The Physiology of an Erection: How it Works and How to Keep Em Coming

Boners…how exactly do they happen? What does what to call the soldier to order? Let’s look at how a thought turns into a woody and all the ways to bring him down and keep him healthy.

The Physiology of an Erection: An Anatomy Lesson

Let’s start at the very beginning. To understand the physiology of an erection, it’s important to know the body parts that make the magic happen. The brain will actually be the impetus of the process. The penis has two chambers inside of it called the corpora cavernosa. They run the span of the organ and encompass a labyrinth of blood vessels shaped like cavernous spaces, or for those who like a simpler picture, like sponges. Then there is the tunica albuginea which is the membrane surrounding the corpora cavernosa. (the membrane surrounding the corpora cavernosa), helps to trap the blood in the corpora cavernosa, sustaining the erection. Erection is reversed when muscles in the penis contract, stopping the inflow of blood and opening outflow channels.

The Physiology of an Erection: How it Begins

Okay, so those are the parts. Here are how they all work together:

1) A man sees something or someone he finds arousing, thinking about something arousing, or a stiff wind blows by and he’s aroused. Basically, something has made him think, “Hmmm. I’d like an erection right now.”

2) The brain sends nerve messages that begin to stimulate the penis.

3) The impulses from the brain and the local nerves cause the muscles of the corpora cavernosa to relax.

4) Blood flows in and fills all the open spaces.

5) This creates pressure in the corpora cavernosa, so the penis expands and presto! An erection!

6) The tunica albuginea then traps the blood in to maintain the erection.

The Physiology of an Erection: Cumming to the Conclusion of an

Erection

So, the erection is had. Now there are two possible outcomes: ejaculation or letting the erection subside unused. Leaving it unused means it the brain stops sending the sexy signals to the area and nerves, and the eggplant wilts on the vine; back to whatever he was doing before. Now if ejaculation occurs, that’s something different.

Ejaculation is a reflex action coordinated by the central nervous system. It happens when the sexual act (with partner or solo) hits that critical point of no return and it happens in two phases. First, the vas deferens (which are the tubes that house and transport the sperm from the testes) starts contracting, squeezing the sperm to the base of the penis and prostate. This releases the secretions which are needed to make semen. This is the exact moment wherein ejaculation is truly unstoppable. In the second phase, the muscles residing at the base of the penis contract every 0.8 seconds (yes, scientists timed it) to project the semen forth in up to five bursts.

Penile Health: The Key to Strong Erections

Want strong erections in the snap of a finger? Of course! That’s why it’s important to make penis health a priority. Be sure to get at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise for ample heart health, eat a healthy diet, engage in some form of stress management, avoid smoking, get good, quality sleep and stay current on annual checkups.

Also, be sure keep the penis clean and strong. Bacteria and infection are more likely to infiltrate a warm, moist please, so it’s important to safeguard health by cleansing the penis every day and sometimes more, with warm water and a mild cleanser free of additives and harsh chemicals. Rinse well and pat dry with a soft towel or air dry. To finish off, moisturize the member with a specially formulated penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which has been clinically proven safe and mild for skin). Select a cream with vitamins like A, B, C, and D to promote health and a natural moisturizer that will soften the penis and keep it ready for handling.

Penis Pain from Nocturnal Erections

Aside from people with fetishes in this area, no one really enjoys feelings of pain, and men especially tend to avoid anything that causes penis pain. Fortunately, careful attention to good penis health often reduces the chances of unwanted penis pain, but there are always exceptions. Certainly, accidents involving the penis and a zipper can happen, for example. But some men experience a different kind of penis pain, one which is related to the erections they experience over the course of the night.

SRPEs

In recent years, scientists and researchers have identified a condition known as sleep related painful erections, or SRPEs for short. Doctors at a clinic in the Netherlands conducted a retrospective study that looked at men who visited the clinic between the years 1996 and 2015 and were diagnosed as having SRPEs. They excluded men who presented with evidence of other conditions which might account for their painful erections. For example, men who were diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease, which is often marked by penis pain during erections, and some intact men whose penis pain was related to a swollen glans and/or too-tight foreskin were not counted.

So what are the characteristics of SRPEs? Basically, a man who was considered to have SRPE if he experienced erections while he slept that were so painful that they woke him from his sleep. (Most of the time, such erections occur during the rapid eye movement, or REM, portion of sleep.) But the erect penis pain should be limited to sleeping hours; if a man has pain-free erections during the day, he generally is excluded from classification of having SRPE.

