In this article, we will discuss priapism, Priapism causes and treatment, and its various symptoms.
If one is looking for a detailed report on priapism, this article is worth the read.
From its definition to the treatments, we have covered all the aspects of priapism in this article.
Firstly we will discuss what priapism really is and how it affects people.
Priapism (Painful Erections) Definition
This section of the article answers the “What is priapism?” question.
Priapism is a condition where blood in the penis gets trapped and is incapable of draining.
On the off chance that the condition is not dealt with promptly, it can result in scarring and lasting erectile dysfunction.
Although priapism is an unprecedented condition, by and large, it happens normally in specific groups of people, for example, individuals who have sickle cell conditions. Priapism most normally affects men when they are 30 years or older.
Now we will move on to the various symptoms of Priapism (Painful Erections).
These symptoms may help you identify the problem and is crucial for its diagnosis.
Priapism Symptoms
The symptoms of Priapism are dependent on the type of Priapism one is suffering from.
There are two main types of priapism in the medical sense:
- Ischemic Priapism or Low-Flow Priapism – Ischemic or Low-Flow priapism is when the blood in the penis is unable to drain. It is reportedly the most common type of priapism. Some of its symptoms are as follows:
- Prolonged erection for 4 hours or more without any sexual stimulation or sexual arousal.
- The penis becomes rigid and firm.
- Recurrent pain in the penis.
There is another subsidiary of Ischemic Priapism. You can also call it Recurrent Priapism.
It is generally noticed in men who have an inherited disorder that is characterized by strangely shaped red blood cells, also called sickle cell anemia.
Sickle cells can hinder the veins in the penis. Recurrent priapism causes redundant instances of delayed erections and scenes of ischemic priapism.
At times, the condition gets going with undesirable and difficult erections of a brief time period and might advance over the long haul to more successive and more delayed erections.
- Nonischemic Priapism or High-Flow Priapism – Nonischemic priapism, otherwise called high-flow priapism. It basically happens when the bloodstream to the penis is not directed in a regulated manner. Nonischemic priapism is generally less agonizing than ischemic priapism. Symptoms of nonischemic priapism include:
- Erection prolonging over four hours, inconsequential to sexual interest or incitement.
- Erect yet not the completely rigid penile shaft.
Thus, these were some of the symptoms of priapism classified according to the type of priapism.
Common symptoms include rigidity of the penis and unregulated blood flow to the penis.
If one is not sure of the symptoms and needs a visual representation of priapism, here are some of the priapism pictures.
Now we will move on to some of the causes of priapism. These causes may include various disorders, medications, or injuries.
Priapism Causes
Now one may ask “What causes priapism?”
Priapism occurs when the system of blood circulation to and from the penis is hindered, which results in a prolonged erection.
The actual cause of such a condition is not definite but several factors may come into play to cause priapism.
Some of it is as follows:
Inherited disorders
Blood-related illnesses may add to priapism – generally ischemic priapism when blood is unable to stream out of the penis.
These are some of the disorders that may cause priapism.
Sickle cell anemia
It is an inherited blood disorder, in which there is a shortage of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body.
In this condition, the cells are deformed which makes it difficult for them to travel throughout the body.
This causes unregulated blood circulation in the body thereby causing priapism.
Thalassemia
It is a condition where the body has less hemoglobin than required for the proper functioning of the body.
Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body.
A shortage of hemoglobin will deplete the oxygen carried by the red blood cells thereby causing priapism.
Myeloma
It is a form of cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell.
In this condition, the cancerous plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow and crowd out healthy blood cells. This may cause priapism.
Leukemia
It is a form of cancer that affects the blood-forming tissues of the body including the bone marrow.
This causes deregulation in blood flow throughout the body, thereby leading to priapism.
Hematologic dyscrasias
This refers to other blood disorders such as anemia, hemophilia, and lymphoma that may cause priapism.
Priapism in children is mainly because of sickle cell anemia.
Thus, the above-mentioned inherited disorders may be the cause for priapism in the body.
- Medications – Certain medications may also lead to ischemic priapism. Some of the medications which may cause priapism are:
- alprostadil
- papaverine
- phentolamine
- fluoxetine
- bupropion
- sertraline
- prazosin
- terazosin
- doxazosin
- tamsulosin
- hydroxyzine
- risperidone
- olanzapine
- lithium
- clozapine
- chlorpromazine
- thioridazine
- warfarin
- heparin
- atomoxetine
The above medications include antidepressants, alpha-blockers, anxiety medications, blood thinners, and penile medications.
These are the drugs that cause priapism.
Lifestyle
Some lifestyle aspects like alcohol or drug use are also the main reason behind Priapism.
Alcohol and drug use can promote priapism and hamper blood circulation through the penis.
Drugs like marijuana, cocaine, crack, and alcohol consumption may lead to ischemic priapism.
Injury and other factors
Nonischemic priapism — a recurrent erection brought about by increased blood circulation into the penis — may be caused due to an injury to the penis, pelvis, perineum, or any penile region.
