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Question: Friday evening, I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night with a painful erection (pain came from the base on the top). Throughout the night, the pain got worse and I could feel it in my perineal area from base of penis through just above my anus. I did not have intercourse that evening. I had been drinking fairly heavily without much water and do not have a spleen. During the day saturday, the pain gradually went away in my perineal area as I took anti-inflammatory and antibiotics. During the evening, however, I was still woken up multiple times by painful erections at the base. When looking at my erection, it has a very hard cord/vein at the top that is very tender and experiences significant pain when I push my penis lower. Today, when I woke, the perineal pain is significantly lower but there is still pain at the base of my penis. What could this be?
Brief Answer:
Painful erection & causes :
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX;
This type of condition is known as "PERSISTENT PRIAPISM".
The penis remains erect and is painful. Most often the erection is due to idiopathic thrombosis( due to hypercoagulase state ) occurring in the "prostatic venous plexus" ( as may be in your case as you mentioned that there is hard cord/ vein at the base of penis i.e. prostatic area ).
Less frequently it is associated with leukaemia or sickle cell anemia ( as in your case spleen was removed due to hemolytic anemia , so this may be the cause of such type of priapism).
Secondary malignant deposits in corpora cavernosa or in the pelvis , account in few cases.
Other less common reasons are spinal injury or disease .
Diagnosis can be confirmed by :A low spinal anesthetic will cause priapism of neurogenic origin to ABATE temporarily . A blood count is essential to exclude leukaemia.
Treatment :local applications are USELESS.
Anastomosis of the saphenous vein to one corpus cavernosum can be very effective if done within first 48 hours.
2nd treatment is anticoagulant therapy can be a trial for 14 days.
I mentioned in detail so that you can understand whole thing about your disease .
Antibiotics and anti inflammatory drugs provide temporary relief i.e symptomatic relief.Consult a primary care physician and after physical examination he will deal .
I have answered your question. Further any question I will reply in follow up.
Good luck.
Painful erection & causes :
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX;
This type of condition is known as "PERSISTENT PRIAPISM".
The penis remains erect and is painful. Most often the erection is due to idiopathic thrombosis( due to hypercoagulase state ) occurring in the "prostatic venous plexus" ( as may be in your case as you mentioned that there is hard cord/ vein at the base of penis i.e. prostatic area ).
Less frequently it is associated with leukaemia or sickle cell anemia ( as in your case spleen was removed due to hemolytic anemia , so this may be the cause of such type of priapism).
Secondary malignant deposits in corpora cavernosa or in the pelvis , account in few cases.
Other less common reasons are spinal injury or disease .
Diagnosis can be confirmed by :A low spinal anesthetic will cause priapism of neurogenic origin to ABATE temporarily . A blood count is essential to exclude leukaemia.
Treatment :local applications are USELESS.
Anastomosis of the saphenous vein to one corpus cavernosum can be very effective if done within first 48 hours.
2nd treatment is anticoagulant therapy can be a trial for 14 days.
I mentioned in detail so that you can understand whole thing about your disease .
Antibiotics and anti inflammatory drugs provide temporary relief i.e symptomatic relief.Consult a primary care physician and after physical examination he will deal .
I have answered your question. Further any question I will reply in follow up.
Good luck.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thanks for your response.
I want to clarify one thing about my erections during the evening that wake me up. They do not last long. I will wake up and urinate or just wait a few minutes and they subside naturally. They do not last for hours at a time. My understanding of priapism is that erections would last for a prolonged time (i.e. many hours)?
I want to clarify one thing about my erections during the evening that wake me up. They do not last long. I will wake up and urinate or just wait a few minutes and they subside naturally. They do not last for hours at a time. My understanding of priapism is that erections would last for a prolonged time (i.e. many hours)?
Brief Answer:
PRIAPISM
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX:
I mentioned persistent priapism if any thrombus impacted is complete. If it is partial
(thrombus ) PENIS may become flaccid ( that's why you get relief from erection).
You mentioned that Friday night erection was there , remained through out day ( on Saturday ) and in the evening penis become flaccid after urination ,but erection recurs with pain , the reason may be partial block or any other disease as mentioned in previous reply.Hope I clarify your query .
Good luck.
PRIAPISM
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX:
I mentioned persistent priapism if any thrombus impacted is complete. If it is partial
(thrombus ) PENIS may become flaccid ( that's why you get relief from erection).
You mentioned that Friday night erection was there , remained through out day ( on Saturday ) and in the evening penis become flaccid after urination ,but erection recurs with pain , the reason may be partial block or any other disease as mentioned in previous reply.Hope I clarify your query .
Good luck.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Yes it does. Apologies for the confusion. As a general update. Last evening I was able to sleep better. There were fewer erections that were painful or did not go down by themselves. Only one required me to get out of bed and pee. There is still soreness at the base of the penis. So, a partial block may be the reason. I will seek further medical attention. Is it possible that it is prostatitis? Is there any other advice that you have?
Brief Answer:
Priapism , prostatitis ?
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX:
Prostatitis?
In prostatitis patient feels ill, shivers, may have a rigor, has aches all over body, expecially in the back, and may easily be diagnosed as having influenza.
Urine always contains threads in first glass.
Perineal heaviness, rectal irritation & pain on defecation can occur, sitting may be uncomfortable.
Rectal examination rule out prostatitis.
In my opinion in your case PROSTATITIS in not the cause of priapism.
Still I recommend you take sulphamethizole ( for acute prostatitis ) 100 mg 4 times daily for 10 days just for precaution . But bed rest for 10-14 days , AVOIDANCE of ALCOHOL 7 INTERCOURSE for 6 weeks is essential ( if prostatitis is cause of this priapism).
Hope this will be helpful for you.
Priapism , prostatitis ?
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX:
Prostatitis?
In prostatitis patient feels ill, shivers, may have a rigor, has aches all over body, expecially in the back, and may easily be diagnosed as having influenza.
Urine always contains threads in first glass.
Perineal heaviness, rectal irritation & pain on defecation can occur, sitting may be uncomfortable.
Rectal examination rule out prostatitis.
In my opinion in your case PROSTATITIS in not the cause of priapism.
Still I recommend you take sulphamethizole ( for acute prostatitis ) 100 mg 4 times daily for 10 days just for precaution . But bed rest for 10-14 days , AVOIDANCE of ALCOHOL 7 INTERCOURSE for 6 weeks is essential ( if prostatitis is cause of this priapism).
Hope this will be helpful for you.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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