oh, yes, you can break your penis!!

I am not sure why this has been a hot question as of late, but I keep getting asked if men can really break their penises.  I guess it is confusing because usually you break a bone, and while we all know the common term for an erection, there really isn't a bone in there!

So what's the deal?
It is actually called a penile fracture and it can happen during sex (being in a more strenuous position, the person on top falling with too hard a landing...you can imagine)!  Medically, it is a hyper bending of the penis, when erect, that can cause a tear of one of the outer layer of the penile tissue (tunica albuginea), which causes swelling and effects the inner tissue (corpora cavernosa) which is the area that fills up with blood, to actually cause the erection. So, when that outer layer tears, it allows blood and other fluids to go where it shouldn't an it causes severe pain, swelling (not in the good way, fellas), and bruising.

Signs/symptoms?
Usually there is a popping noise (I don't even have a penis and that makes me cringe) when the tear occurs, and you will have pretty severe pain, swelling, and bruising.  If there isn't a pop, but just the other signs, you still may have a fracture and will need to seek medical attention.

Prevention:
As mentioned before, it can happen when the penis is bent more than usual, and it can be caused from the pens hitting a hard surface instead of where it is supposed to go (for example in female/male sex- hitting the perineum instead of entering the vagina, and it usually occurs by accident), so the best prevention is to not try to rock extreme acrobatics in the bed room and diminish flying into the wall when you miss your partner....if you know you can make it every time, then go get 'em!!

What can be done?
It is considered a MEDICAL EMERGENCY!!! Usually, you need to have surgery under general anesthesia.  They have to make a couple of incisions in the penis, to find the tear or tears, suture them up to repair the injured area, then suture the penis back up.  Usually the operation lasts about an hour total, then you go to the recovery area, then usually right home that day.  The healing process usually takes about a month, then you can be back in action!!  If you DON'T get the operation with the tear, your penis will eventually go back to somewhat normal, there can be a build-up of scar tissue, which can cause erectile dysfunction later on.  Some tears are small and your HCP may feel that it will heal well without surgery, but if that is the case, I would get a second opinion, seeing as your sexual health is a super important part of life, I would make sure that your penis will heal without later issues!!
Here is a pic of a small penile fracture:

This is in the OR, and they are about to repair the fracture (the open triangle at the base of the penis)

How common is it?
There are usually 1200-1500 (approx) cases per year in the US.

So, don't let this scare you from having the amazing sex life that you deserve BUT if you want to "try" something, make sure that you decrease your risk of missing!  And, ladies: when you are on top, please don't get too rough....and pay attention to what you are doing, it can cause a serious problem!!

Yours in Good Health
B