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What Causes Shrinkage In Penis During Panic Attack?
Question: I am a 32 year old male. To athletic but physically active. I apparently had a panic attack today, according to the ER doctor. I had one monday, and again today but worse. I thought in was having a heart attack. First symptoms were dizziness and feeling like I was going to pass out (I've never fainted, but it sure felt like that's what was happening), i didn't. And my penis shrunk immediately as the initial dizzinessset it. Sucked all they way in like I've never experienced.
I forgot to bring this up with the ER doctor.
And is this common for panic attacks, and what about heart attacks.
I forgot to bring this up with the ER doctor.
And is this common for panic attacks, and what about heart attacks.
Brief Answer:
Panic can cause the blood to be diverted from the penis.
Detailed Answer:
I am sorry you have experienced panic attacks this week - they can be awful. And then the stress of what is going on with your penis during this must only compound your concern.
I can tell you that during fight or flight reactions such as during a panic attack, the body shunts blood away from organs that it deems unnecessary for taking emergency action. So blood vessels in places such as the gastrointestinal tract and genitals constrict to allow for more blood elsewhere where it is needed to deal with the emergency (regardless of whether the emergency is real or perceived).
So you can relax that this symptom is not abnormal.
Whether it happens during a heart attack: I haven't seen anything written up about it happening during a heart attack, and my guess is that when people have a heart attack, they often experience such intense crushing pain that they might not be aware of what is going on with their genitals. But I would assume that since the body is under extreme physical stress during a heart attack that blood would be diverted from the genitals then too.
If you find that you are having panic symptoms frequently, you may want to consider seeing a doc about a maintenance medication such as Lexapro (escitalopram is the generic). This is an antidepressant but also can be used for preventing panic attacks. It is taken daily and starts to work after a few weeks.
I hope this information helps.
Panic can cause the blood to be diverted from the penis.
Detailed Answer:
I am sorry you have experienced panic attacks this week - they can be awful. And then the stress of what is going on with your penis during this must only compound your concern.
I can tell you that during fight or flight reactions such as during a panic attack, the body shunts blood away from organs that it deems unnecessary for taking emergency action. So blood vessels in places such as the gastrointestinal tract and genitals constrict to allow for more blood elsewhere where it is needed to deal with the emergency (regardless of whether the emergency is real or perceived).
So you can relax that this symptom is not abnormal.
Whether it happens during a heart attack: I haven't seen anything written up about it happening during a heart attack, and my guess is that when people have a heart attack, they often experience such intense crushing pain that they might not be aware of what is going on with their genitals. But I would assume that since the body is under extreme physical stress during a heart attack that blood would be diverted from the genitals then too.
If you find that you are having panic symptoms frequently, you may want to consider seeing a doc about a maintenance medication such as Lexapro (escitalopram is the generic). This is an antidepressant but also can be used for preventing panic attacks. It is taken daily and starts to work after a few weeks.
I hope this information helps.
Note: For further follow-up it is advisable to consult an emergency medicine specialist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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