Penile Fracture

Although there is much debate in society about whether or not the penis can be "broken," research has found that penile fractures do in fact occur, and they are not an urban legend. In fact, a penile fracture is considered a medical emergency and should be treated immediately.

While erect, a penis is swollen with blood. If the penis experiences trauma while in this state, the lining of a cylinder in the penis - also known as the corpus cavernosum - can rupture and will cause a penile fracture.

Most Common Cause of Penile Fracture

Unfortunately, the most common cause of penile fracture is intercourse. Almost half of all cases of penile fracture reported dealt with an issue during intercourse. Most commonly, the penis slips out during intercourse and strikes the female's pubic bone, resulting in damage.

However, masturbation and gunshot wounds have also been added to the list of causes of penile fractures. Folding a penis in order to wear tighter underwear or rolling on erect penis while sleeping are also potential causes of penile fracture.

In order for a penile fracture to occur, the penis must be erect. When flaccid, a penis is more mobile and therefore less likely to suffer an injury that results in a penile fracture.

Symptoms of Penile Fracture

Generally, while having intercourse, a man will experience a popping sound, followed by an extraordinary amount of pain. This usually results in loss of the erection immediately and a noticeable amount of red blotches on the penis due to the bursting of blood vessels.

Diagnosing Penile Fractures

Doctors can quickly diagnose a penile fracture because of the visible nature of this injury. With penile fractures, there is often extensive swelling and bruising. Additionally, the penis is tender to the touch, and blood clots may be visible. Often, bleeding will occur during urination, and this is a sign of a penile fracture as well.

Treatments for Penile Fractures

In order to repair a penile fracture, surgery is required. In the past, other practices such as cool compresses, splinting, medication, and pressure dressings were used. However, without invasive surgery, it's hard for a doctor to determine what is actually wrong with the penis. Without the surgery, urethral injuries, penile abscesses, and nodule formations can be missed and can lead to serious complications that might prevent surgery from being successful at a later date.

Delaying the surgery or treatment can result in many complications, specifically erectile dysfunction, permanent curving of the penis, permanent pain during sexual intercourse, and damage to the urethra.

Preventing Penile Fracture

Preventing a penile fracture may seem like common sense, but age can play a factor. Younger men are more prone to penile fractures because of the strength of their erections and the risks that they can take with sexual positions because of their athleticism and flexibility.

Ultimately, caution during sex is the safest bet. It is important to be aware of where the penis is when entering a vagina during intercourse because that is how the injury most often occurs. Careless intercourse is the clearly the leading cause for a penile fracture, and caution should be taken.