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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
A prolonged erection is also known as priapism, a term that comes from Priapus, the Greek god of fertility, gardening and lust, who was born with oversized genitals after being cursed by Hera, the wife of Zeus. Although this special “gift” encouraged flowers to bloom and animals to mate, Priapus was still burdened with its excess nature.In the real-world, priapism is a serious burden for men. Though uncommon, the condition occurs when blood becomes trapped in the penis and is unable to drain out, leaving the penis engorged. If left untreated, blood vessels within the penis may rupture, tissues within the penis may become damaged or destroyed, and scar tissue may form.How Erections WorkBefore we look at what can go wrong with an erection, it helps to understand the male reproductive system and how erections work. When you become sexually aroused—either through physical touch or mental stimulation—the blood vessels in your penis expand and relax, allowing blood to flow freely into your penis. Once blood has entered your penis, it becomes temporary trapped within the two cylinder-shaped chambers that run the length of the penis (corpora cavernosa). This causes your penis to enlarge and become firm.Following ejaculation, or shortly after stimulation stops, the muscles within your penis contract to halt the inflow of blood, while other channels in your penis open to release blood. This process causes the penis to reduce in size and soften. While it’s great to have an erection that lasts long enough to get the job done in the bedroom, if your penis remains in an erect state for more than four hours and is unrelated to sexual stimulation, you should seek immediate medical help to prevent permanent erectile dysfunction and disfigurement of your penis.Prolonged Erections: Types and What to Look ForIf you notice that your erection has not waned hours after ejaculation, or after stimulation has stopped, you may have one of two types of priapism--each come with their own symptoms. Regardless of the type, both kinds of priapism are serious and require medical attention.IschemicThis type of priapism is the most common of the two and occurs when the blood can’t exit the penis. It can be very painful and is caused by certain medications (including blood thinners, antidepressants and penis enhancing drugs like Viagra), alcohol and illegal drug use, injury to the spinal cord, or blood diseases like sickle cell anemia, diabetes or tumors.Signs and symptoms associated with this type, include:An unwanted erection that comes and goes for several hours (known as stuttering priapism)Pain or tenderness of the penisFirm penile shaft, but with a soft tip (glans)NonischemicCaused by too much blood entering the penis, this type of priapism often results from a groin injury.
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