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How does an erection occur?
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When a man gets sexually aroused, a cascade of events leads to the hardening and enlargement of his penis, in other words – an erection. Mental and/or physical stimulation can begin the process of sexual arousal that produces an erection.
Once aroused, signals from the man’s brain cause the nerves in his penis to relax and allow more blood to flow into special chambers in the penis.
At the same time another mechanism causes the vessels that carry blood away from the penis to get compressed – thus trapping the blood within the penis. More blood flows into the penis than can flow out, so the penis expands and become hard.
After ejaculation a tightening of the nerves allows blood to leave the chambers returning the penis to its flaccid state.
Problems with the nerves or the blood vessels in the penis can affect a man’s ability to get and maintain a hard erection. Treatments are available to tackle this problem, commonly known as erectile dysfunction, or ED.
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