Men who have heard of priapism but have never endured it may find more likely to inspire snickering than empathy. But the fact is that priapism is a one of the more serious male organ health problems and one that needs to be treated promptly when it occurs.

Back to the Greeks

Priapism refers to a condition in which the member is kept in a persistent and frequently painful state of rigitdity for an extended period of time – typically four hours or more. The name is a reference to Priapus (or Priapos), a minor god in Greek mythology. As is fitting for a god whose domain was reproductive health, Priapus was always depicted with a monstrously large member – and one that was always fully at attention and ready to function.

That’s all well and good for a god, but it’s not as much fun as it sounds for a human male. Despite most men’s desire to always be “ready to go,” the fact is that the manhood isn’t built to maintain a total engorgement for extended times. Even men who “edge” when they self-gratify – that is, pleasure until they almost come, then stop to let the urge to subside, then go again, sometimes repeating for hours – don’t maintain a constant, full state of rigidity during their playtime.

What happens?

So, what happens when a man is struck with priapism? Basically, it depends on whether the priapism is considered ischemic or non-ischemic.

In ischemic priapism, blood flows into the member, fills the spongy tissue in the organ and causes it to become hard – but then the blood is unable to get out of the member and allow it to “deflate.” This is the more common form of priapism. A member suffering from ischemic priapism typically has a very rigid shaft but a head that is on the soft side. It is also quite painful.

With non-ischemic priapism, trauma to the member ruptures an artery or vessel, which allows a high flow of blood into the member, but it does not remain trapped there in the same way as with ischemic priapism. The manhood with the non-ischemic form tends to be not as fully rigid and are generally not painful.

Seek help

In either case, medical attention is advised; although non-ischemic priapism frequently resolves on its own, if it continues for too long a time, it can cause damage. The damage from prolonged ischemic priapism is generally more severe. With the blood trapped in the member, the tissue loses oxygen and can be damaged or even die. Although there are no hard and fast rules, a general rule of thumb is that the longer a priapic episode lasts, the greater the chances of male dysfunction.

While non-ischemic priapism is typically caused by manhood trauma, there can be several causes for ischemic priapism. Men with sickle cell anemia are disproportionately prone to it, as the sickle shape of the cells may cause the blockage of blood in the member. Other blood disorders, such as leukemia or thalassemia, have also been associated with the condition. In addition, a wide range of mediations, alcohol and tablet abuse and spinal cord injuries have been associated with an increased risk as well. Whatever the cause, seeking treatment is essential.

Priapism produces its own brand of manhood pain, but more typical manhood soreness often responds to application of a superior male organ health creme (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Rich, soothing Shea butter and moisturizing vitamin E work well together to rejuvenate the skin and ease pain. It also helps when the crème contains vitamin C, an important component of collagen, which enhances suppleness and flexibility of the skin.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common male organ health issues, tips on improving manhood sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy manhood. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.