The penis is an incredibly intriguing part of the body that has been of great interest and curiosity for centuries. As one of the most vital organs for reproduction and sexual pleasure, it’s hard to deny that the penis plays an important role in the male anatomy. Yet there remains some confusion over whether the penis should be seen as a muscle or an organ. In this article, we’ll address this and nine other frequently asked questions regarding the penis.
1. Is the penis a muscle or an organ?
The penis is in itself an organ, not a muscle. To understand why, we need to take a look at its structure and purpose.
Anatomy of the Penis
The penis is made up of multiple structures, all of which serve distinct functions:
Corpora Cavernosa: These two cylinders run up and down the length of the penis, which are used for erections. They are full of erectile tissue and veins.
Corpus Spongiosum: This muscle forms a wall around the urethra (the tube in which urine and semen exit the body) and grows to create the glans, or end, of the penis. It helps keep the urethra wide enough during an erection to ejaculate semen.
Skin and Foreskin: The outermost layer consists of skin, sometimes including the foreskin in uncircumcised men. The skin covers the organ and harbours sensory nerves.
Although these parts contain smooth and striated muscles for the purpose of erection and ejaculation, the penis itself earns its formal designation as an organ because it has the architecture of multiple tissues and functions needed for reproduction and urination.
2. How does the penis work?
Erection is both a psychological and a physiological reaction. Here’s a simplified version of how it works:
Stimulation: Sexual arousal can be induced by physiological or psychological stimuli, such as erotic thoughts or direct stimulation.
Nerve signals: When the brain becomes alert, signals flow from the nervous system to blood vessels on the penis.
Extravascular Blood Flow: These messages open the blood vessels in the penis and increase blood circulation into the erector tissue.
Erection: As the corpora cavernosa expands due to the influx of blood, the pressure inside bulges, leading to the penis ballooning and rigidifying. This is typically followed by stimulation of smooth muscle fibers, which close off the veins and prevent the flow of blood from leaving the penis too soon.
Detumescence: Upon ejaculation or cessation of stimulation, the extra blood flows out of the erection tissues and the penis becomes swollen.
3. Can the penis expand?
As we all know, most men grow their penises as they approach puberty. But, after puberty, large, permanent growths are uncommon. Well, there are a couple things to keep in mind:
Temporary Growth: When the penis is erect, it appears larger than when it is flaccid; this is normal anatomical variation.
Weight Loss: Men who lose weight can make their penis look bigger as pubic fat makes the penis seem smaller.
Operations: The surgical and non-surgical methods advertised to enlarge the penis are risky and often fail to produce satisfactory results.
Psychological Causes: Some men believe their penis is not quite as large as it is, and they worry about its size. Remember, the size of your penis doesn’t predict sex performance or attractiveness.
4. Why do some men have a curved penis?
Penis curvature is not uncommon and can vary in intensity and orientation. In most instances, the slight curve is entirely normal and can be caused by the way one’s body is designed. But a steeper curve might be the result of a condition called Peyronie’s disease. The condition is triggered by fibrous scar tissue inside the penis that causes curvature and occasionally pain during erections.
Keep in mind that a bent penis does not generally cause any problems with your health, but if it makes your sex painful or uncomfortable, please ask your doctor. Depending on the extent of the disease and the quality of life, treatments can be available – either medication or surgery.
5. Is circumcision necessary?
Circumcision, the surgical removing of the foreskin from the penis, has been an openly controversial practice. As cultural, religious and medical beliefs change, the use and benefits of circumcision may differ.
Medically, circumcision decreases the risk of urinary tract infections in infants and could lower the risk of some sexually transmitted infections in adulthood, such as HIV. It can also simplify hygiene for some men by reducing the amount of smegma that builds up under the foreskin.
But it isn’t universally required. Most men do live remarkably good lives without being circumcised, and choice is often a big factor. Make sure you consult with medical experts and weigh the pros and cons before making the decision to circumcise.
6. Can the penis be broken?
You might think this is scary, but in fact, the penis “breaks” though it isn’t a bone that breaks in the traditional sense. An injured penis fractures when the tunica albuginea, the fibrous layer around the erector tissue, is ripped open. It is a wound that often develops from high intensity sexual intercourse or trauma, including slipping out of sex and knocking the pubic bone, or from certain sexual activities that put too much pressure on the penis.
The symptoms of a penile fracture can include a popping noise, acute pain, swelling, bruising and a sudden loss of erection. When you think you have a broken penis, be sure to call the doctors as soon as possible. Surgical repair is usually the course of treatment to allow the injury to heal and return to function, and without treating a fracture, the condition might result in issues like erectile dysfunction or curvature of the erections.
7. Can men experience multiple orgasms?
Multiple orgasms are more likely to be associated with women, but men can also have multiple orgasms, but in a different manner. While most men experience a refractory phase after ejaculation — a healing phase during which they don’t conceive another erection or orgasm — some learn to have orgasms without ejaculation.
This capability is tied to skills that enable men to regain greater control of their pelvic muscles and knowledge of their arousal levels. It can be built through mindfulness, certain breathing exercises, and pelvic floor exercises (Kegel exercises, for example). Not all men do, but the men who can do share different good experiences.
8. Is the penis too small?
Tension over the size of your penis is not new and typically stems from social expectations. Size is not, from a medical point of view, exactly linked to sex pleasure for sexual partners. Nor is there any universal definition of a ‘too small’ penis.
Phallic sizes vary widely from one person to another, and a standard erect penis length is between 5 to 6 inches long. Increasingly, we’re learning that sexual partners value intimacy, feeling and control over size. Thus, while insecurity over size can undermine self-worth and body image, you have to be honest about it.
9. Do you have any health issues in relation to the penis?
Concerns about the penis range from sexual function, to hygiene to sexually transmitted diseases (STIs). Other symptoms include erectile dysfunction, excessive ejaculation, perianal curvature (Peyronie’s disease), and infections.
It’s very important to keep the penis healthy by engaging in sex safely, cleaning it regularly, and consulting your healthcare providers about any concerns — whether it’s size, function or sexually transmitted disease. Then there are cases of penile cancer (very uncommon) and other urological problems that should be seen as quickly as possible.
Conclusion:
To summarise, the penis is an incredibly interesting and complicated piece of anatomy that has a central function in reproduction and sexual pleasure. It’s a system of muscles and tissue that collaborate to accomplish different tasks. We have so many more mysteries to answer about the penis, but it’s vital that we know how it looks and works in order to stay sexually and physiologically healthy. And as with any other area of the body, you should consult a physician about any concerns or problem with the penis.
