Record numbers of men hospitalised with painful erections lasting hours

Men ending up in hospital with painful erections seems to have hit a record.

Lasting hours, some blokes had been suffering from a typical rare diagnosis that can cause permanent damage to the penis, including erectile dysfunction.

Being able ‘to go for ages’ is something plenty of men will try to lie and boast about (I’m confidently presenting this as fact here) but in reality, if their little mate is standing up for hours, it’s not exactly a good sign for their health.

And it’s been reported that in the year to March 2025, there were 518 cases of painful erections. In total, a whopping 410 of these are said to have been emergency admissions for priapism while the rest had long-term troubles and were in for pre-planned or non-emergency treatment, according to The Sun.

If you've got an erection going for more than three to four hours, it's hospital time. (Getty Stock Image)

What is priapism?

A very rare side effect of Viagra, priapism often affects people with sickle cell disease.

Essentially, it’s a long-lasting painful erection that can last for more than four hours and if it’s not treated quickly, it can cause permanent damage to the penis.

It happens when blood stays in the penis and can’t drain, often happening without any kind of sexual arousal or stimulation.

With symptoms of pain, it’s said priapism most commonly affects adults between 20 and 50 years old.

As well as sickle cell disease, the NHS lists other causes as:

· Blood-thinning medicines such as warfarin

· Some antidepressants

· Use of drugs like cannabis and cocaine

· Some medicines for high blood pressure

· Other blood disorders such as thalassaemia and leukaemia

· Some treatments for erectile dysfunction

Like I mentioned, priapism can have some rough consequences if untreated and that includes both erectile dysfunction and scarring of the tissues inside the penis.

It's something to worry about rather than brag about. (Getty Stock Image)

What you can do yourself to reduce a painful erection

In order to try and reduce a painful erection at home, the NHS recommends a number of steps.

You can simply try and go for a wee, have a warm bath or shower, drink a load of water, go for a gentle walk, try out a few exercises like squats or running on the spot and take painkillers like paracetamol if needed.

But it’s recommended not to do any of the following:

· Apply ice packs or cold water as it can make things worse

· Have sex or masturbate as it won’t make the erection go away

· Drink alcohol

· Smoke

When to go to hospital for a painful, long-lasting erection

You should be calling 999 or getting straight to A&E (driven by someone else or via an ambulance) if your erection is lasting more than three to four hours or if you have sickle cell disease and a painful erection lasting over an hour.

At hospital, different treatments can be administered to reduce the erection.

A needle may be used to drain blood from the penis – don’t start crossing your legs over that too much, the area gets numbed under local anaesthetic. Tablets may be given or injections may also be administered directly into the penis.

And there is also potential for a surgery to drain the blood through a tiny cut – again, that’s done while the person is asleep under general anaesthetic.