Erection problems are most often associated with difficulties in achieving and maintaining an erection, or with premature ejaculation. One of the lesser-known, but relatively common ailments is priapism, otherwise known as cravings, i.e. pain during an erection. Statistically, this problem affects 2 out of 100 men, and if left untreated, it can cause various complications.
Here, a painful erection consists in maintaining an erection for 4 to 6 hours, and sometimes even several days. It is not dependent on sexual activity or arousal. It occurs spontaneously. Priapism requires a visit to a urologist, because if left untreated, it can cause impotence or, in the worst case, amputation of the penis.
In medicine, there are two types of long-term erection:
- Low blood flow priapism (low-flow priapism) – ischemic type, which is noted much more often than the second type. Urological assistance is needed. The cause of this type of priapism is a decrease in the outflow of venous blood from the penis. As a result of tissue ischemia, penile pain occurs.
- High blood flow priapism (high-flow priapism) – this type sometimes coexists with sickle cell anemia, although it most often arises as a result of an injury to the penis. In this case, blood flows to the penis in larger quantities. Although this does not cause pain and does not carry the risk of ischaemia, the patient still requires the help of a specialist.
Diagnosis and treatment of priapism
Diagnosis is of great importance in the case of this condition, because in each of the cases (high-flow and low-flow) treatment should be carried out in a different way. Most often, it is impossible to determine the cause of this disease, but other medically noted reasons for the occurrence of a long-term erection include:
- alcohol abuse,
- Taking stronger drugs, e.g. psychotropic drugs,
- Anemia sierpowata,
- Perineal injury.
Treatment for erectile dysfunction with high blood flow, which is most often the result of trauma and fistula formation, usually involves surgery to close the damaged artery. Priapism with low blood flow requires treatment of ischemia of the cavernous bodies of the penis to prevent tissue necrosis. Then, hospital treatment is most often recommended, in which the patient is given antispasmodics, or saline is introduced into the cavernous bodies to rinse them. Surgical procedures are necessary when none of the above solutions bring the desired results.