An
erection happens when the penis fills with blood and gets hard. The penis has 2
main chambers that run along side the top of the penis shaft. This area, the
corpora cavernosa, is made up of spongy tissue, veins, arteries, spaces, and
smooth muscles that hold in-flowing blood. Erections
happen when more blood flows into the penis and less blood flows out. The
erection process is perfectly normal and can happen at any time throughout the
day.
Most
healthy males get erections during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep (the time of
sleep when dreams happen). Also, erections when waking up are a sign of good
penis health. Usually,
erections happen during physical arousal or fantasizing, but other things can
cause it to occur. Such causes include pressure on the genital area and
pressure from the urinary bladder from the need to urinate.
For
an erection to happen, some kind of stimulation makes the brain and penile
nerves to get excited. They tell the smooth muscles of the corpora cavernosa to
let blood in, and stop blood from flowing out. This has the effect of expanding
the penis size. As
the penis gets larger in length and girth, it is normal for it to rise at an
angle. This angle is usually anywhere from parallel to the floor to pointing
almost straight upward.
Sometimes
men are stressed out and can't get an erection. This is just the body's way of
dealing with stress (or the “fight-or-flight” response). Worrying about a small
penis size or having an unattractive partner can make it impossible for a man
to keep an erection.
Other
things that affect erections are: the amount of sleep a guy gets, how active he
is, and in general, age causes changes in hormone levels, like testosterone.
Erection
problems
If
a man can't keep an erection for 25% of the time, he may have erectile
dysfunction, or ED. Treatments for erectile dysfunction can include penile
injections, vacuum pumps, surgery, prosthetic devices, Viagra, hormone therapy,
counseling, and natural penis exercises.
Some
of these methods try to physically help a guy get an erection, while others
improve his sex drive so he can perform better. Methods
like injections, prosthetic devices, and vacuum pumps do not require arousal,
as they are based on an automatic response.
Other
methods like pills and the natural exercises improve the blood flow into the
penis, and make erections possible upon sexual arousal. Some pills work each
time you take them, while others work for more long lasting benefits. Regular
erections are a natural part of good male sexual health. The ability to get
erections decreases with age, but there are things men can do to improve
themselves.
Erectionproblems can be forever cured with modern methods like surgery, counseling,
pills, and even exercises.
