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Do men feel pain when erecting?

Painful erections, or priapism, are never normal. Different conditions can trigger painful erections, often related to how blood flows to and from the penis, including: Blood disorders. Prescription and nonprescription medications (e.g., blood pressure medications or recreational drugs)

urologymedicalgroup.com - Painful Erections: What You Need to Know

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Painful Erections: What You Need to Know

Several different conditions can cause painful erections, such as certain medicines, trauma, infection, or hormone deficiencies. But if you’re suffering from painful erections, the most common cause is a condition called Peyronie’s disease. Experiencing pain during an erection is never normal and you should always follow up with a medical evaluation. At Urology Associates Medical Group in Burbank, California, board-certified urologist Philip Weintraub, MD, and our care team are here to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of your painful erections. To help you better understand the importance of seeking medical help, we put together this informative guide outlining what you need to know about painful erections.

Painful erections: The basics

Men get erections when an increase of blood flow causes stiffening and enlarging of the penile tissues, usually related to sexual arousal, although other processes can cause erections as well. Painful erections, or priapism, are never normal. Different conditions can trigger painful erections, often related to how blood flows to and from the penis, including:

Blood disorders

Prescription and nonprescription medications (e.g., blood pressure medications or recreational drugs)

Trauma to the penis

Infection or inflammation in the urethra or urinary tract

Hormonal imbalances

Most of the time when men experience chronic pain erections, the cause is a condition called Peyronie’s disease, which is an abnormal curvature in the penis caused by the development of scar tissue.

Peyronie’s disease: The most common cause of painful erections

Peyronie’s disease affects up to 10% of men 40 or older. The condition creates inflammation in the penis, which over time turns into hardened scar tissue or plaque. You can feel the scar tissue through the skin, most commonly on the top side but sometimes wrapping around the penis. Because the scar tissue is hard, the penile tissue can’t expand normally during an erection, leading to the following symptoms:

Painful erections

New curves or bends in the penis

Soft erections or difficulty getting a full erection

Shortening of the penis

Lumps or areas of hard tissue in the penis

Deformities or indentations of the penis during an erection

Changes in the penile angle that makes penetration during sex difficult

Researchers are still working to understand why some men develop Peyronie’s disease. The exact cause remains unknown, but studies have found a link between different factors and the disease, including:

Injury to the penis with internal bleeding

Genetics/family history

Environmental factors

Personal history of connective tissue disorders, prostate cancer, or an autoimmune disorder

If you’re experiencing painful erections, schedule an exam with a urologist. With Peyronie’s disease, early intervention can prevent complications from developing, so if you notice any of the signs, see Dr. Weintraub as soon as possible.

Help for painful erections

There’s no cure for Peyronie’s disease, but the good news is that the pain from Peyronie's disease will resolve on its own over time. That being said, early intervention can prevent additional scar tissue from forming and reduce your pain. Treatment may include pain medications, medications to reduce or prevent plaque formation, supplements, and/or stretching exercises. For longer-term or severe Peyronie’s disease, we may discuss different surgical options to address uneven penis length. If your painful erections have another cause, we work to diagnose the underlying reason and create a customized treatment plan. Don’t wait to seek help if you’re experiencing painful erections. Contact our Burbank, California, office today.

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Can prostatitis self resolve?

Acute prostatitis should go away with medicine and minor changes to your diet and behavior. It may come back or turn into chronic prostatitis.

mountsinai.org - Prostatitis - bacterial Information | Mount Sinai - New York

Any bacteria that can cause a urinary tract infection can cause acute bacterial prostatitis. Infections spread through sexual contact can cause prostatitis. These include chlamydia and gonorrhea. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more likely to occur from:

Certain sexual practices, such as having anal sex without wearing a condom

Having many sexual partners

In men over age 35 years, E coli and other common bacteria most often cause prostatitis. This type of prostatitis may begin in the:

Epididymis, a small tube that sits on top of the testes.

Urethra, the tube that carries urine from your bladder and out through the penis. Acute prostatitis may also be caused by problems with the urethra or prostate, such as: Blockage that reduces or prevents the flow of urine out of the bladder

Foreskin of the penis that cannot be pulled back (phimosis)

Injury to the area between the scrotum and anus (perineum)

Urinary catheter, cystoscopy, or prostate biopsy (removing a piece of tissue to look for cancer) Men age 50 years or older who have an enlarged prostate have a higher risk for prostatitis. The prostate gland may become blocked. This makes it easier for bacteria to grow. Symptoms of chronic prostatitis can be similar to symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland.

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