Penis Conditions and Disorders

• The majority of women don’t care about penis size, as pretty much all sizes are capable of bringing a woman to orgasm.
• An erect penis may bend upwards, downwards, to the left or to the right at a variety of different angles. This is not unusual or concerning, so long as the man is able to maintain a good erection and can have sexual intercourse normally.
• Erectile dysfunction can be caused by emotional and physical conditions. Common physical causes include diabetes, kidney disease, alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and neurological disorders.

The “genitalia” were gifted to us by nature in order to carry out sexual activities. The male penis evolved so as to extend from the body and, about 700,000 years ago, it is understood that there may also have been a penile bone present in the center of the penis. Scientists are uncertain as to what the function of a penile bone would have been, though it may have allowed for faster sexual activity without the need to wait for an erection. With evolutionary changes, the penile bone disappeared and, today, if the body is unhealthy or there is abnormal blood flow, this can result in an inability to have an erection or to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, nature has designed the scrotum, responsible for the protection of the testes where sperm is formed, as part of the external male genitalia. This is necessary because the temperature inside the body may be inappropriate or too hot for sperm production and thus can cause a decrease in sperm count.

In the fetus, the external genitalia of both males and females have similar origins—most of the penis is developed from the same embryonic tissue as the female clitoris, and the skin around the penis and urethra comes from the same embryonic tissue that develops into the female labia minora. An erection is the stiffening and rising of the penis that occurs as the result of sexual arousal, although it can also happen in non-sexual situations.

Small or Short Penis Syndrome

• Researchers at The British Journal of Urology carried out a study of penis size, whereby they randomly surveyed at least 50 men per country aged 17 and older. It was found that the average penis length measured at 5.16 inches (13.12 cm) and the average penis circumference was 4.59 inches (11.66 cm). The nation with the largest penises was Congo, measuring at 7.1 inches in length. The report found that Thai men have an average penis length of about 4 inches. In general, penis size varies greatly and the penis can be larger or smaller depending on genetics and on the mother’s level of exposure to chemicals or pollutants during pregnancy.
• A number of surveys have been carried out showing that the majority of women don’t care that much about penis size, as pretty much all sizes are capable of bringing a woman to orgasm unless the penis is so small that it cannot be properly inserted into the vagina. Overall, however, style and foreplay are far more important in exciting and putting a woman “in the mood” for sexual activity.
• Research from The British Journal of Urology also showed that regardless of a shorter penis length, if the circumference or girth is wide enough (an average of 4.59 inches, or 11.66 cm), it can stimulate the sensitive areas in the vaginal opening and the erectile tissue in the vaginal wall. As a result, more than 90% of women surveyed preferred a penis with wider girth, as it is more capable of providing sexual satisfaction than those with a greater length. In other words, a shorter penis is okay, as long as it is wide enough.
• If your penis is fairly small, but still large enough for you to have sex, a focus on grooming, cleanliness, and appearance is far more important. If you take good care of your penis, the majority of women will likely not care about the size at all.

• The erection of the penis facilitates sexual intercourse and thus a normal erection will point nearly vertically upwards, nearly vertically downwards, or even horizontally straight forward, depending on the tension of the suspensory ligament that holds it in its natural position.
• An erect penis may bend upwards, downwards, to the left or to the right at a variety of different angles. This is not unusual or anything to be concerned about, so long as the man is able to maintain a good erection and can have normal sexual intercourse.
• If, however, the penis is severely bent (known as Peyronie's disease) there will be a formation of flat scar tissue called plaque under the skin of the penis. This plaque can cause the penis to lose elasticity and thus to bend or become indented during erections. In the case of larger plaques, this can result in an inability to have sexual intercourse. In severe cases like these, surgery or injections directly into the scar tissue of the penis can help to correct the condition.

