Management and Treatment
Other treatment options include: Ice packs: Ice applied to the penis and perineum may reduce swelling. Surgical ligation: Used in some cases where an artery has been ruptured, the doctor will ligate (tie off) the artery that is causing the priapism in order to restore normal blood flow.Oct 14, 2019How do doctors treat a prolonged erection?
A medication, such as phenylephrine, might be injected into your penis. This drug constricts blood vessels that carry blood into the penis. This action allows blood vessels that carry blood out of the penis to open up, increasing blood flow out of the penis. This treatment might be repeated several times if needed.Aug 31, 2021
How can I stop the pain of an erection?
What should I do if my erection will not go down?
- gentle exercise, such as jogging or using an exercise bike, may help your erection go down.
- having a warm bath may also benefit, as can having a pee. Having had a warm bath may make it easier for you to pee.
- use paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve the discomfort.
Why does having an erection for a long time hurt?
The blood trapped in the penis is deprived of oxygen. When an erection lasts for too long — usually more than four hours — this lack of oxygen can begin to damage or destroy tissues in the penis. Untreated priapism can cause erectile dysfunction.Aug 31, 2021
Overview
- Priapism is a prolonged erection of the penis. The persistent erection continues hours beyond or isn't caused by sexual stimulation. Priapism is usually painful.Although priapism is an uncommon condition overall, it occurs commonly in certain groups, such as people who have sickle cell anemia. Prompt treatment for priapism is usually needed to prevent tissue damage that could re…
Treatment
- Treatment for priapism depends on the cause. In most cases, a physician will start by numbing the penis, and will then use a needle to remove trapped blood from the swollen penis. Often, the doctor will inject a medication that helps to relax the narrowed veins. Usually, this treatment works promptly.Men with semi-erect, painless erections, which are less common, are more likel…
- Appropriate treatment of priapism varies, depending on whether the patient has low-flow or high-flow priapism. Most priapism cases are the low-flow ischemic type. Treatment of low-flow priapism should progress in a stepwise fashion, starting with therapeutic aspiration, with or without irrigation, or intracavernous injection of a sympathomimetic agent. [5] Although all case…
Symptoms
- Priapism symptoms vary depending on the type of priapism. The two main types of priapism are ischemic and nonischemic priapism.
- Symptoms of priapism include: 1. A painful erection that lasts longer than to four to six hours and is not relieved by orgasm 2. A partial erection that lasts longer than several days, even if it is not painful...
Prevention
- If you have recurrent or stuttering priapism, to prevent future episodes your doctor might recommend: 1. Treatment for an underlying condition, such as sickle cell anemia, that might have caused priapism 2. Use of oral or injectable phenylephrine 3. Hormone-blocking medications — only for adult men 4. Use of oral medications used to manage erectile dysfunction...
- In a few cases, priapism can occur more than once. If this happens, it is important to avoid medications, alcohol or drugs that may trigger these episodes. However, in most men, priapism occurs unexpectedly and cannot be prevented.
- The potential medical and legal pitfalls in the treatment of priapism deserve special attention. Meticulous documentation is essential and helps protect the physician from future litigation by a patient who may be upset by a poor outcome despite appropriate management and careful counseling at the time of treatment.
Causes
- An erection normally occurs in response to physical or psychological stimulation. This stimulation causes certain smooth muscles to relax, increasing blood flow to spongy tissues in the penis. Consequently, the blood-filled penis becomes erect. After stimulation ends, the blood flows out and the penis returns to its nonrigid (flaccid) state.Priapism occurs when some part of this syst…
Diagnosis
- Your doctor will ask about your medical history, and use of medications, drugs and alcohol. He or she will examine you, and will order blood tests. Additional tests may include: 1. An ultrasound or angiogram (X-ray using dye injected into blood vessels) of the penis 2. A blood sample from the penis...
Prognosis
- If priapism is treated early, the outcome is usually excellent. However, if medical attention is delayed, the problem can lead to permanent impotence.
- Prompt treatment and referral to a urologist is strongly encouraged. At least 50% of patients with priapism have persistent impotence, either because of the priapism event or its treatment, and legal liability exposure is higher than that seen in many other urologic diseases.
When To Call A Professional
- You should call a physician if you develop an erection that lasts longer than four to six hours, particularly if this erection is painful and is not caused by sexual stimulation.
Further Information
- Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.Medical Disclaimer...