The painful erection, known medically as priapism, is a disease that can appear between the ages of 20 and 50. However, it is unnecessary to have sexual desire for it to occur, being relatively frequent in children between 5 and 10 years of age.
In this sustained erection, the tissue around the penis is inflamed, so the glans remain soft. The treatment of this condition must be immediate since it could cause permanent damage to this member, its causes are multiple, and most can be avoided. In this FastlyHealarticle, we will explain the causes and treatments of painful erections.
Table of Contents
Why is it produced?
In a normal erection, what happens is that the veins that release blood into the penis contract, allowing blood to pool inside the penis, which helps the penis stay rigid. After ejaculation, the veins relax, allowing the blood to flow out of the penis, and it stops being erect.
In the case of a painful erection, after orgasm, the veins do not relax, and this will depend on the type of painful erection you have:
- Painful arterial erection: it is generally caused by trauma to the penis and is produced by excess blood in the cavernous tissues.
- Painful venous erection: it is of vascular origin and is the product of a defect in blood drainage in the set of tissues that produce the erection. And it is mainly caused by blood diseases or by the consumption of vasoactive drugs.
Causes of painful erection
There are multiple causes of painful erections below; we will detail them:
Painful erection from blood problems
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Leukemia, especially chronic myeloid.
- Thalassemia.
Painful erection from medications
- Vasoactive like viagra.
- Antidepressants
- Anticoagulants
- Antihypertensive.
- Injected drugs to treat erectile dysfunction.
Other causes
- Alcohol consumption
- Trauma or injury to the penis.
- Metabolic diseases such as diabetes
- Use of substances such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin.
- Insect bites.
- Damage to the central nervous system.
In addition to a painful erection, other symptoms accompany priapism:
- Erection for more than 4 hours, even when there is no sexual stimulation.
- Rigid glans.
- Sensitivity.
In some cases, the erection, without any stimulation, can occur without pain; in this case, you are more prone to have severe blood flow problems. See your doctor immediately if you notice any abnormality in your erections.
Treatment for a painful erection
The treatment will depend on the cause that is producing the painful erection, so you must visit a specialist, which in this case will be a urologist. What is clear is that the treatment must be immediate to avoid complications that could compromise the member’s functions.
The treatment can consist of aspirations of the accumulated blood; this will calm the pain and stop the erection. If this procedure does not give the expected results, an injection of phenylephrine will be performed in the penile tissue, allowing the blood to continue its normal flow after ejaculation; this treatment can have side effects such as dizziness, headaches, and hypertension. In case the previous ones fail, the last treatment option will be a surgical bypass, in which the circulation will be restored.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Painful erection: causes and treatments, we recommend that you enter our category of Male reproductive system.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.