Erections are the result of a healthy bodily function and are most useful when a man wants to have sex or masturbate.
However, some erections can come at the wrong time, so what are the ways to stop it?
The obvious answer would be to ejaculate, but what happens when you don’t want to? There should be other ways to get rid of an erection, and of course, there are.
Erection begins early in life, and it occurs multiple times a day for most men.
In adulthood, erections happen when a man is sexually excited, and there are different types of erection:
Psychogenic
This is associated with the mind, and it happens in response to sexual thoughts or fantasies.
Reflexogenic
Sometimes, this happens without your approval; it happens in response to touch.
Nocturnal
This occurs when you are asleep, and on average, you experience it about five times a night.
Testosterone plays a major role in erectile function, as it is the main hormone in the body. During an erection, a tiny amount of blood travels to the penis, and it is this action together with hormones, muscles, and nerves, which makes the penis hard.
Erections are essential for sexual performance, but having an erection doesn’t necessarily mean a man wants to engage in sex or any other sexual activity.
Random erections occur in most men, although it’s not a sign of any medical condition, it can be somewhat embarrassing and uncomfortable.
How to Stop an Erection
Reaching orgasm would always stop an erection, but it is not always desirable. It would be helpful to learn other methods to stop an erection. These include:
Waiting Patiently
A simple way to deal with an unwanted erection is to wait it out calmly. The following steps may help:
- Breathing slowly
- Sitting down calmly
- Keeping your cool
To reduce the embarrassment, you can use your jacket to cover up your erection while sitting down or use a shirt or anything you deem appropriate in that situation.
Keep in mind that while the erection may seem very obvious to you, other people may not have even noticed it, so you really shouldn’t be too anxious.
Distraction
To get rid of a distraction, you need to bring a bigger distraction to outmatch it. Having an erection has to do with your mind as well, the moment you put your focus on other thoughts, it might help get rid of the erection.
You can try out the following:
- Avoid thinking of anything sexual that may get you hard
- Try solving a riddle; such a task would help drift your mind away
- Focusing on solving a complex mathematical problem can help keep your mind distracted
Repositioning
Changing a sitting/standing position can help you get rid of the erection. When you change your position, it can help shift away from the clothing that has been touching and stimulating the penis.
Switching positions can help you hide your erection if you are in a public or an uncomfortable setting.
Meditation
Meditation helps you channel your mind and feel relaxed, so, it can stop you from focusing on sexual thoughts. When you want to meditate:
Breathe slowly and focus on the sound of your breath- Try repeating a phrase over and over to allow your mind to focus better
- Acknowledge distracting thoughts and dismiss them in your mind, then redirect your focus back to the sound of your breath.
Meditation is accessible to everyone, and it aids relaxation. Some people may experience difficulty when trying for the first time; however, certain medications or even apps can help.
But before trying out any medication to get rid of erections, why not invest a day and practice.
Taking a warm bath
To some, a cold shower bath is enough to get the job done. And to others, taking a warm bath is perfect for getting rid of an erection.
A warm bath can help you relax and reduce arousal, and in some instances, it makes it easier to pass urine, which can help make an erection go away.
Gentle exercises
Some men claim that gentle exercises like jogging can help get rid of an unwanted erection.
When to Seek Help
Having erections multiple times in a day is perfectly normal, but some situations can become worrisome and may require medical attention.
When you experience erections that go on for more than four hours, then you should speak to a doctor immediately because it may be a condition called “Priapism.”
Priapism is a condition that may cause damage to the penis tissues, and if untreated, can lead to long-term erectile dysfunction. Experiencing painful erections can also be a symptom of this condition.
The treatments for Priapism include taking certain medications and even draining out blood from the penis.
Getting an erection without reaching orgasm can lead to a short-term condition called “Epididymal hypertension, “commonly known as “blue balls.”
Epididymal hypertension is not even as serious as the name looks; achieving an orgasm is not a necessity for every time you get an erection.
Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Erections
♦ Erections happen way earlier than you think. Male fetuses can experience erections while still in the womb.
♦ Research has shown that men who have a shorter penis have bigger erections than men who have bigger penises. Men with short penis experience an erection increase by 86 percent and those with long penis by 47 percent.
♦ Sometimes erectile dissatisfaction can be a sign of a severe issue. ED can be caused by diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and more.
♦ Older men suffer erectile dissatisfaction more than erectile dysfunction. This means that it would become more and more difficult to keep an erection, and this can become increasingly frustrating.
♦ Your penis can be broken. The penis isn’t a bone than can be broken, rather its blood vessels within the penis can burst, which can lead to painful swelling. Most times, penile fracture cases are as a result of sexual intercourse where the partner is positioned on top.
♦ Erection isn’t a necessity to achieve orgasm; some men who find it impossible or difficult to have erections can still reach orgasm.
♦ Erectile dysfunction can cause psychological stress and psychological stress leads to erectile dysfunction, so it’s a vicious cycle. When you become frustrated about your sexual performance, it makes it even more difficult to overcome erectile dysfunction.
♦ Lifestyle choices like excessive smoking and drinking, drug abuse, and even prolonged bicycling can make you more prone to erectile dysfunction.
How to Determine If Your Erections are Physical or Psychological
An erection self-test is important to know the exact cause of your erectile dysfunction. Erection self-test is a procedure that can be done yourself, and sometimes it is referred to as a “nocturnal penile tumescence stamp test” (NPT).
The test is performed to know if you have erections at night. For men whose erectile dysfunction happens as a result of a psychological cause, usually experience erections during normal sleep.
On average, you are expected to experience 3-5 erections per night, and each erection should last for about 30 minutes.
Physical and emotional problems can cause ED, hence the importance of this test to confirm if it’s caused by physical problems.
However, this test is considered outdated, and several other ways are more reliable such as NPT testing using a RigiScan.
A RigiScan is a small device used to monitor the quality of your nocturnal penile erections, and the device is usually strapped around the thigh.
This test can be done several nights in a row, and the results are being stored in the machine, to be evaluated by your doctor.
A penile plethysmograph is another test that can be used to tell the difference between physical and psychological causes.
The device carefully measures your erection when you view sexual materials, like watching pornographic slides or viewing sexually stimulating pictures. During the test, penile cuffs are attached to the plethysmograph so that it can show and record blood waves to the penis.
However, the biggest benefits of the self-test are that it allows you to test yourself in case you don’t feel comfortable about going to a doctor just yet.
Natural Supplements That Can Treat Erectile Dysfunction
Panax Ginseng
This can also be called herbal Viagra, and it has solid research backing on its effects on erectile dysfunction. Panax ginseng extract has been known to impact action at the cellular level, which can improve erection.
Panax ginseng helps to improve lung function and blood flow, which would, in turn, reduce the characteristics of erectile dysfunction.
L-arginine
L-arginine is an amino acid that is present in your body, and it helps relax blood vessels to achieve a strong erection, which is important for healthy sexual functioning.
Daily intake of boosters that contain L-arginine would cause a significant improvement in sexual performance. And L-arginine doesn’t interact with most medications, making it safe and effective for mild erectile dysfunction.
Yohimbe
This is a supplement extracted from the bark of the African Yohimbe tree, and some studies have shown its effectiveness on sexual performance.
However, if you decide to make use of Yohimbe, you should first consult your doctor, so it doesn’t interact with any of your medications.
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