This year for International Men’s Day, I thought it would be a good idea to channel the learning I have been doing to become a sex therapist into doing a little education on male sexual function. I have previously briefly addressed a few issues related to male sexual dysfunction in a previous post (here). However, as today is a day for men, it seemed like a good opportunity to normalize talking about penises in a way that was lighthearted and educational. This one will be a short post ;)
Here are two fun facts about penises:
1. Erection, Ejaculation and orgasm are three separate processes
Yes, indeed they are! We usually think that ejaculation and orgasm are the same thing and that neither can occur without an erection however, this is simply not true.
Erection refers to the filling of the penis with blood once the corpora cavernosa receives messages from the brain to relax in order to allow blood flow into them. Once this happens, the valves in the penis trap the blood creating an erection.
Ejaculation is the expulsion of semen from the penis. It is a physiological response and therefore, it is possible to ejaculate without an erection. In cases of erectile dysfunction where there is either no erection or an erection not hard enough for penetrative sex, it is not uncommon. (For more information, see here).
Orgasm on the other hand, does tend to occur simultaneously with ejaculation for most men. However, orgasm is actually defined as the “intense pleasure and release of neuromuscular tension” (University of California San Francisco). So, although these two processes usually occur together, they are not the same. For this reason, it is important for people to know that using the terms ejaculation and orgasm interchangeably is inaccurate scientifically.
2. Getting an erection is not necessarily is a signifier of sexual arousal
In fact, there are different types of erections. The first are reflexogenic erections which occur when the genitals come into contact with something that triggers arousal. This is common during foreplay and masturbation.
Another type occurs when one has a sexual fantasy or remembers a sexual encounter and is known as a psychogenic erection. Physical touch is not involved with this process. It really is true that the brain is our biggest sex organ!
Nocturnal erections are the ones that occur during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of sleep. This is the phase during which humans dream. It is proposed that nocturnal erections are the result of the body shifting from the sympathetic nervous system activation (fight and flight) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). (More information here). It is common to have up to five per night. It can also happen in the morning where there is a physiological response to waking up. This is what is referred to as “morning wood”
Finally, it is possible to have a random erection for no apparent and sexually motivated reason. This is especially common in adolescents and young men but, it can happen at any age. Although it can be embarrassing and inconvenient, it is not abnormal in any way.
Hopefully you learned something you didn’t already know and will feel a little more informed about the human penis. Happy International Men’s Day!
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