Sexuality: Erectile Dysfunction Education

Erections are a big part of gay culture — we either want to stick it in somebody or want someone to stick it in us.

But there’s also some things about our erections that we may not know about. For instance, did you guys know your erections can actually be a good barometer of your health? And that there are plenty of ways you can maintain erectile health? Here are just some trivia and tips about your erection!

1. Your heart and your dick are connected — sort of

When you’re turned on and your penis gets hard, it’s because blood flows into it. Your dick is basically blood vessels and spongy tissue, so when blood has trouble circulating there, it probably means that there are other blood flow problems that have gone undetected. In fact, a study back in 2005 concluded that “erectile dysfunction is a harbinger of cardiovascular clinical events.”

2. Smoking isn’t good for you and your erection

Not only are cigarettes bad for your lungs, they’re not good for your penis either. The nicotine in cigarettes harm blood vessels and makes them contract, hampering blood flow and making it much more difficult for you to achieve an erection.

3. Kegel exercises aren’t just for women

Yes, you usually associate Kegel exercises with women, but doing it can also help you out with erectile dysfunction. Here’s how you do it: First, you find out the muscles of your pelvic floor. You do this by stopping your stream several times in the middle of urination. The muscle you use to do that are the ones you need to work on.

Once you’ve located those muscles, squeeze them for five seconds, then relax. Repeat this 10 to 20 times, two or three times a day. You’ve just performed Kegel exercises!

If you’re finding it hard to do Kegel exercises this way, there’s another way to do it. Rather than squeezing your pelvic floor muscles, you can squeeze the muscles of your anus, like you’re stopping yourself from taking a dump. Hold that for five to 10 seconds, then relax.

4. Keep calm and get a hard-on

Stress produces adrenaline, which in turn results in your blood vessels contracting. When blood vessels contract, it makes it much more difficult for blood to get to different parts of your body, such as your penis. Getting enough sleep, keeping yourself calm, and maybe doing some yoga and meditation will help ease your stress, and in turn help you get hard as well.

5. There’s no shame in doing it the pharmaceutical way

As bad as it sounds, erectile dysfunction is something that you’re going to have to deal with as you get older. There’s no shame in getting either Cialis or Viagra or generic versions of the two. Click here to chat with a pharmacist and get the help you need!