It’s 3 AM in the morning, fresh from a romp with your partner last night – but as you roll over to your side, you notice something amiss in your nether regions. It’s not morning wood, but it’s wood nonetheless, and it’s painful. Not good.
Was it the sildenafil you popped last night? Perhaps some mystery gas station penis pills? Whatever is causing your painful erection, it needs to be addressed – and fast.
What causes painful erections?
Painful erections aren’t caused by having copious amounts of vigorous, passionate sex. Yes, we get it – you can feel a little wrung out and sore the night after a night of hot sex…but that’s not what people talk about when they talk about painful erections.
A painful erection isn’t the whole equation. Medically speaking, painful erections are erections that were – and still are – painful because they haven’t subsided yet.
Painful erections are another way to refer to a condition known as priapism, which refers to an erection that lasts longer than normal – that can really be painful.
Usually, priapism is diagnosed when a painful erection lasts longer than four hours (requiring immediate medical attention), but other forms of painful erections lead to entirely different medical problems thereafter.
For example, painful erections often result from erectile dysfunction medicine abuse. But priapism can also occur due to trauma in the genital region or its supporting areas, apart from injuries resulting in hindered blood circulation within the penile region.
Getting ED medication has never been easier
Connect with a US-licensed healthcare provider for a FREE evaluation!
Free Express
Shipping
Discreet
Shipping
No Waiting
Rooms
What causes painful erections?
Besides priapism, other potential causes that could give rise to a painful erection include penile fractures, urethral injuries, complications arising from penile implants, inserting foreign objects in the urethra, side effects of particular drugs, paraphimosis, and/or any other cause of trauma or injury to your genitals.
Two main causes account for more than 50% of priapism cases.
One is that you might have an underlying blood disease such as sickle-cell anemia. This condition, which tends to affect African-American men across all age demographics, can interfere with blood circulation. Individuals with sickle cell disease are exposed to a more substantial risk of developing priapism.
The other is complications from taking erectile dysfunction drugs designed to treat its symptoms – mainly, the complications that lead to blood circulation issues induced by medical ED treatment.
We know that ED drugs are great at getting your erection back to all-time highs, but in some cases, reining it in can be a whole different bag of beans.
Both factors can lead to penile injuries and, in particular cases, permanent and irreversible damage to the penile tissue.
Do all painful erections need immediate medical attention?
It all depends on what kind of painful erection you are experiencing. Some cases might be benign, but in most cases, it’s something that does need medical attention.
If your painful erections are caused by priapism, then yes, you DO need immediate medical attention due to its potential for causing irreversible damage. Call an Uber and go directly to the hospital if this is the case.
If your erections are painful for other reasons yet unknown to you, see a licensed healthcare provider as soon as you can.
Injuries to your penis can cause far-ranging issues down the road that might lead to a significant or complete and total loss of penile function or cause degraded performance due to scarring.
How do I treat erection pain?
Painful erections that last for four hours or more are going to be treated as an emergency medical situation because the longer you leave it late, the more the risks of developing permanent erectile tissue damage. The same is true for the severity of the damage and the resulting treatment.
Priapism is first treated with drugs – however, it may very well switch to emergency surgical intervention that can be extremely distressing and uncomfortable. Something along the lines of sharp objects being inserted where you wouldn’t want them to be inserted.
The best approach to dealing with priapism or any other cause of erection pain is to be vigilant about your health, with regular checkups and consultations with a healthcare provider about ED and other sexual health issues you might be running into the bedroom. Leave the speculation and the treatment to the pros.
Getting ED medication has never been easier
Connect with a US-licensed healthcare provider for a FREE evaluation!
Free Express
Shipping
Discreet
Shipping
No Waiting
Rooms
What can I do about painful erections right now?
It’s cards-on-the-table time: you’re likely reading this because you either:
- Are experiencing painful erections at this very moment and want to get to the bottom of it; or
- Are preoccupied with the worst-case scenarios associated with ED drug use.
If you fall in the first category, just bite the bullet and talk to a healthcare professional. There’s no use speculating or trying to diagnose your erection problems with Dr. Google; chances are you’ll just end up with more anxiety, worry, and fear.
If your penis has had some recent painful erections, consult a doctor or specialist. If it’s erect and hurting RIGHT NOW, head straight to the emergency room – that’s an order.
Meanwhile, if you fall into the latter category, consult a licensed medical professional.
ED affects as many as 50 million men in the United States alone, and it doesn’t pick any specific age, even if men between the ages of 40 and 70 comprise the majority of ED cases. There’s no shame about seeking treatment or admitting that you have a problem since erectile dysfunction is that common.
Ultimately, talking to a healthcare provider about your erection problems and your medical history is the best approach to find a suitable treatment option that will get your penile health back in order post-haste.