Other factors may include toxic infections, amyloidosis, syphilis, spinal cord injury, and prostate cancer. These factors may cause priapism.
Though the definite cause of priapism is not known or cannot be inferred, the above factors may contribute to it.
Thus, one should look out for the above causes and try to avoid them, if they are not inherited.
Now we will move on to the various treatments of priapism. These treatments range from lifestyle changes to medications.
Like the causes, the treatments for priapism are also not definite.
There is no particular cure for it but one may find treatments to curb some of its symptoms.
Priapism Treatment
This section of the article answers the question “How to treat priapism?”
The objective of the treatment is to make the erection disappear temporarily and not hindering the capacity to have erections later on.
In the event that an individual gets treatment within four to six hours, the erection can quite often be decreased with medicine.
On the off chance that the erection has persisted for about four hours, decongestant prescriptions, which may diminish blood circulation to the penis, might be exceptionally useful.
Other treatment alternatives include:
Ice packs
Ice applied to the penis and perineum may prevent prolonged and inconsequential erections.
Surgery
Generally used when a penile artery has been affected and ruptured.
In this surgery, the surgeon or the doctor will ligate or tie off the artery that is causing the priapism all together which will thereby reestablish normal blood circulation to and from the penis.
Intracavernous infusion
This treatment is utilized for low-flow priapism or ischemic priapism.
Medications like the kind of alpha-agonists are infused into the penis.
They cause the blood course to limit, diminishing blood circulation to the penis and thereby preventing prolonged erections without any sexual arousal.
Shunt
Generally utilized for low-flow priapism, a shunt is a path that is precisely inserted into the penis to redirect the blood circulation and regulate blood flow to the penis to prevent inconsequential and prolonged erections.
Aspiration
After desensitizing or numbing the penis, doctors will embed a needle and channel out blood from the penis to decrease pressure and rigidity, thereby preventing priapism or increased erections.
For high-flow priapism or non-ischemic priapism, the patient is generally put under observation and the condition resolves itself after some time.
If it fails to do so, the above treatment alternatives you can use to treat it.
The next section of the article is the faqs on priapism by the public.
We have tried to answer all of the questions according to our best knowledge and research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | Priapism (Painful Erections)
How common is priapism?
Although priapism is an unprecedented or uncommon condition, by and large, it happens normally in specific groups of people, for example, individuals who have sickle cell conditions.
Priapism most normally affects men when they are 30 years or older.
How do you treat priapism at home?
There are several treatments for Priapism (Painful Erections) including some home remedies and surgical processes.
Some of the treatments which can be undertaken at home are as follows:
- Ice packs – Ice applied to the penis and perineum may prevent prolonged and inconsequential erections.
- Lifestyle changes – Avoiding consumption of alcohol and avoiding usages of drugs like cocaine, marijuana, and crack may also help in treating priapism.
There is nothing much an individual can do at home to treat priapism.
In the majority of the cases, the surgical process is usually the only option that is effective.
Can you recover from Priapism (Painful Erections)?
Priapism brought about by high blood circulation; also called Nonischemic Priapism does not cause much discomfort as compared to the other type, ischemic priapism.
This type of priapism frequently settles over the course of one to three days.
Even though it usually resolves on its own, one should always consult a medical professional, who may put you under observation.
It may so happen that the condition does not resolve on its own; in such cases, medical procedures are the only viable option.
Can you get priapism in your sleep?
In the case of recurring priapism, the recurring erections normally last somewhere in the range of 2 and 3 hours prior to getting back to a limp or non-rigid state.
In the event that you have this kind of priapism, it might happen during sleep or after sexual incitement.
Over the long run, the scenes of priapism may turn out to be more regular and last more.
What happens if you are erect for too long?
When one is suffering from priapism, the blood caught in the penis is denied oxygen.
At that point when an erection goes on for a really long time, this oxygen-depleted blood can start to harm or damage the tissues in the penis.
This in turn may cause erectile dysfunction. Thus, untreated priapism can cause erectile dysfunction and other complications.
Conclusion | Priapism (Painful Erections)
Priapism can be a delicate subject, yet it is one to view seriously. On the off chance that an individual at any point experiences priapism, it is absolutely critical to have it seen by a clinical expert.
Trusting it will simply disappear can prove to be really harmful which may cause irreversible ailments and lasting erectile dysfunction.
No matter how small or how severe the symptoms are, if one is experiencing any of them, he should see a medical expert as these symptoms may be warning signs for something serious.
Thus, if one is thinking about whether or not priapism is an emergency or not, the answer is yes. Priapism in the long haul can harm the penile tissues and lead to permanent damage to one’s sexual health.
If one is looking for recovery options, there are various surgical procedures that the doctors can perform to prevent priapism.
In the event that one experiencing an erection that exceeds its time limit over the usual period, he should go to the closest clinic center and get the condition properly diagnosed.
After it has been diagnosed, listen carefully to the treatment options and undertake them to curb the symptoms of priapism.
