Rare is the man who doesn’t dream of going all night with an eager and willing partner. While the idea of being able to have sex repeatedly, all night long, is certainly the stuff of dreams, it’s not a good reality for any guy. There are several reasons why a man really doesn’t want to stay hard that long. A man with good penis care in mind will definitely heed those warnings to “see a doctor for an erection lasting four hours or more, as this may be a sign of serious condition.” That condition is known as priapism.
What is priapism and how does it happen?
The medical definition of priapism is an erection that lasts for a period of at least four hours. It is considered a medical emergency and at that four-hour point, a man should be in the emergency room. But how did this happen?
Most of the time, the penis is ready to go to work when a man feels the urge to get a little action, whether with a partner or by himself. The penis rapidly fills with blood, and that blood is then ‘trapped’ in the penis, often until he finds relief through ejaculation. This rush of blood and the erection that results usually feel great, as it leads to increased sensitivity and the delicious sensations that come along with sexual play.
However, a man almost always loses his erection after a period of time. This is natural and can even happen several times in one sex session. Even if he keeps an erection the entire time, it usually diminishes as soon as he experiences an orgasm.
With priapism, the mechanism that allows the blood to flow out of the penis doesn’t work properly. As a result, the blood gets trapped in the penis for longer than it should be. While this might seem great at first, after an hour or so a man might start to feel some pain from the heightened penis sensitivity – and by the time that magic ‘four hour’ point is up, a man is likely going to be in some significant pain.
Though there can be many reasons for priapism, some are more common than others. Doctors have pinpointed illicit drugs, antidepressants, blood thinners and erectile dysfunction medications as some of the most common causes.
What can be done about it?
When an erection just won’t quit, it’s time for a guy to head to the doctor. Though a man might be hesitant to go to the emergency room, he should rest assured that the medical professionals he will encounter there understand that this is definitely an emergency, and they will treat it as such. The usual remedies include certain medications that will expand or constrict the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow out of the penis. In most cases, this works just fine.
However, some men might experience priapism for unusual reasons, such as a medical condition or a trauma to the area. In this case, further medical help will be needed. This might include a simple surgical procedure that will allow the blood to flow out of the penis before it does any further damage. Keep in mind, however, that this is very rare.
A man should always pay close attention to his penis health. That includes using a daily dose of a good penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) . A man concerned about priapism can look to a crème that enhances blood flow through the application of L-arginine, which encourages blood vessels to open up, as well as vitamin C, which is essential for proper blood flow. Other powerful ingredients, such as alpha lipoic acid and vitamin B5, applied with a high-end emollient like Shea butter, can help keep other penis problems at bay.
