Penis Size -- Common Questions and Answers About Penis Size

Penis size is determined entirely by factors out of our control. Yet penis size may be the single greatest cause of anxiety for men young and old. Questions about penis size abound; What’s the average penis size? Can I increase my penis size? Does penis size matter as much as I think it does? Some of these questions have easy answers, most of them don’t.

What can safely be said is that concern about penis size is almost always misguided. Great sex is much more than the sum (or length) of its parts. Hopefully learning more about what researchers and regular folks have to say about penis size may help more men understand that.

What Is an Average Penis Size?

Data on what the average penis size is, both in terms of length and girth, as well as an explanation of the problems with measuring penis size and determining global statistics on average penis size.

Who Cares More About Penis Size, Women or Men?

Is bigger always better? Does penis size matter to the general public? Here’s what research tells us about the importance of penis size.

Think Your Penis Is Too Small?

There are some very simple reasons why most men think their penis is too small, here they are.

Bad Penis Science: What’s Wrong With Penis Size Research?

One of the reasons that it’s so difficult to find accurate global data on average penis size is that measuring penises is a lot more complicated than you might think. As a result there is a lot of bad research out there on penis size.

How Do I Measure Up?

There is a tendency to compare yourself to others, and if most of your sex education has been from pornography, comparing your penis size to the images you see on your computer screen or TV may not be a good thing. Here’s the real story on how you measure up, and the trouble with comparing penis size.

Is There a “Right” Penis Size?

Is there such a thing as your “genital soul mate”? Does penis size play a role in how well you and a partner are matched sexually?

Do Penis Pumps Work?

They’re marketed as permanent penis enlargers, and you get emails every day praising their effectiveness. But do penis pumps really enlarge the penis?

What Is a Micropenis?

Learn more about what does, and does not, qualify clinically as a very small penis. Most men who think they have one don’t.

What Is Small Penis Syndrome

A new proposed diagnosis for men who are anxious about their penis size despite being shown that they do not have an unusually small penis.

Why Do People Care About Penis Size?

There are those who say penis size does matter. What’s important about penis size for them, and why do they care about it?

Nine Things to Know About Male Sexuality

There’s so much more to men than the size of their penis. Here is a crash course on key aspects of male sexuality that everyone should know about.

Male Genitalia 101

The penis is only one of several parts to the male sexual anatomy. When you learn more about what’s there, you may stop neglecting all the other sexual bits, and you could discover a world of pleasure you hadn’t imagined.

Prostate health

Enlarged prostate gland

The prostate is a gland located just below your bladder and surrounds your urethra (the tube for passing urine). Its usual function is to produce a fluid that is mixed with sperm during ejaculation. The gland tends to get bigger with age and this can push on the urethra, interfering with the flow of urine. This condition is called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) - it isn't cancerous. About half of men over 50 get symptoms of BPH including:

• feeling that you haven't completely emptied your bladder
• needing to get up several times a night to pass urine
• going frequently during the day
• difficulty in starting to pass urine, a weak stream or dribbling at the end of passing urine

For some men an enlarged prostate can be just a minor nuisance. For others it can have a significant effect on quality of life. Options for treating BPH include lifestyle measures, medicines to relax the bladder or shrink the prostate and surgery.

Other Nonsurgical Treatments

Self-Injection

Self-injection involves using a short needle to inject medication through the side of the penis directly into the corpus cavernosum, which produces an erection that lasts from 30 minutes to several hours. Prostaglandin (alprostadil, Caverject®, Edex®), and phentolamine (Regitine®) produce results similar to Viagra but are localized in the penis after injection. They cause vascular dilation and a relaxation of smooth muscle. Prostaglandin is the only substance currently approved for erectile dysfunction treatment. Phentolamine is a heart medication with similar effects used by some physicians to treat impotence.
These drugs have been shown to produce erections in 80% of men who inject them. Some men claim that they produce erections that feel natural and improve sex. The injections are relatively painless and create an erection that begins about 5 to 15 minutes after the injection. It is recommended that self-injection be performed no more than once every 4 to 7 days. Side effects include infection, bleeding, and bruising at the injection site, dizziness, heart palpitations, and flushing. There is a small risk for priapism (an erection that lasts for more than 6 hours and requires medical relief). Repeated injection may cause scarring of erectile tissue, which can further impair erection.
Urethral suppositories containing prostaglandin (aprostadil), like Muse® (Medicated Urethral System for Erections), may be an alternative to injection. Using a hand-held delivery device, a man inserts a prostaglandin pellet through the meatus (penis opening) into the urethra. Prostaglandin is absorbed through the urethral mucosa and into the surrounding erectile tissue. It is available with a prescription, is well tolerated, and may improve erections in 60% of men who use it.

In addition to the side effects associated with injecting aprostadil, pain in the penis and perineum (area between scrotum and rectum) may occur with suppository use.

Vacuum Devices Vacuum devices work by manually creating an erection. The penis is inserted into a plastic tube, which is pressed against the body to form a seal. A hand pump attached to the tube is used to create a vacuum that draws blood into the penis, causing the penis to become engorged. After 1 to 3 minutes in the vacuum, an adequate erection is created. The penis is removed from the tube and a soft rubber O-ring is placed around the base of the penis to trap blood and maintain the erection until removed. The ring can be left in place for 25 to 30 minutes.

Vacuum devices work best in men who are able to achieve partial erections on their own. They are easy to use at home, require no other procedure, and typically improve erections regardless of the cause of impotence. Some men experience a numbing feeling after placing the O-ring. Since the penis is flaccid between the ring and the body, the erection may be somewhat floppy.

