Own Correspondent
More than 500 men in the United Kingdom required hospital treatment for priapism last year, with health figures showing an 11 per cent increase in cases over the previous year.
Priapism is a prolonged and often painful erection that occurs when blood becomes trapped in the penis and fails to drain normally.
According to NHS figures reported by The Sun, 530 men were treated for the condition, including five men in their 80s and 90s.
Of the 530 cases, 441 required emergency treatment, highlighting the potential seriousness of the condition.
The number of cases has also increased significantly over the past decade, rising from 336 cases to 530, an increase of about 58 per cent.
Doctors say some patients require medication to reverse the erection, while others need a needle inserted to drain trapped blood. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
Warning over Viagra and drug combinations
Consultant urological surgeon Gordon Muir said the increase could be linked to different groups of patients, including older men who use injectable medicines to help achieve or maintain an erection.
He also warned about men combining erectile dysfunction medicines with recreational drugs.
According to Muir, some men use combinations of legal and illegal drugs in an attempt to maintain an erection for prolonged periods during sex.
He specifically identified combinations involving medicines such as Viagra alongside drugs including cocaine and amphetamines as potentially dangerous.
The combination can result in an erection lasting for several hours and increase the risk of priapism.
Men experiencing a prolonged and painful erection should not simply wait for it to go away.
Priapism can damage the tissues of the penis if blood remains trapped for too long, potentially resulting in permanent erectile problems.
The UK figures serve as a reminder that what may initially appear to be a sexual or embarrassing problem can require urgent medical attention.
Men who develop an erection that persists for several hours, particularly when it is painful, should seek medical care rather than attempting to manage the problem themselves.
Story First Published by The Sun
