Who gets priapism?
This condition can occur in all age groups. Frequently those who suffer from priapism have leukaemia or sickle-cell aneamia. Sometimes men who suffer from impotence stimulate an erection by means of penile injections which can cause priapism. Men taking certain anti-psychotic medications can also suffer from priapism. Signs and symptoms of priapism A painful erection that lasts more than four hours in the absence of any sexual stimulation, is the most prominent symptom of priapism. How is priapism diagnosed? The length of time the erection has been present is usually a good indication to medical staff of what the diagnosis is. After a doctor has carefully questioned a patient about his medical history and any medication or illicit drugs he may have been taking, blood can be aspirated from the penis for a blood gas analysis. The role of a blood gas sample taken from the penis is to differentiate between low-flow and high-flow priapism and can give an indication of the duration of the pr