Nonsurgical Impotence Treatment

Sex Therapy
A significant number of men develop impotence from psychological causes that can be overcome. When a physiological cause is treated, subsequent self-esteem problems may continue to impair normal function and performance. Qualified therapists (e.g., sex counselors, psychotherapists) work with couples to reduce tension, improve sexual communication, and create realistic expectations for sex, all of which can improve erectile function.

Psychological therapy may be effective in conjunction with medical or surgical treatment. Sex therapists emphasize the need for men and their partners to be motivated and willing to adapt to psychological and behavioral modifications, including those that result from medical or surgical treatment.

Medical Treatment

Oral Medication Oral medications used to treat erectile dysfunction include selective enzyme inhibitors (e.g., sildenafil [Viagra®], vardenafil HCl [Levitra®], tadalafil [Cialis®]) and yohimbine (Yohimbine®, Yocon®).
Selective enzyme inhibitors are available by prescription and may be taken up to once a day to treat ED. They improve partial erections by inhibiting the enzyme that facilitates their reduction and increase levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP, a chemical factor in metabolism), which causes the smooth muscles of the penis to relax, enabling blood to flow into the corpora cavernosa.

Patients taking nitrate drugs (used to treat chest pain) and those taking alpha-blockers (used to treat high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia) should not take selective enzyme inhibitors.

Men who have had a heart attack or stroke within the past 6 months and those with certain medical conditions (e.g., uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe low blood pressure or liver disease, unstable angina) that make sexual activity inadvisable should not take Cialis®. Dosages of the drug should be limited in patients with kidney or liver disorders.

Viagra® is absorbed and processed rapidly by the body and is usually taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before intercourse. Results vary depending on the cause of erectile dysfunction, but studies have shown that Viagra is effective in 75% of cases. It helps men with erectile dysfunction associated with diabetes mellitus (57%), spinal cord injuries (83%), and radical prostatectomy (43%).

In clinical studies, Levitra® has been shown to work quickly, provide consistent results, and improve sexual function in most men the first time they take the drug. It also has shown to be effective in men of all ages, in patients with diabetes mellitus, and in men who have undergone radical prostatectomy.
Cialis® has been shown in clinical trials to stay in the body longer than the other selective enzyme inhibitors. It promotes erection within 30 minutes and enhances the ability to achieve erection for up to 36 hours.

Common side effects of selective enzyme inhibitors include headache, reddening of the face and neck (flushing), indigestion, and nasal congestion. Cialis® may cause muscle aches and back pain, which usually resolve on their own within 48 hours.

In October 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved important changes to the drug labeling information for these medications. Selective enzyme inhibitors may be associated with a potential risk for sudden hearing loss, which may be accompanied by ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and dizziness (vertigo). Patients who experience sudden hearing loss in one or both ears while taking these medications for ED should stop taking the drug and contact a health care provider.

Yohimbine improves erections for a small percentage of men. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is linked to erection, and may increase libido. It is necessary to take the medication for 6 to 8 weeks before determining whether it will work or not.

Yohimbine has a stimulatory effect and side effects include elevated heart rate and blood pressure, mild dizziness, nervousness, and irritability. Yohimbine's effects have not been studied thoroughly, but some studies suggest that 10% to 20% of men respond to treatment with the drug.

Ease of administration makes oral medication advantageous. Some drugs, however, are suitable for only a relatively small group of men, and in many cases, oral medications may by less effective than other treatments.

Effects of Impotence

Whether the cause of impotence is physiological or psychological, both the patient and his partner often experience a range of intense feelings and emotions. Any of these feelings can lead to a sense of hopelessness and lower self-esteem.

Of course, feelings of sexual insecurity can reinforce any performance anxiety a man experiences and create a vicious cycle of repeated failures and increasingly negative feelings.

The first step to overcoming these feelings is to acknowledge the problem and communicate honestly and openly with each other.

Self Esteem

Because sexual performance is often a big part of a man's self-esteem, experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) can be devastating not only to a man's sex life, but to his entire sense of being. Men with ED can become uncertain of themselves and avoid intimate situations with their partners; this only increases the pressure and anxiety associated with a condition which is often treatable.

In addition, erectile dysfunction can cause men to feel inadequate in their roles. Men who are suffering from ED tend to isolate themselves from their relationships and withdraw from their partners.

The psychological effects of ED can invade every aspect of a man's life, from his relationship with his partner, to his interactions on a social level, to his job performance. Therefore, it is important for a man who is suffering from ED to feel as comfortable as possible discussing his condition with his partner, and with his physician, in order to discover the treatment strategy which can best help overcome this condition.

Partners

Erectile dysfunction can be embarrassing to discuss not only with a health care provider but with also with a partner. It often causes men to withdraw from those who care about them, which puts a serious strain on relationships.

Partners of men with ED feel that initiating a discussion regarding the situation will cause embarrassment and humiliation. They also may develop a sense of inadequacy, thinking the cause of ED is their fault and that they are no longer physically attractive to their partner.

In most cases, ED is a result of physical causes (although it can easily be made worse by psychological factors), and can often be treated. However, silence, embarrassment, and feelings of inadequacy and humiliation only lead to further withdrawal on the part of both partners, increasing the distance and tension within the relationship. The anxiety which results can easily make a case of ED worse, leading to a vicious circle of failure and anxiety about failure.
Both partners and men with ED need to try to remember that ED is most often a treatable physical condition. The first step to treatment, however, is trust and a willingness on the part of both partners to discuss the situation with each other, and with a physician.