Maintaining an erection for a long sex session is often considered a flex, but staying hard for a prolonged period of time is actually pretty dangerous.
If it’s been more than four hours and your hard-on isn’t going away, you could be suffering from priapism.
It’s a serious penis condition and it can be incredible painful, causing some pretty worrying side effects, including necrosis of the penis and even amputation.
About one in 2,000 people with a penis will suffer with the priapism each year.
What is priapism and what are the symptoms?
Dr Jeff Foster, a committee member of the British Society of Sexual Medicine, tells Metro that priapism is a prolonged partial or full erection.
This means you’re hard for longer than the time of ‘desired use’ – think four hours or longer — and the erection may not have been caused by sex or masturbation.
‘Erections should not last more than four hours, if they do, it’s a medical emergency,’ Dr Jeff Foster, for men’s health website Manual, explains.
There are two different types of priapism: ischemic and non-ischemic.
‘Ischemic priapism is caused by blood not being able to leave the penis,’ he says. ‘This means the erection is maintained and becomes increasingly painful.
‘It will last for more than four hours and is likely not related to sexual interest. Often, there’s a rigid penile shaft, but the tip is soft, so progressively worsening pain occurs.’
The non-sichemic type is more rare, according to the doctor. This is when arteries that supply the penis don’t work as they should, meaning the blood flow is damaged. He explains that this is likely to occur in patients who have had past trauma to their penis.
If you think there’s any chance you’re suffering with priapism, don’t sit on it – see a doctor immediately.
‘If untreated, priapism can lead to oxygen starvation in affected cells, causing coagulation, clotting, and death of the affected penile area (penile necrosis),’ Dr Foster adds.
‘The chance of penile necrosis increases every hour it’s left untreated and, once it occurs, the damage could be irreversible and may lead to amputation.’
What causes priapism?
You’re more likely to suffer with priapism if you’re an adult but it can occur at any age, even in childhood.
Unfortunately, there are underlying conditions that mean someone may be more likely to suffer with it.
Dr Foster says: ‘Blood disorders like sickle cell disease or leukaemia where your blood can’t flow properly – particularly out of the penis – could make you more prone to priapism. Around 30 to 40% of men with sickle cell disease will experience it.’
He adds that using alprostadil injections which help combat erectile dysfunction would also make you higher risk for this condition, as do some antidepressants, anxiety and ADHD medications and alpha blockers (which prevent an enlarged prostate).
If you smoke weed or use cocaine you’re also at risk. Other rarer causes could be injuring the base of your penis, spider bites, scorpion stings and toxic infections.
How to treat and prevent priapism
Priapism is curable if given the correct treatment.
Dr Foster explains that usually the blocked vessels will be aspirated, or medicines will be given to stop the clotting.
If it’s a severe case, you may need surgery.
To try and prevent the unpleasant condition in the first place, the doctor explains that if you should not use drugs like weed or cocaine and instead live a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
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For those with underlying blood disorders like sickle cell disease or thalassaemia, keep your levels checked and adhere to doctor’s appointments.
Don’t succumb to embarrassment either. Not seeking help because you feel awkward about your sexual health problems will only do more harm.
Dr Foster says this certainly applies if you think you’ve fractured your penis.
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‘If your penis has an eggplant appearance due to blood swelling under the penis from shaft tissue damage, and/or there’s purplish discolouration, please seek immediate medical attention or go to A&E,’ he adds.
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