Penis Problems and Conditions

As with any organ in the body, the penis can have its share of physical problems. When it comes to your penis, it doesn't matter whether you're young, old, black, white, or even green, almost every man at some point in his life will experience some kind of penis dysfunction.

Learn a little more about your 'package' today so that you know what to watch for and can help try to prevent any future problems.

Fertility
In about 40% of infertile couples, the cause of the infertility lies with the males. There are many reasons for male infertility.

Quick Fact: It takes approximately 72-90 days to produce mature sperm. Sperm is produced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are many factors that can decrease or stop sperm production. Here are a few:

• Illness
• Excessive Caffeine
• Stress
• Street and certain Prescription Drugs
• Some over the counter medications
• Injury to the testicles
• Blockage in the Vas Deferens (see our Penis Anatomy page)
• Varicocele
• Excessive Heat
• Vitamin Deficiencies

There are also natural ways to increase sperm count and quality. One excellent way to increase sperm production is to try an interesting product called Volume Pills. Volume Pills are penis enlargement pills with a difference, they predominantly focus on increasing the amount of sperm produced during ejaculation. Click here to visit their website for more information.

Ways to Improve Fertility:
1. Limit or eliminate caffeine intake.
2. Stop smoking
3. Stop Recreational Drugs
4. Wear Loose Underwear (boxers)
5. Stay out of Hot Tubs
6. Natural Enlargement sites

Impotency

Impotence is the inability of a man either to have an erection or to keep the penis erect long enough to have sexual intercourse. This is a common problem affecting as many as 30 million men in the United States. By the time most men are 40 they have already experienced impotence at some time in their lives.

When just a single incident occurs, the best thing to do is forget about it. Problems arise when this difficulty starts occurring regularly.

According to an article published in early 1993 (review: Morley, 1993), approximately 10 million men in the U.S. had problems with impotence at that time. This figure is now reported to be 30 million as more men have been willing to approach their medical professional for assistance. We're sure the development and release of Viagra™ by Pfizer® has contributed to a greater understanding of just how many men suffer from this difficult problem.

Men afflicted with repeated impotence tend to be middle-aged and older, with this condition being most common in men 60 years of age and older. Regardless of the age, however, many men who have this problem can be treated successfully.

Impotence can result from a wide variety of problems. As with any other ailment, when a person begins having this problem repeatedly, he needs to see a doctor. The doctor will want to rule out the possibility of disease, injury, or side effects from medicine.

For example, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, injuries to the spinal column, and side effects from high blood pressure medicine are among the physical conditions that can lead to impotence.

An erection occurs when the nervous system activates a rapid increase in blood flow. The vascular muscle in the spongy area becomes engorged with blood and the outflow of blood is cutoff. An erection can be elicited by the so-called reflex erection as we see in spinal cord patients, or can be caused by psychogenic stimulation. Numerous sexual stimuli are processed by the brain and transmitted to the penis via the nervous system. In order to get an erection, the blood flow must increase and, at the same time, the blood has to be prevented from leaving the penis.

Possible Treatments:

Natural Enlargement sites offer exercises which can increase blood flow in the penis for a longer period of time. With practice and in a short period of time your erections can come back no matter your age.

Penis Pumps & Vacuums - The vacuum erection device is a plastic cylinder that is placed around the penis. When negative pressure is applied the penis becomes rigid. A rubber ring traps the blood in the penis and keeps the penis rigid for periods up to 30 minutes. It still allows ejaculation. These devices are made by a number of manufacturers and have very variable levels of sophistication, from manual pumps to battery operated devices. The devices are reusable and have a very high satisfaction rate. The major drawback is the cumbersome device is likely to cause loss of spontaneity.

One of the more common partner complaints that we have seen is the fact that, after using a pump the penis is cold and the rigidity is less than a normal erection. In older female partners because of vaginal dryness and stenosis, penetration may be difficult. However, overall these devices are an excellent first choice and are widely used and recommended by doctors.

Peyronies Disease
Peyronie's disease is a severe curvature of the erect penis. It's named after an Italian physician to King Louis XIV of France. This physician was the first to note the disorder back in the 1700s. While it is somewhat common, it is not often mentioned.

