Priapism Priapism is an unwanted, persistent prolonged erection of the penis caused isn’t caused by any response to physical or psychological excitement. This erectile dysfunction is usually uncommon and painful, it needs immediate medical attention. Priapism erection lasts for more than four hours. It may start as a regular erection when you’re sexually aroused or it can pop up without any stimulation. There are two kinds of priapism which are low- flow or ischemic priapism high-flow or non-ischemic priapism. Low-flow (ischemic) priapism is when blood becomes trapped inside the penis and can’t flow back out. This can be very painful, and is consider a medical emergency. It often occurs without a known cause, but it is known to affect men …show more content…
The goal of all priapism treatment is to make the erection go away and preserve future erectile function. In the early stages of ischemic priapism, a cold shower or ice pack may relieve symptoms. Exercise in the form of climbing stairs also may help. Medications, such as analgesics and opiates to control pain, can be used. Other treatments for this form of priapism can include injecting drugs known as alpha-agonists, such as diluted neosynephrine, into the penis, which causes the veins to open. (Lehne, 2013) As a result, the blood circulation to the penis is re-established. Another is a surgical shunt where new route for the trapped blood to return to the body. Non-ischemic priapism often goes away with no treatment, it may resolve itself spontaneously after days or months, at which point erectile capacity returns to normal. Since there may not be any risk of damage to the penis, the doctor may suggest a watch-and-wait approach. This is where you put ice and pressure on the perineum (the area between the penis and anus) for a certain period of time and wait to see if this help put an end to the erection. If you continue to experience priapism, surgery may become an option. During the procedure, the doctor will insert material that temporarily blocks blood flow into the penis or will fix damaged blood vessels. As long as treatment begins early, the outlook for most cases of priapism is very good. However, the longer medical attention is delayed, the greater the risk of permanent erectile dysfunction. (Bergman, MD,