8 Top Home Remedies For Priapism: All You Need To Know

Priapism is a rare disorder among males. Yet, if untreated, it can result in chronic erectile dysfunction and irreparable damage to the sensitive penile tissue. To cure priapism, there are various approaches on the market. You can treat priapism at home with prescription drugs and surgical procedures. Men seeking top home remedies for priapism must read the information provided to comprehend priapism and its treatment.

What Does Priapism Mean?

Priapism refers to the prolonged erection of the penis without sexual stimulation. This erection can continue for hours once stimulated. 

Priapism rarely affects a healthy man. However, males suffering from different diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, are more likely to suffer from priapism. 

Males with sickle cell disease are more likely to experience priapism in childhood. Otherwise, men in their 30s and older age can also be affected by priapism. If this condition is left untreated, it can proceed toward erectile dysfunction.

Types Of Priapism

There are two major types of priapism, as discussed below:

Low-flow priapism

Also known as ischemic priapism, low-flow priapism involves the accumulation of blood in the erection chambers and causes prolonged erections. It is not well understood why blood starts accumulating in the erection chambers. However, males suffering from certain diseases such as leukemia or malaria are likelier to suffer from low flow priapism.

High-flow priapism

Also known as non-ischemic priapism, involves the inadequate flow of oxygenated blood toward the penis. It is less painful than and less common than low-flow priapism.  It occurs when an injury to the penis or the area between the scrotum and anus prevents blood from flowing normally to the penis.

Causes Of Priapism

There can be different physical and physiological factors that can result in priapism. Let’s discuss all the causes resulting in priapism in detail.

Blood Disorders

Different blood diseases, including sickle cell anemia, leukemia, thalassemia, and other blood diseases, are vital causes of ischemic priapism. An accumulation of blood and obstruction of deoxygenated blood flow from the penis results in prolonged erections caused by these diseases.

Prescription medications

Drug interaction can also be a reason for priapism. Let’s look at the drugs that cause priapism among males.

Injuries

Nonischemic priapism is often caused by trauma or injury to the penis, pelvis, or anus area.

There can also be some other factors, including harmful infections, metabolic disorders, penis cancer, and neurogenic disorders, that increase the risk factors of priapism.

Symptoms Of Priapism

The most common signs and symptoms of priapism are given below:

• Long-lasting erections for up to four hours
• Erections without sexual stimulation
• Persistent penis pain
• Hard penile shaft, soft penile tip (glans)
• Erect but not fully rigid penile shaft

Top Home Remedies For Priapism

A variety of home remedies have been observed to be effective in helping men recover from priapism. Different home remedies that can efficiently treat priapism are discussed below:

Increase Water Intake

Increase water consumption by drinking clear water or other fluid intakes. For a man, drinking at least 3.7 liters of water is recommended. The importance of drinking enough water to maintain a healthy lifestyle is well known. Do you know how water can help a man get rid of priapism?

Sufficient water intake helps maintain adequate blood volume in the body. When blood volume increases, the penis receives proper blood supply. More blood supply helps in boosting the recovering metabolism in the penis. It is because dilated blood supply in the penis, due to sufficient blood flow, allows more oxygen to diffuse in the penis cells. This further accelerates recovery from priapism.

Urinate Without Delaying

There is a higher risk of morning priapism for men who do not urinate before sleep. Putting pressure on the walls of the urinary bladder due to overfilling causes complications and increases the stimulant for persistent erections. When you urinate before bed, you prevent stress caused by overfilling your bladder.

Take Certain Exercises

Taking prostate-specific exercise is an effective way to recover from priapism. These exercises include kegel exercise, bow pose, cobbler pose, shoulder stand, and other aerobic activities. Let’s discuss all of these exercises in detail.

Kegel Exercise

• Then, relax your pelvic floor muscles for three seconds after tightening them for three seconds.
• Repeat the same process at least ten times in one sitting and three times a day.

How Does It Work?

It helps strengthen pelvic muscles and control the erection, thus treating priapism.

Bow Pose

• Bend your knees as you lie on your stomach.
• Grab each ankle from the inside by reaching backward with palms facing upwards.
• Raise your head, chest, and shoulders, and kick your heels upwards.
• Look upwards and breathe deeply.
• Remain in the same state for at least 30 seconds.
• Repeat the same procedure twice a day.

How Does It Work?

It strengthens the pelvic floor and promotes boosted blood flow toward the penis.

Cobbler Pose

• Put your feet together and sit down with your legs extended in front of you. 
• Take a sideways bend in your knees.
• Grasp your feet and lower your knees as far as possible, putting pressure on your hips.
• Keep this position for a few minutes.
• Move your hands forward.
• Bend forward and breathe deeply as you tuck your chin in.
• Release your legs and move your hands back toward your body.

