When a man looks for some relief from pain, itching or other irritations, he naturally reaches for a variety of potions and lotions he has in the medicine cabinet. And yes, these definitely work if a man has a minor irritation on most parts of the body, such as his hands, feet, or even his face. But when it comes to male organ care, many men are quite surprised to learn that the ointments and other treatments that are okay for the rest of the body are a big no-no for the delicate member skin.

Why not use regular ointments?

No matter how much manhood pain a man is feeling, or how rashy and red his male organ might be, there are some medications he should never reach for to find relief. That’s because these creams might contain ingredients that are far too harsh for the delicate skin. For instance, a guy might look to the cortisone cream in order to soothe a terribly itchy male organ, but this is a mistake – the steroid content in the cream can cause long-term problems.

Besides that, remember that the urethra at the tip of the male organ is a gateway to even more delicate tissues. Using an ointment of any kind that isn’t specifically designed for the organ is bad enough, but using a crème that then gets into the tip of the manhood can mean pain and swelling for those tissues just inside, which only adds to a guy’s pain woes.

Relieving manhood pain the right way

So what can a guy do about manhood pain? How can he ease a red member that is crying out for relief? A careful, measured approach is the best way to go. Here’s what he can do.

1. Examine why it happened. What caused the pain? What was happening when it began? Sometimes this is easy to pinpoint, but other times it seems a mystery. The closer a man can get to the time it began, the more he might be able to narrow it down to anything from a sensual encounter to the use of a new soap to an injury he didn’t realize was really that bad at the time.

2. Decide how bad it is. Manhood pain that is fleeting, very minor or comes from an obvious cause that can be remedied probably doesn’t require a visit to the doctor. However, pain that persists, is bad enough to take a man’s breath away or that doesn’t really have an obvious cause might be good reason to get a professional medical opinion.

3. Try home remedies first. If it isn’t bad enough for the doctor, a guy can treat it at home. Start with the tried-and-true options, such as a warm or cool compress, a soothing bath to remove any and all residue and airing out the male organ for a while. If simple home remedies don’t work after several hours, it might be time to consider the doctor again.

4. Take over the counter medications. Sometimes over the counter medications can help for minor irritations – but again, keep in mind that this should only be used if a guy knows what caused the pain. For instance, a sore and red member that resulted from overzealous self-pleasuring could benefit from a guy taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen, over the counter painkillers, to ease the pain.

5. Think about ways to prevent the pain. If a guy knows what caused the pain – for instance, he used a latex barrier protection right before the swelling and redness started – then he can take steps to avoid that in the future. Knowing how to prevent manhood pain is always much better than figuring out how to treat it!

Finally, a guy can’t go wrong with a high-quality male organ health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The use of soothing Shea butter and vitamin E is a great idea for the male organ that feels red, bruised or otherwise painful.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common male organ health issues, tips on improving member sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy manhood. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.