# What's so bad about a 4+ hour erection? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489 "2007-01-18T19:01:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/1 "2007-01-18T19:01:30Z")
It seems that in all the erectile disfunction commercials I’ve seen, they have a disclaimer that says to see your doctor immediately if you have erections lasting in excess of 4 hours. I’m curious, is it because such a thing could cause real medical harm or because most guys don’t want a 5 hour erection? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/2 "2007-01-18T19:10:45Z")
I suspect it can cause real harm, although it’s not clear what the mechanism is. Certainly having four hours of erection over a 24 hour period doesn’t cause harm. Just when it’s all put together. In the ake of the 2000 election, The Capitol Steps had a hilarious bit about “Electile Disfunction”, which ended with the announcement “If Election perists past 72 hours, see the Supreme Court.” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/3 "2007-01-18T19:27:49Z")
Your dick could drop off. Really. [Priapism](http://www.webmd.com/content/article/3/1680_50136.htm) This article covers it and you now have the name by which to find it. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/4 "2007-01-18T19:43:52Z")
Now that the question has been answered. “I don’t know how you guys walk around with those things”. --Elaine Benes ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/5 "2007-01-18T19:44:31Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Certainly having four hours of erection over a 24 hour period doesn’t cause harm. Just when it’s all put together. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but putting it all together is the fun part! (Ba da bum) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/6 "2007-01-18T20:00:38Z")
We just did a long thread on this. [Priapism and Viagra/Cialis/Levitra](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=402259&highlight=hour+erection). ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/7 "2007-01-18T23:44:23Z")
Plus, what if you have to take a pee? Men can’t whiz while they’re erect, and holding it for several hours until your boner finally goes down would be mighty uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/8 "2007-01-18T23:59:27Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] Plus, what if you have to take a pee? Men can’t whiz while they’re erect, and holding it for several hours until your boner finally goes down would be mighty uncomfortable. [/QUOTE] Sure you can or at least I can. It is just more difficult because the angle that it is stuck at may nor be optimal for the whole process. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/9 "2007-01-19T01:18:42Z")
Four hour erections aren’t harmful if they’re erm, naturally induced, are they? Or are marathon sex sessions actually bad? ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/10 "2007-01-19T03:25:13Z")
From the article, “Priapism is the occurrence of any persistent erection for more than four hours duration in the absence of sexual stimulation.” Marathan sessions are still OK. Also from the same article: > [@](#): > > Priapism is named after Priapus, the Greek god of fertility, and the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. He was apparently an ugly, satyrlike man with enormous genitalia. He was the god of gardens, bees, goats, and sheep. One wonders if for a particular poster, who need need not name since **Hal** has taken too much trouble for it so far, there is any connection between his size and love of sheep. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/11 "2007-01-19T03:48:40Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Sure you can or at least I can. It is just more difficult because the angle that it is stuck at may nor be optimal for the whole process. [/QUOTE] That’s what _sinks_ are for! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/12 "2007-01-19T04:17:45Z")
It’s possible that either the meds induce abnormally high blood pressure in the microvascular web that comprises the erection, or that keeping erection-level blood volume at pressure in the local vascular web may cause some sort of damage. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/13 "2007-01-19T04:22:56Z")
Both. Can’t speak to the former, though it seems rational; but as to the latter, having a boner hurts after a certain amount of time. It’s just not natural to reroute your blood flow for that long, and it doesn’t feel good. Plus it can make your daily routine much more difficult–it’s irritating enough having to hide a boner for five minutes, let alone five hours. > [@Diceman](#): > > Plus, what if you have to take a pee? Men can’t whiz while they’re erect Bullshit. It’s just a more paranoid experience because toilets were not made to accommodate a higher release point. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/14 "2007-01-19T04:27:31Z")
Here is another good article on priapism: > **[Priapism: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology](https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/437237-overview)** > > Priapism is defined as an abnormal persistent erection of the penis. It is usually painful and it is unrelated to sexual stimulation and unrelieved by ejaculation. Although priapism is defined as “in the absence of sexual stimulation”, a hose is a hose is a hose. It doesn’t matter what the doctor calls it if the damage is there. This damage can be caused by a constant erection for 4-6 hours, but many marathons don’t have this degree of constancy. That said, there are case reports of Viagra improving priapism. I’ve also seen many sicklers who are NOT aware of their diagnosis, so I think the warning still makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/15 "2007-01-19T04:27:32Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] it’s irritating enough having to hide a boner for five minutes [/QUOTE] Well, it depends where you’re hiding it, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/16 "2007-01-19T04:32:48Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Well, it depends where you’re hiding it, of course. [/QUOTE] 😃 OK, I can think of a couple places I wouldn’t mind having to hide a boner for a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/17 "2007-01-19T05:29:37Z")
The blood causing the erection is part of the _circulatory_ system. When it stops circulating in part of the body, bad things can happen. Like gangrene. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/18 "2007-01-19T05:39:30Z")
[QUOTE=SanibelMan] Yeah, but putting it all together is the fun part! [/QUOTE] You “sum” bitch, quit making me shake with laughter! Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever see my wife laugh as hard as when Steve Correl called in during the 40 year old virgin movie complaining about how’d he’d had a days old erection, sans any medicine. Holy shit, that was one of those unforgettable “movie moments.” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/19 "2007-01-19T11:28:40Z")
Keep on subject and don’t degrade to sexual inuendo’s I know it’s a problem for many posters, please remember this is in GQ where your suposed to repress that behavor. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489/20 "2007-01-19T18:24:01Z")
It’s my understanding that sometimes what goes up doesn’t go down, and requires surgery. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-bad-about-a-4-hour-erection/388489.md?page=2)