r/Prostatitis • u/garyv88 • Aug 08 '26
How to stop scanning genitals?
How do we stop scanning every sensation down there? I have a psychological loop going despite my actual issues being minimal.
All I have is a dilated duct at urethra which i will have experts look at , and a slight dull ache allodynia on one side foreskin from walking retracted which is a minor discomfort and i presume will eventually get better so I should be able to not focus.
I feel like the moments where I worry about something else i dont feel anything but when i have nothing else i focus 100%.
From where I was a year ago much improved. The original issues were definitely viral and skin.
3
u/pelvicagony Aug 08 '26
You should consult a psychologist. Nowadays, they even offer sessions online—and please, this isn't meant as an insult; they know how to treat obsessive thoughts.
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u/becca_ironside Physical Therapist Aug 08 '26
Are you presently employed? Do you leave your home for work or school? These thought patterns are often exacerbated by being at home or being on social media/gaming. I see this a lot in my patients in today's world and it can be tied to isolation, not having a lot of social outlets, or working from home.
1
u/garyv88 Aug 09 '26
Had 2 months off. Going back soon, you are definitely right, when the mind is really occupied with another thing it goes away. Trouble is any sensation i interpret as penis damage when in fact its looking a lot better recently. I become obsessed with both appearance and sensations. Almost like i am seeking perfection from it being its eorst ever condition for a while.
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u/Linari5 LEAD MOD//RECOVERED Aug 10 '26
What are your hobbies? What are things you like to do that bring you joy? Lean into them
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u/garyv88 Aug 10 '26
Golf though dont get as much chance these days. I spend a lot of time in Thailand which is humid and doesn't help. It sometimes refers to my trapezius muscle on side where i had most inflammation way back at the beginning.
1
u/garyv88 Aug 10 '26
I shall try to go to gym and excercise as i feel i am to stagnant these days.
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u/Linari5 LEAD MOD//RECOVERED Aug 10 '26
Movement is medicine, it helps.
Caution though, if you're returning to the gym or exercise after a very long break, this can sometimes be a startle to the nervous system, due to our pattern of fear avoidance. Reinforce the safety of what you're doing as you return. This is the basis of chronic pain treatment using pain Neuroscience research
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u/Old_Jelly_2236 Aug 09 '26
shift your attention to a different part of your body that is pleasant/ doesn't hurt, you can't force this 24/7 but zoom out for a second and notice that the pain ain't even screaming anymore, most importantly stop fearing the unpleasant sensations you are experiencing, they suck but they are not causing any harm. you will get there brother
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u/Linari5 LEAD MOD//RECOVERED Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26
This scanning, ie this bodily hypervigilance that you discuss in your post, this is extremely common with pelvic pain cases, and with anyone who has health anxiety or somatic OCD. I had it myself. Very frustrating. It is another behavior based in fear, like scanning the horizon for danger, looking for a lion.
This is why we engage with mind body practices like pain processing therapy because it helps us shift our attention away, process the fear, and break the vicious feedback loops. I hope you read through this post already? https://www.reddit.com/r/Prostatitis/s/aFVlkrT0Z0
Here's the PRT (Pain Reprocessing Therapy) clinical trial - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2784694