Male organ infections are something no man wants to deal with. A sore male organ is bad enough, but contracting a contagious problem can be life altering. Taking precautions to ensure optimal male organ health is essential. However, if problems do appear, it's equally important to understand whether the condition is serious enough to necessitate contacting any recent partners.

Shrug off the stigma.
Since male organ infections are considered embarrassing, it can be tempting for men to shrug off the issue as insignificant and self-contained. Too often, guys will ask themselves, "Why should I tell anyone else I know about my problem?"

The answer, of course, is that male organ health problems can result from intimate contact and be transmitted from one person to another. Past partners must be informed so that they can check themselves for any signs of infection, seek proper medical treatment if necessary, and alert any of their recent partners as well.

Spread the word, fast.
When a man is diagnosed with a partner-transmitted disease or infection, he has an obligation to inform his prior partners as quickly as possible. Often, timing can be crucial. The earlier a serious pelvic infection is detected and treated, the higher a person’s odds of recovery are.

Cover all bases.
While most people consider in-person exchanges the best way to share sensitive information, phone calls, emails and even text messages should not be ruled out if a partner is unable to meet up or is unresponsive to initial contact. Of course, emailing or texting alarming news to a partner should be considered a last resort: many people might find this rude or insensitive. But if a man’s options are limited, he should take advantage of every means of communication at his disposal.

Know what partner-transmitted diseases look like.
In general, a man should contact his partners if he has contracted any of the following:

• A "major" disease, such as the clap or an ulcerative condition. Often the first sign of these conditions is pain in the male organ – especially when urinating – as well as swollen lymph nodes in the pelvic area. With the clap, there may also be a thick, white, green or yellow discharge from the urethra, while ulcerative conditions often result in a hard sore (about the size of a button or a dime) on the male organ.

• HSV. This virus usually begins as itchy red spots on and around the male organ. But they will often evolve into tender red blisters.

• Yeast infection, also known as thrush or candida. Yeast infections often present themselves as red or white spots on the male organ. The skin may become dry, cracked, and painful to touch. Some men can also develop blisters with a male yeast infection.

• Scabies. A highly contagious and often extremely itchy condition, Scabies is caused by mites that burrow and lay eggs in a person’s skin. Scabies is usually accompanied by a straight-line of red itchy bumps or rashes. .

• Pelvic lice. Commonly known as crabs, pelvic lice can cause a tremendous amount of itching and discomfort. One indication of pelvic lice is the appearance of tiny brown flecks in the pelvic hair. These are actually lice eggs.

Sometimes a man may notice physical changes in his male organ that are unrelated to contagious infections. For instance, many men worry when they find Fordyce spots: small, harmless white bumps that are really sebaceous glands. Or PPP (pearly papules), which resemble little white domes of skin that form in rings around the head, on their male organs. These conditions are neither serious nor contagious, and there’s no urgent need to let any partners know of them.

Male organ infections can be avoided through proper hygiene and the use of condoms and other preventive measures. Keeping the male organ healthy should be a top priority for every man. Applying a quality male organ health cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil) can improve overall male organ health. Look for a cream that contains L-arginine, a powerful enzyme that can augment the oxygenation of male organ cells. Men should also consider any products with vitamin A, which has anti-bacterial properties that can help reduce unwanted male organ odor.