoms initially. Prostate cancer is often confined within the prostate gland and causes little serious harm, although it may cause troublesome symptoms. However, it can spread to other organs and become life-threatening and so for this reason the sooner prostate cancer is found, the better the chances of treatment being effective.

You might notice the area feels tight or itchy. It may be painful when passing urine, having sex or – for men – getting an erection. If it's around the anus, you may find it sore to pass a stool. At first, there may be nothing to see on the skin. Skin can become fragile and bleed if rubbed or scratched, and then feel very sore if it breaks down. It may form blood blisters or thickened areas with constant scratching. Later in the process, you may notice shiny white patches where it feels sore or itchy.

Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacteria called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. This can easily pass from person to person via unprotected vaginal, anal and oral sex, or sharing sex toys. Condoms help to prevent catching gonorrhoea. This may cause no noticeable symptoms, or it can cause a yellow/green watery or pus-like discharge from the penis, vagina or rectum (back passage). It may cause pain on peeing, for women pain during sex, bleeding after sex or bleeding between periods, and for men, pain in the testicles. It can cause joint inflammation (reactive arthritis, eye symptoms (conjunctivitis and, if left untreated, can cause infertility. Given the high stakes and the fact that you may have no symptoms at all, it’s important to get tested regularly. This is especially important if you are aged 16 to 25, as this is the highest-risk age group. Get an STI test at the change of any partner (use condoms until you both get the all-clear) and at least once a year.

Warts are small fleshy growths or bumps with a hardened dry top, most often flesh-coloured, but can appear red if irritated. Several can appear in a cluster. Genital warts are a sexually transmitted infection caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and spread by vaginal, anal, digital and oral sex or sharing sex toys. They are not harmful, and can disappear by themselves within a few months, but they become irritated and sore if they rub or catch on clothing, and some people are bothered by the appearance. You also put your partner or partners at risk of catching them if they are left untreated. They may not cause you any bother, or you may be bothered by the appearance, and this can take its toll on your confidence and, inevitably, intimate relationships. Depending on their size or location, they may catch on clothes, or feel a bit sore, and they can sometimes itch or bleed.

Erectile dysfunction is when you are unable to get an erection or maintain an erection in order to have sex. It can sometimes be referred to as impotence or shortened to ED, and it is a very common symptom men can experience from time to time. In most cases, there is no serious underlying cause and may improve on its own, although it is important to know there is a treatment that can help. It is especially common in older men with around 1 in 2 men over the age of 40 experiencing ED at some point. Some of the things that can contribute to erectile dysfunction include tiredness, stress or excessive alcohol. The causes of longer-term erectile dysfunction can be split into 3 main types which are psychological, physical health and medication-induced. Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction include stress, performance anxiety (or any anxiety around having sex), relationship issues, or mental health conditions such as depression. With psychological causes, erectile dysfunction usually starts suddenly, not gradually, and it is best to treat the cause (e.g. the mood symptoms) rather than treating the symptom of erectile dysfunction. Treat the mood symptoms, and the erectile dysfunction will hopefully improve. Physical causes are usually the reason for ED in men over 40, with reduced blood flow to the penis being at the top of that list. The arteries in the penis become too narrow for enough blood flow to cause an erection. Men who smoke, have high blood pressure or have high cholesterol levels are more at risk of developing this. With physical causes, erectile dysfunction tends to occur more gradually over time rather. Chronic health conditions that affect nerves or blood flow such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis can also cause ED as well as any damage to the penis or low testosterone levels however these are less common. Some medications can cause or erectile dysfunction worse. These include some of the medications used to treat depression, high blood pressure and prostate problems. It is best to discuss with your doctor if you think this might be the case. Don’t stop taking the medication before speaking with your doctor.

Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is a bacteria that can spread in semen or vaginal fluid and infect the vagina, uterus (womb), urethra (tube for the passage of urine, plus semen in men), the penis, rectum (back passage) and, less commonly, the throat and eyes. It may cause no symptoms at all but if it does, signs to look out for are a vaginal, penile or rectal discharge. This is usually watery and white or cloudy, and there may also be pain or stinging when peeing. In the longer term, men may get pain in the testicles and women develop pain in the pelvis, especially when having sex, and bleeding after sex or between periods. Ultimately it can cause infertility if left untreated. It may also cause joint inflammation (reactive arthritis and irritated red eyes (conjunctivitis. Given the high stakes and the fact that you may have no symptoms at all, it’s important to get tested regularly. This is especially important if you are aged 16 to 25, as this is the highest risk age group. If you're a woman, sexually active and under 25, it's recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year, and when you have sex with new or casual partners. If you're a man, sexually active and under 25 it's recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you’re not using condoms with new or casual partners. Get an STI test at the change of any partner (use condoms until you both get the all-clear) and if you’re changing partners regularly or have multiple partners, get tested every three months.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is where the prostate - a gland located near the bladder in men - gets bigger than usual, in a process known as hyperplasia or hypertrophy. This growth isn’t cancerous and occurs in most men as they get older but it can cause problems for some men in relation to passing urine. BPH is a very common condition, especially in older men, and is more likely to occur if you are obese, have diabetes or heart disease, or if the condition runs in your family. The prostate is a small gland that wraps around the urethra, the tube that urine travels down from the bladder and out of the penis. It produces seminal fluid that helps sustain semen and transport sperm. The prostate gland is the size and shape of a walnut in your 20s, but naturally grows in size to about apricot size in your 40s, and it may be the size of a lemon by the age of 60. This can press against the bladder and urethra, gradually causing symptoms over time. What causes BPH? In men, the urethra (the tube that transports urine from the bladder to the penis and out) passes through the centre of the prostate. When the prostate starts to enlarge it presses on the urethra and makes it narrow. This narrowing causes urinary symptoms. The causes are largely unknown but are thought to be linked to hormonal changes as men age.