A minor bend in the erect penis is perfectly normal, as few penises are straight as an arrow. In some cases of Peyronie's, however, the penis can form a "J" or a corkscrew, making intercourse impossible.

What causes a curved penis?
The cause of Peyronie's disease is unkown. Some physicians theorize the cause of the curvature may be from trauma to the penis, perhaps if the penis is bent backward during rough sex. The injury causes an inflammation in the tunica, and subsequently leads to scarring.

There are other theories, and some reports suggest that men who take beta-blocking medications for high blood pressure develop Peyronie's.

How is the penis constructed?
The penis is composed of three cylindrical cavities. The two on top are called the corpus cavernosa, and the one on bottom the corpus spongiosum, which contains the urethra (the tube that urine flows through).

The two top corporal cavities expand to trap and hold the blood that produces an erection in the male. The bottom body, corpus spongiosum, functions mainly for the passage of urine. Each of these corporal bodies is surrounded by a very elastic covering called the tunica albuginea.

On top of the two corporal cavernosa are the superficial nerves and blood vessels of the penis.

Why does the penis curve?
In Peyronie's disease, the normal elastic tissue of the tunica is replaced by scar tissue. Normally with an erection the elastic tissue of the penis expands and elongates smmetrically resulting in a straight erection. Because the plaque, or scar tissue, is not elastic, but rather hard, it will not stretch with an erection.

The disease starts as a small bump or constriction on the shaft of the penis below the skin, which expands to form a flat deposit that's sometimes as large as the diameter of a silver dollar. This "plaque" invades and replaces the elastic covering of the penis with inflexible material. When a man with Peyronie's has an erection, the plaque does not expand, so the penis curves to one side.

How does a curved penis affect sexual intercourse?
A third of men with Peyronie's have pain with their erections. A few men with Peyronie's become impotent. In some cases, the head of the penis does not fill with blood.

Because inflammation is initially associated with the scar tissue, there can be some discomfort with erection and distension. Many patients complain not only about the curvature of the erection but the loss of length and girth. These are all results of the inelastic tissue and lack of distention that results.

Most patients with Peyronie's disease can continue to function sexually with the curvature in the penis. Rarely, some patients with greater distortion are unable to have satisfactory sexual intercourse.

Treatments
Some enlargement sites claim to help with this disease but there is not a single cure recognized by the medical authorities, within 6-12 months the condition should go away but frequent trips to the doctors is reccomended.

Testicular Cancer

What is testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer occurs in approximately 1 in 25,000 men per year. It is 4 times less common in African-American men compared to Caucasian men. The risk of developing testicular cancer in a man’s lifetime is approximately 1 in 500. It occurs most commonly between the ages of 15 and 40 years. It can also occur in infancy and late adulthood (e.g. over 60 years old). Individuals who have had an undescended testicle are at higher risk of developing testicular cancer.

How is testicular cancer diagnosed?
The best way to diagnose testicular cancer is through self-examinations. The usual initial finding is a painless lump in or on the testis, a hardness or enlargement of the testis. Less commonly there is associated pain and tenderness. If problems do occur and an individual is concerned due to tenderness, bloody discharge or a lump for some symptoms they should see a urologist. The urologist will do a physical examination and possibly order a testicular ultrasound.

Non-cancerous masses found around the testicle can be fluid collections or cysts. In addition, dilation of some of the veins in the scrotum (varicocele) or cord leading to the testicle can create a mass effect. If there are any abnormalities that can be palpable, a visit to a physician may be required to establish the significance of the findings.

How is testicular cancer treated?
Surgery-After the diagnosis of a solid testicular mass has been made, the initial management is removal of the testis and its associated cord, orchiectomy. This is done through a small inguinal incision. The testis and abnormal tissue present is then examined under the microscope to determine the type of cancer. Depending on the cell type of the cancer present, other therapies such as additional surgery, radiation therapy or possibly chemotherapy may be indicated.

Using a combination of these therapies, testicular cancer has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers. This has been achieved using a combination of surgery and chemotherapy as well as radiation in certain instances. Cures from testicular cancer can even be achieved in individuals who have had spread of the cancer into other parts of the body.