Doctor's Column: Would you recommend enlargement of my manhood?

Dear doctor, I’m in trouble because my penis is small like that of a baby yet I’m 17 years old. Would you recommend penis enlargement?
Arnold

Dear Arnold, many men underestimate the size of their penis relative to that of others, because it shortens while you look down at it, or because of a pot belly or fat in the pubis that shortens the penis. It is true that some men have bigger penises than others. A non-erect penis usually measures between 8.5cm and 10.5cm from tip to base becoming bigger and longer on erection. Smaller penises may enlarge twice their non-erect size (compared to big ones that enlarge less).

The average stretched penile length at birth is about 4cm and with the onset of puberty there is much more growth towards adult size after which there is no further growth. An adult penis with an erect length of less than 7cm is called a micropenis and may result from deficiency in growth hormones, Gonadotrophins, mild insensitivity to the male hormone, and some genetic problems . Some types of micro-penis can be addressed with growth or male hormone treatment in early childhood but at the age of 17, this may not be completely gainful.

Seventeen years is usually a time many boys are conscious of their self-image and even when your size is normal you may get concerned when you compare with the sizes of your peers.

Since you yourself cannot tell whether your penis is small or not, see a doctor for advice. Many of the procedures used for enlargement of the penis actually may cause scars that may affect erection and performance of the penis and should be avoided. If you are obese, you need to reduce your potbelly and also pubis size. You should know that it is the fight in the dog rather than the dog in the fight that matters in terms of sex.

Dear doctor, I do not know why I’m not getting pregnant and yet I get my periods every month. Is it possible that one can get periods and fail to get pregnant? Why does a barren woman get fat? Has the failure to get pregnant made me fat?
Bitu Nanyunja

Dear Bitu, a woman may fail to get pregnant because she has a problem or the husband himself cannot get her pregnant or the union of the two cannot lead to pregnancy. While in most cases the cause of infertility may be found, in some cases, even after proper investigations, the cause may be elusive.

Every month, the inner lining of the womb builds up in preparation for pregnancy and if pregnancy does not occur the lining is no longer required hence being shed as a period.

Women who have problems with their sex hormones may fail to get periods and also fail to get pregnant. If a woman cannot get pregnant she together with her partner should visit a doctor. Blocked fallopian tubes or problems in the womb including fibroids may lead to infertility yet one may be menstruating properly.

It is common belief in Uganda that when a woman fails to get pregnant she grows obese because then she has a lot of food to eat alone with no one else to share it with. It is true that obesity may be linked to infertility due to ovulation problems or even miscarriages.

Any woman who grows obese and fails to get pregnant should be checked for the so called polycystic ovarian syndrome (ovaries with water filled small sacs) which manifests with prolonged or scanty or no periods, obesity, infertility and a few or more beards apart from high blood sugar levels. Reducing weight may also improve her chances of getting pregnant.

Dear doctor, I was told I have an allergy in the nose but what bugs me today is lots of gas in the stomach, with pain and I have become a gassing chamber and my stomach keeps making noises. What is the problem?
John Bosco Kabaisera

Dear John Bosco, it is true that a person who has allergies in the nose is more likely to have other allergies including those to food though food allergies may cause mild symptoms, some people may have itching in the mouth, swelling of the lips, face, tongue or other parts of the body, wheezing, nasal congestion or difficulties in breathing. In severe cases, some people may even faint.

In many circumstances when they cause abdominal symptoms like pain, diarrhoea, nausea and rarely gaseous abdominal distension, the allergies may be confused with food intolerances which result from problems in food digestion. The gas in the abdomen can lead to abdominal noises, distension and frequent need to pass gas.

Please see your doctor because there are many other causes of a gaseous abdomen apart from the fact that one can have both food intolerances and allergies hence the said symptoms.