What are the causes and symptoms of priapism?
Priapism is caused by leukemia, sickle cell disease, or spinal cord injury. It has also been associated as a rare side effect to trazodone (Desyrel), a drug prescribed to treat depression. An overdose of self-injected chemicals to counteract impotence has also been responsible for priapism. The chemicals are directly injected into the penis, and at least a quarter of all men who have used this method of treatment for over three months develop priapism. Source: The Gale Group. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 3rd ed.