Bulge in penis vein

Hi Doc:

I week ago, I had sex with my partner that included oral sex on me that was more intense than usual.  Later that day, I noticed a vein was bulging quite a bit on the side of my penis.  This was perpendicular to the main artery on the top.  I was a little soar but no major pain.  It has been a week and the bulge has gone down but it is still there a little.  Here are my questions:

1) Did I do any serious damage or is there an issue of concern?
2) If so, what should I do?
3) If this is nothing major, will it just go away or should I do anything?
4) What should I do to avoid this happening again?

[Stephen Liroff, MD]

Your description is that of sclerosing lymphangitis of  the penis. This is an inflammation of lymph channels, usually located just behind the head of the penis and is thought to be related to vigorous sexual activity. It is self limiting, i.e., it goes away on its own and does not involve permanent damage. Just give it time to go away before traumatizing your penis further.
An anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (600 mg every 6 hours) if you do not have any contraindication to its use, may be helpful.
S.A.Liroff, M.D.