• An erection is the engorgement and enlargement of the penis until the foreskin slowly retracts to reveal the glans penis. This occurs during sexual arousal, although it can happen in non-sexual situations where there is no sexual arousal as well. Spontaneous erections frequently occur during adolescence due to friction with clothing, a full bladder or large intestine, hormone fluctuations, nervousness, etc. It is also normal for erections to occur during sleep and upon waking.
• The main physiological mechanism involved in an erection is the autonomic dilation of the arteries that supply blood to the penis, allowing more blood to flow and to fill the spongy erectile tissue in the penis. This causes it to lengthen and stiffen, so that the engorged erectile tissue presses against and constricts the veins that carry blood away from the penis. As a result, more blood flows into the penis than flows out of it, thus causing an increased erectile size.
• Erectile dysfunction can be caused by emotional and physical conditions and is usually treatable. Common physical causes include diabetes, kidney disease, alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and neurological disorders. Also, certain medications used to treat other conditions, such as lithium (used to treat bipolar disorder) and paroxetine (an antidepressant medication), may cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect. There are several methods of therapy and treatment, including PDE5 inhibitors, which help the penile arteries to widen and thus increase blood flow, and shockwave therapy.

Priapism is a prolonged erection of the penis and is a very painful and potentially dangerous medical condition. A prolonged erection that lasts for more than four hours is considered a medical emergency. The underlying causes and mechanism that cause priapism often cannot be determined, although a variety of complex neurological and vascular factors may play a role. Complications that may arise include local ischemia, thrombosis, and erectile dysfunction. In very severe cases, penile gangrene can occur. Regardless, anyone experiencing priapism should see a doctor immediately.

Penile Fracture: This may be the result of an accident or from engaging in sexual intercourse, particularly in certain positions, such as when the woman is on top and the man is lying underneath her. A penile fracture can occur if an erect penis is bent suddenly or forcefully and is usually accompanied by pain and a cracking, popping, or snapping sound. If a man suspects he has a penile fracture, he must seek immediate medical attention so as to minimize any permanent or long-term damage to the penis.

Phimosis: Phimosis is the inability to pull back (retract) the foreskin over the glans penis. The exact cause of phimosis that is present at birth is not clearly understood. However, when the condition occurs during adulthood, it can be caused by an infection of the foreskin or the head of the penis (glans) or by the formation of scar tissue on the penis, causing the skin to lose its elasticity and to stiffen and making it difficult to retract the foreskin. Those with phimosis will also have other abnormal symptoms, such as difficulty urinating or pain in the genitals, and should see a doctor for an examination and to consider additional treatment as necessary. If left untreated, it can lead to chronic ulcers or sores or to necrosis and permanent loss of the penis. In addition, patients with phimosis have an increased risk of developing penile cancer.

Pearly Penile Papules: These are considered to be normal anatomical variations and may be remnants of penile spines. They are small, benign, skin-colored bumps that form around the sulca or corona at the base of the glans penis, usually in men aged 20 to 40 years. As of 1999, studies have found that this condition is found in an estimated 8 to 48 percent of all men. They may sometimes be mistaken for genital warts, but in fact they are not dangerous or infectious and do not require treatment.

Paraphimosis: This is a condition in which the retracted foreskin becomes stuck behind the corona and cannot be pulled back forward over the head of the penis. It may be caused by fluid trapped in the foreskin, sometimes following a medical procedure, or by a build-up of fluid in the foreskin caused by friction from vigorous sexual activity.

Herpes: A herpes infection can occur after sexual contact with a person infected with the virus, causing sores or blisters to form in or around the mouth or genitals.

Pudendal Neuralgia: This is a condition that causes pain in the pelvic area while sitting, loss of feeling in the penis, difficulty achieving orgasm, and sometimes total numbness in the pelvic region. The pudendal nerve can be damaged or trapped as a result of prolonged sitting on a hard bicycle seat or due to accidents and injury. It can also affect the clitoris and vagina in women.

Penile Cancer: Penile cancer or carcinoma of the penis is uncommon, reportedly diagnosed in just 1 in 100,000 men in developed countries. Some sources state that circumcision can prevent penile cancer, although this concept is still controversial in the medical community.