Doctors ultimately learn that almost everything is possible in the human body.
Patients may report erectile dysfunction as a part of low testosterone problems.
But they can also experience an excessive and uncontrollable erection.
Most men know about erection problems and fear them as a part of aging.
But what about having a constant erection that will not go down?
This problem might be expected in young men who get erection problems in the most awkward situations.
Such a problem is entirely normal during adolescence and could be accompanied by other issues, especially premature ejaculation. It is different from priapism, a very painful erection that quickly turns into an emergency.
In this article, we’re reviewing different causes of sustained erections.
We’re evaluating their causes and what to do about them.
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Why won’t my erection go down?
Having a continuous erection that won’t go down can be a very common problem during adolescence.
However, these healthy erections shouldn’t be painful, and the penis should not change its appearance.
When it does, the patient could be experiencing a medical problem called priapism.
What causes it?
If you have persistent erection problems, it might be a good idea to consider these psychological and physical causes:
Erections from sexual arousal
Sexual desire is a natural cause of continuous erections.
It is more common in young men but can happen to anyone.
The erectile function won’t always respond to a man’s will.
It can be pretty difficult to control, even if you’re not about to have sexual intercourse.
Viagra, cocaine, and other medications
Next in line, we need to ensure that no drug prescribed for sexual dysfunction is causing erection problems.
Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors may lead to continuous erections.
Even after ejaculating, the penis may not fully return to a flaccid state.
Cocaine has a similar effect on erections, as well as other erectile dysfunction medications.
Peyronie’s disease
This ailment features the formation of fibrous tissue in the penis.
It is stiffer than the surrounding tissue and may lead to curvature changes of the penis.
Peyronie disease may interfere with the blood flow or by itself cause penile stiffness.
Sickle cell anemia
This type of anemia features abnormal blood cells and sometimes causes heart disease and other physical problems.
One of the complications is the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels.
They interfere with the circulation of the penis and may lead to blood retention in the penis.
Priapism
This is a persistent and involuntary penile erection of the penis without sexual stimulation and not relieved by ejaculation.
The cause is usually a vascular disease in the corpora cavernosa.
The penis is either not allowing blood to come out (ischemic or low-flow priapism) or receiving blood flow excessively and uncontrollably (nonischemic or high-flow priapism).
Will you need treatment?
Priapism is a medical emergency.
If you have this sexual problem and do not receive prompt treatment, there will be a risk of penile necrosis.
However, as you have seen above, not all cases of continuous erections are caused by priapism.
Drug-induced erection problems go away by themselves with the effect of the drug.
Erections from sexual arousal will also go away without causing health problems.
6 ways you can stop an erection
What methods can you try to stop an erection?
Here’s a list of ideas:
1) Look for a distraction
The first recommendation is to distract yourself with different thoughts and activities.
You could try math problems or anything that challenges your cognitive abilities.
Thinking about something else may help you, but it takes some time.
In the meantime, try to forget about your erection for a while.
2) Take a cold shower
This is one of the first recommendations people will give you, and it does work.
Cold temperatures reduce the blood flow to the skin and the penis.
By doing so, it will go back to its flaccid state.
Cold water works better compared to cold room temperature, so a shower is a great option when it’s available.
3) Try meditating
Meditation and breathing distract your mind from the thoughts that caused the erection.
This method is helpful if you’re receiving a massage and do not want to trigger an uncomfortable moment.
You can focus on your breathing and how the air enters and leaves your lungs.
Another option is repeating a word, counting forward or backward, or making a complete body scan.
These techniques will make you feel relaxed, and the erection will go away after a while.
4) Engage in light exercise
Physical activity such as walking, light jogging, or doing push-ups can help you get rid of an erection.
This is because exercise redirects your blood flow to your muscles.
If you don’t have an active source of sexual arousal, the erection will start to go down.
If you decide to take a walk, you can conceal the erection by wearing a baggy waist pack or a similar piece of clothing.
Listen to music while exercising and distract yourself to speed up the effect.
5) Change your position
Sometimes, repositioning your body can be the solution.
This is particularly useful if there’s something in your clothes or around you stimulating your penis.
Spontaneous erections usually result from unnoticed stimulation by your chair or your clothes.
Another benefit of changing your position is that you will be able to hide your erection.
Concealing the erection and thinking about something else can help a lot in these awkward moments.
6) Calm down and wait
Sometimes thinking about your erection only makes it worse.
If you keep thinking about it, your thoughts will go back to the source of the erection, and it will be sustained.
Thus, if you try to calm your anxiety, nature will respond, and the erection will stop after a while.
When to see a doctor
You have different alarm signs to look for medical help.
Start by checking your penile prosthesis if you have one.
If your erection was not triggered by sexual arousal or Viagra and does not stop after ejaculation, consider these symptoms:
- An erection that lasts for 4 hours or more
- A continuous and painful erection
- Changes in color in your penis, scrotum, or the surrounding area
If you have these symptoms, look for professional help to rule out priapism as a cause.
Conclusion
Erection is a healthy sexual function, but it can also become a problem sometimes.
Most spontaneous erections are not medical emergencies, especially in young males starting their sexual activity.
They usually have psychological causes.
It may also happen if you’re receiving testosterone treatment, even without an active sex life.
Take measures such as cold showers, distracting yourself, trying meditation, and light exercise.
Look for medical help if that doesn’t work, or if you have alarming symptoms such as pain or color changes.
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