Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a difficult condition to live with — not just for men, but for loving partners, too. When people think of ED they might assume that the problem has to do with the penis itself. When, in fact, there are a number of hormonal, psychological, and other health-related issues at play.
Whatever the cause, you don’t have to live with ED as an everyday reality or jeopardize a healthy sex life, either. This is where penile injections come in to change the landscape of ED treatments.
But how exactly do they work and do they really guarantee success? This blog spills the beans…
Penile Injections: How Exactly Do They Work?
The reality is this: up to 50 percent of men over the age of 40 experience erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives. Often, it might not be a long-term issue and can result from a myriad of causes. Chief among these are low testosterone and severe levels of stress.
In today’s day and age, up to 26 percent of men below the age of 40 may struggle with ED, too. This just goes to show that it’s a common condition and there are viable treatments out there to help you through it.
Enter, penile injections.
In short, a penile injection aims to treat ED with medication that’s injected directly into the penis. It’s worth noting that penile injections are not a cure-all treatment for ED. They aim to treat the symptoms and help men achieve and maintain an erection in order to gain some control over their sex life.
When it comes to curing ED, you’ll need to uncover the underlying cause, such as low testosterone levels, for example.
So, how does penile injection therapy work?
They work in a similar manner to oral medications, such as Viagra and Cialis. The injection includes a particular medication that aims to relax the smooth muscles of the penis, as well as the walls of the blood vessels in the penis.
This relaxation leads to dilation and expansion of the blood vessels and increases blood flow, which naturally, leads to an erection. Generally, it takes about 5-20 minutes to achieve an erection after each penile injection.
The medication in the injection also helps to keep the flow of blood to the penis strong to maintain a good erection for 30-90 minutes, depending on your overall health and the dose you’re prescribed.
In some cases, an erection may happen spontaneously or naturally after the injection. However, some form of foreplay or prior stimulation might be necessary.
A couple of precautions to keep in mind: do not use more than the prescribed amount for each injection. It may take some time to figure out the right penile injection dosage for you. It’s also important to not use more than one injection in 24 hours, and no more than three times per week.
Penile Injection Medications: What To Know
Penile injections for the growth of an erection depend on certain medications. It’s this medication that leads to the undeniable p shot success rate.
While there are three different types of medications for penile injections, your doctor might only prescribe one type of medication. However, in some cases, they might prescribe a combination of all three — this combination is known as Trimix.
These three key medications include:
- Papaverine — the leading penile injection medication used today
- Phentolamine, sometimes paired with papaverine
- Prostaglandin E1, also called alprostadil
So, with this in mind, why should you turn to penile injections over other forms of treatment for ED, anyway? Let’s take a look at some of the undeniable benefits:
- Unlike first-line ED treatments, such as Viagra and Cialis, penile injections have little to no side effects, interactions, and are highly effective
- They are reasonably priced
- They are easy to administer yourself, the privacy of your own home
- You can keep using penile injections over the long term until you potentially resolve the underlying issue causing ED
Not only this, but penile injections have a great success rate among most men. Up to 70 percent are happy with the results, even after long-term use. While success rates might be similar to oral medications, the injections do not have the same side effects.
Are There Any Side Effects?
As with any type of medical treatment you take, there’s always some type of risk associated with it. But when it comes to penile injections, these risks are very low. Especially when you compare them to the effects of taking oral medication over the long term.
Before you commit to penile injection therapy, it’s important to have an awareness of the side effects you could face (although the risk is small):
- As with any type of injection therapy, there’s a risk of bruising or bleeding around the injection site. With proper needle placement and administration, you can avoid this
- A mild, dull aching sensation around the injection site
- Swelling in the testes after the injection
- A stinging sensation in the urethra or the testes
Aside from these minor side effects, there is one serious complication that can arise. Although uncommon, you can develop priapism, which is a sustained, prolonged erection that might take a few hours to go down.
Bear in mind that it’s quite normal for an erection to persist after ejaculation when using penile injections. But the hallmark symptom of priapism is an erection that does not fade for at least 3-4 hours.
If you have an erection for longer than this amount of time, it’s wise to seek out medical advice.
Treating the Root Cause of Your ED
As mentioned, penile injections are not a cure for erectile dysfunction. But if you’re looking to uncover the root cause of this issue and treat it, then Tampa Testosterone is here to help you.
We specialize in personalized testosterone therapy programs to help you overcome ED. As well as many other issues such as low energy, low libido, lack of muscle development, and more.