The study

The study looked at 24 men who fit the criteria. The average time between the onset of the problem and the time they sought help at the clinic was 2 ½ years, indicating that there is some squeamishness about admitting to having this problem. This is not necessarily unusual when it comes to penis health issues, unfortunately.

The number of painful erections experienced in the course of a night ranged from 1 to 10, with the median number being 3. In 45% of the men, the erection lasted less than 15 minutes; only in 18% did it last for an hour. Testosterone levels did not appear to be higher than normal.

In addition to penis pain, the men tended to report fatigue due to poor sleep.

Treatments

Much is still being learned about SRPE, and doctors are still determining what might be the best treatment method. Many men with SRPE find that urinating or walking around after waking up will cause the erection to fade.

In terms of preventive treatment, the study found that a particular muscle relaxer seemed to offer significant help, decreasing or eliminating SRPEs in a significant number of the men. However, it does appear that this treatment is effective only while being taken; after discontinuing treatment, SRPEs often return. And there are side effects to the medication which may discourage some men from using it on a continuing basis.

Other medications were used on some patients, with varying results. A larger prospective study is needed to better examine the treatment options and learn more about the pros and cons of each one.

Penis pain comes from many sources other than nocturnal erections, of course. Often, daily application of a first rate penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) can help alleviate some of that pain. Find a crème that includes both a high-end emollient (like Shea butter) and a natural hydrator (such as vitamin E), as keeping penis skin moisturized can often help soothe soreness. The chosen crème should also include pantothenic acid (aka vitamin B5), a vital nutrient required for cell metabolism and maintenance of healthy tissue.

What a Man Might Not Know About Erections

It’s safe to say a man knows his penis very well. He’s been living with it for his entire life, after all, and it probably seems to hold no more surprises. Men who are very careful to perform excellent penis care should know their manhood and erections even better than other men might, as they are continuously applying a good penis health crème, paying attention to little changes, and otherwise ensuring their penis looks healthy and strong.

But even those who think they know everything there is to know about their penis might be surprised by these little tidbits.

1) Better sleep means better erections. Actually, this might not be such a surprise. Anyone who has gone through a few days of sleep deprivation knows how difficult it can be to drag themselves to the gym, do a good job at work or even think straight. So it makes sense that a man’s sleep-deprived body produces a much softer or smaller erection. (Assuming he gets it up at all, of course.)

2) Oral sex makes him bigger. No, that’s not something cooked up by male scientists in an attempt to get more oral attention. Studies really have shown that men who received oral sex before measuring their member had a longer erection than those who simply fantasized or used their hand.

3) Lay off the masturbation to impress a partner. Those who masturbate on a regular basis might want to slow things down a bit in the days before getting it on with a partner. Allowing a few days between the last masturbation session can mean more blood rushing to the penis during intimate play, which can actually make a man slightly bigger - at least temporarily.

4) There’s more than one type of erection. That’s right: Men can experience three different types of erections. The nocturnal erection is well known. The reflexogenic erection comes from contact with a partner or from self-stimulation. But there is a third type of erection, known as the psychogenic erection, which is triggered by audiovisual stimulation or fantasizing. This erection can be embarrassing, as it often happens at inopportune times.

5) Men need privacy to get it up. Unless a man is a serious exhibitionist, he needs some privacy in order to achieve peak levels of arousal. This means that living with roommates or being in an otherwise busy household might lead to less powerful erections. There’s a reason many men say the best sex of their lives happens in hotels rooms - with the do-not-disturb sign on the door, of course.

6) Condom aversion really is a thing. The savvy man knows that in order to stay safe with a new partner, he absolutely must wrap it up. Many men who complain about condoms simply don’t like the feel of them, but there are some who truly have a physical problem with wearing one. These men might find that their erection dies the moment a rubber comes into the picture, no matter what they do. The only good answer for this one is lots of extra stimulation to keep things going.

7) Lots of men want to stay up longer. Three in ten men complain that their sex isn’t nearly as satisfying as it should be, simply because they can’t control their penis. They are unhappy with the way their erections ebb and flow, sometimes making it tough to stay hard throughout a sex session. It’s important to remember that a man can’t stay hard for hours on end - that’s actually dangerous. So some waxing and waning is normal, especially during a lengthy encounter.

Staying ready for the main event
 
Men who want to improve or maintain a good erection should do everything they can to ensure proper penis health. A great way to do this is through the use of a specially formulated penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Look for a crème that offers numerous vitamins and nutrients, such as L arginine for increased blood flow and vitamin C for its effect on collagen, which in turn has an effect on erections. Look for that bevy of vitamins in a high-end emollient, such as Shea butter or vitamin E, to provide the powerful moisturizers necessary to keep penis skin supple and healthy.