What types of erection can a man have?
On a penis level, horny means having a penile erection (also known as pitching the tent, raising the pole, or getting a hard-on). Erectile tissue is really special. No other part of a man's external body expands two to three times its size on an almost daily basis. Not to mention that erections sometimes happen at the most random times and for the most bizarre reasons.
Here we'll cover everything you need to know about erections - in case you're having a few and wondering why and how you're getting erect. In fact, we have an entire section dedicated to erection. Be sure to check it out!
What happens when we have an erection?
Small veins in the penis dilate when you have an erection, causing increased blood flow to the penis. Blood fills two layers of spongy tissue inside the penis, causing them to swell, making your penis erect.
The more blood that flows into the penis, the more it becomes tumescent and rigid. To achieve maximum rigidity, the veins in the penis are compressed, preventing blood from flowing.
Typically, an erection happens in response to sexual arousal. In men, just seeing or thinking about a beautiful woman can trigger an erection.
As men age, direct stimulation may be needed, and sometimes older men may even need more than direct stimulation, which is when medications like Viagra come into play.
However, not all erections are a result of sexual arousal. There are a number of reasons why you might get an erection that has nothing to do with being horny.
What are morning erections?
The morning erection is that perceived by men when they wake up in the morning. The same is associated with peak levels of testosterone in the morning and may be related to sexual dreams, but it is not a rule.
What are nocturnal erections?
All healthy men have nocturnal erections, which are erections that occur during the REM phase of sleep, i.e. during deep sleep. It's not yet known exactly why a nocturnal erection happens, but it is known to have something to do with nitric oxide (NO) being released during this phase of sleep. It can be a mechanism of defense of the health of the penis, because the erection oxygenates the tissues.
You might be wondering how many erections a man can get a night; that's 4 to 5 erections every night during REM sleep!
What are involuntary erections?
Some men may have an involuntary erection due to tactile stimulation of Organs genitals, which are not sexual in nature, for example, wearing tight-fitting clothes that rub the genitals during a walk. So, be careful when wearing skinny jeans in public. You don't want to accidentally show yourself erect to strangers.
Some people also consider that an involuntary erection has to do with the reflex erection that we will talk about below.
Reflex erection and emotional arousal
An "emotional turn-on" usually has to do with some sort of significant emotional response, which triggers an erection. This could be out of extreme sadness, anger or even happiness and love.
Reflex erections can occur due to sudden stimuli, for example being scared or frightened. This type of erection is also known to occur during times of stress or anxiety.
Which can be very embarrassing as it has nothing to do with a sexual thought.
Attention to priapism: a worrying erection
Priapism is when you have an erection that lasts longer than four hours. The term owes its name to the Greek god Priapus, a god of fertility, who was always portrayed with a huge and furious boner.
Priapism results in severe pain and an eventual visit to the emergency room. Priapism can be caused by many things, including erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra, antipsychotics like Trazadone, illicit drugs like cocaine, and even blood disorders like sickle cell disease.
Treatment usually involves injecting medication directly into the penis to help soften the penis.
How to hide an involuntary erection?
If you're in a situation where you don't really want an erection, but for some unfortunate reason it happens, you can think of something that doesn't cause an arousal state: "For example, you can imagine your grandmother or you can add physical stimulation from a different part of the body, such as gently biting your tongue or finger, to reduce arousal and lead to the loss of an unwanted erection.
We talk more about involuntary erection in another article dedicated solely to this topic.
Let's say you have the opposite problem and are struggling to get erect when you really want to (like when you're about to have sex). Do not worry! Here are recommended methods to help you get and keep an erection, and here's another article that details everything you should know about erectile dysfunction.