How Does It Work?

It enhances blood flow toward the penis and recovers priapism effectively.

Shoulder Stand

• Place your head on the ground while lying on your back.
• Place your hands on either side of the body on the ground.
• Lift your hips off the ground by keeping your feet and legs together.
• With your hands on your lower back, elevate your hips and back until your shoulders and head are the only parts of your body still on the ground.
• While keeping your legs straight and parallel to your hips, breathe deeply into the pose.
• Hold for up to two minutes with your hands supporting your back, then gradually drop your legs.

How Does It Work?

By improving the nerve stimulation in the pelvic region, this pose aids in recovering priapism.

Other Aerobic Exercises

Many other aerobic exercises promote sufficient oxygenated blood flow toward the penis. Different exercises include walking, cycling, swimming, and many others. These exercises also reduce obesity, thus reducing the risk factors of priapism. Different aerobic exercises also maintain body hormonal balance, which helps maintain pelvic health.

Avoid Stress

Another risk factor that raises the risk of several sexual disorders, including priapism, is stress. Stress causes a negative fluctuation in sex hormone levels in the body, stimulating priapism more. Consequently, avoiding stress, anxiety, and any form of depression is always advised. You can engage yourself in different activities to relax.

Enjoy Warm Showers

Men taking warm showers are observed with significant recovery from priapism. The only reason behind this increased blood flow in the penis is the sensation of increased temperature due to warm water. The blood vessels beneath the skin dilate and boost blood flow whenever the surrounding temperature is hot. It allows more blood to reach the penis and helps recover from priapism.

Take OTC Drugs

You can take over-the-counter painkillers to alleviate the priapism. If you are taking any other medication or suffering from any disease, recommend your doctor. Otherwise, drug interaction can occur, which can worsen the condition. For example, medications, such as antidepressants, can exacerbate priapism.

Apply Ice Packs

Select a thin cloth and wrap the ice pack in this cloth. Apply this for 10 to 20 minutes on the skin to alleviate priapism. Never apply cold packs directly without wrapping the cloth on the skin. It can worsen the priapism by increasing the pain.

Take Natural Supplements 

Natural supplements can effectively alleviate priapism symptoms and prevent its progression toward erectile dysfunction. Let’s have a look at these natural supplements.

How To Make Home Remedies Effective For Priapism?

You can accelerate the recovery from priapism by considering some minute considerations. Let’s have a look at these considerations.

Avoid Smoking

Consumption of tobacco or smoking can act as a stimulant for priapism. It can also lead to the progression of priapism to erectile dysfunction. Therefore, men suffering from priapism should avoid smoking.

Avoid Alcoholic Consumption

Just like smoking, alcohol also stimulates priapism. If you are suffering from priapism, avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.

Avoid Direct Application Of Cold Packs

Applying cold packs directly without wrapping them in the cloth can worsen the priapism by increasing the severity of the pain. Always use a thin cloth to cover the ice and apply it to the skin.

Avoid Intercourse

In some cases, engagement in sexual activity when suffering from priapism has been observed to worsen the condition. Therefore, avoid intercourse until you start recovering from priapism.

Alternative Treatments For Priapism

Besides home remedies, some conventional treatments can cure priapism, as discussed below.

Aspiration

It involves the removal of extra blood and pressure from the penis using needles and syringes. The penis may also be flushed with a saline solution when accomplishing aspiration. 

Poorly oxygenated blood is usually removed using syringes. This further helps in alleviating pain and swelling. This procedure can effectively treat persistent erections. You have to undergo aspiration several times until you get recover completely.

Prescribed Medications

Medications such as phenylephrine can be injected into the penis. It works by constricting the blood vessels carrying blood toward the penis and dilating blood vessels carrying blood away from the penis. It reduces deoxygenated or poorly oxygenated blood contact time with a penis. You may be given this injection several times until you recover completely. Besides phenylephrine, your doctor can also prescribe different analgesics.

Surgical Shunting

In this procedure, the shunt is injected surgically to regulate normal blood circulation. It is a surgical way of re-routing the blood flow in the penis. The surgeon can also perform other surgeries involving removing poorly oxygenated blood from the penis.

Penile Prosthesis

A penile prosthesis involves a surgically implanted device that helps you get an erection. A pump or bendable silicon rods are used in this procedure, which allows proper erections.

Conclusion

In addition to increasing water intake, frequent urination, exercising, avoiding stress, taking OTC medicines, applying cold packs, and taking natural supplements, priapism can be effectively treated through home remedies. Avoiding stress, alcohol, intercourse, and certain medications will accelerate healing.