Priapism: Clinical Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
By Ezra Allen, Dec-22-2025
Dr. Arjun Srivastav Medical Reviewer (Pharm D)Priapism is a disorder where men face a Prolonged erection that stays for more than 4 hours at a stretch.
➨ There are two types of Priapism:
- Ischemic
- Non-ischemic
In case of ischemic priapism, patients face extreme pain with a rigid penis, and they usually come with a granule at the tip with immense pain. In case of non-ischemic priapism, rigidity fluctuates, and pain is not felt.
The same can happen for taking drugs for Erectile Dysfunction, like Sildenafil or Vidalista 60. Otherwise, it can happen for the medicines for the treatment of the same or for the treatment of Premature Ejaculation. Coming to the details related to the diagnosis of the same, causes, symptoms, and treatment of Prolonged Erection, here is a deep-down study.
➦ Clinical Causes
Not even 1% of the consumers of ED Pills face Prolonged Erection. Hence, if you have an idea that Prolonged Erection is a side effect of the ED medication, come out of the wrong concept and keep an eye on the actual clinical reasons causing the same:
Medications Triggering Priapism:
Pills and injections for curing ED, like Generic Cialis, cause Priapism. However, alone these medicines cannot cause priapism. They need to react with antidepressants or blood pressure medicines.
Often, it has been seen from the study that patients who are taking ED medications without a prescription and without consulting with their doctors face priapism as an effect of drug interaction of Viagra.
Disorder Of Blood:
Among the disorders of blood, the most common cause is Sickle cell. In some cases of thalassemia and leukaemia, Prolonged Erection has also been reported. Most of the time, the ischemic type of priapism is seen in those cases where men experience a painful, hard erection.
Prostate Issues:
Priapism has also been reported in patients taking medication for Prostate Care. The same has been marked in some of the patients with Urine Diseases. Hence, this is not some casual illness. It is a deep issue for Men’s Health, as it is associated with several things related to the prostate and lower abdomen issues.
Patients suffering from issues with their spinal cord also face priapism, where the research elements refer to nerve-related issues that completely remove the PDE-5 enzyme from the blood vessels, allowing longer erections without any stoppage.
Injuries:
Past injuries, injuries in the pelvic muscles, and issues with the prostate often cause Penile Disorders. The same can also cause ED in many male patients. Hard exercises, long runs, and past injuries often cause such issues, among which men sometimes become victims of priapism too.
➦ Symptoms Of Priapism
As you came across the causes of forming Prolonged Erection, it is now the time to look at the symptoms to identify if you are facing priapism. There are three major symptoms that you can face, with endless reasons for the same:
Long Erection:
Patients who have taken Cenforce 200 or similar drugs either without consulting with their doctors or disrespecting the consents of the doctors comprise more than 30% of the patients of Prolonged Erection.
Ischemic Priapism:
This is a painful erection that lasts for more than 4 hours. Usually, the erection attained here is very hard, and it is associated with some granule at the top. Blood irregularity, especially sickle cells, is held responsible for the irregularity, although leukaemia and thalassemia patients report the same (20%) too.
Non-Ischemic Priapism:
This is the Prolonged Erection where you will not find the pain. However, the hardness of the penis remains here for longer hours than that of ischemic priapism, and the hardness fluctuates all the time.
➦ Diagnosis Of Priapism
Priapism often remains unknown to the patients unless they face such an irregular and painful erection. Hence, the most common form of diagnosis is when a patient meets a doctor during a medical emergency.
The same is followed by some of the physical tests (rigidity and the glans) or some Blood-gas analysis. Rarely the same is diagnosed from the history of the patient.
According to the studies made, patients hardly have any idea about their Prolonged Erection before they face the pain from a hard erection. However, in the case of non-ischemic priapism, patients reach some doctors, who identify priapism in them from some older injury or for some prostate issues.
➦ Treatment Of Priapism
The treatment of Prolonged Erection is different for ischemic and non-ischemic cases. While in the case of non-ischemic, applying ice packs alone works a lot, the same is not the case in the condition of ischemic priapism.
Surgery:
However, in some cases of non-ischemic Prolonged Erection, patients may have to undergo some surgeries. They need to undergo vascular surgery to resolve the abnormal flow of blood.
The same has to be done for an ischemic patient, where the excess blood that accumulates in the penis has to be drained out, to reduce the erection and give relief from the pain of a hard erection.
Medication:
At times, patients (especially ischemic) need to go through some injections can also be given to constrict the blood vessels that remain filled with blood.
Blood Emission:
In normal cases of ischemic priapism, the blood accumulated in the penis is to be ejected. The same is done with the help of some injection syringes, and sometimes, the doctor might need to cut a small portion and remove the blood accumulated inside.
The Final Line
Prolonged Erection is a super hard erection that stays in a man for more than 4 hours, which can either be painful or non-painful. If it is a painful one, then it is an ischemic priapism, where the excess blood that is accumulated in the penis is to be ejected. The same can be caused by ED pills like Kamagra Oral Jelly Australia if they are not taken according to the guidelines of the prescription.
It can even be non-painful (non-ischemic), where too the excess blood flow needs to be stopped. Deal with the issue as a medical emergency and never show any delay, as the pain generated henceforth can be too hard to bear.
FAQs
Years of Experience: 12+ Years Education: Master of Sexology - [University of Sydney] MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) - [Torrens University Australia] BSc in Medical Laboratory Technology -…