When pictures hit the net of burlesque singer Beyonce and her husband, rapper Jay Z vacationing in Paris a couple of days ago, one set of pictures in particular caught my eye. Jay Z seemed to be experiencing priapism, or a persistent erection. In a few of the pictures Jigga covers his groin area with his massive hand in a poor attempt to conceal his full blown erection.
Priapism is a potentially harmful and sometimes painful medical condition in which the penis maintains erection and does not return to its flaccid (resting) state for a period lasting longer than four hours.
It was an embarrassing moment for Jay Z to be sure, but it is a common side effect of a drug often prescribed for men with penile erection dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction (or impotency) occurs when a man is unable to sustain an erection long enough to satisfy a woman (or man) during sexual intercourse.
I told you a couple of years ago that, according to a source, Jay Z, 41, was swallowing Viagra pills like they were Pez candies. According to the source, Jay Z has had trouble “getting it up” for years. Finally, out of desperation, he (allegedly) sought medical treatment to keep up with the sexual demands of his young wife, Beyonce.
Common causes of erectile dysfunction in men include cigarette smoking, diabetes, hormone insufficiencies, heart disease or drugs, such as anti-depressants and cocaine.
While it is a laughing matter for us ladies who (thank God) don’t have such problems, most men can relate to Jay Z’s predicament.
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Studies show that 86% of men experience some form of priapism by the time they reach age 20. But the frequency increases dramatically when a man is taking Sildenafil, sold under the trade names Viagra and Revatio; or Tadalafil sold as Cialis and Levitra.
Sildenafil was originally prescribed as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the artery leading from the heart to the lungs). But doctors found that the drug also acted on the penis because the same smooth muscle of the lungs can be found in the penis wall as well.
In 1998, drug manufacturer Pfizer began marketing the drug as a solution for men with erectile dysfunction because it contains an enzyme inhibitor that regulates blood flow to the penis.
The side effects of Sildenafil includes headache, flushing, heartburn, nasal congestion, blurred vision and persistent penile erection for four hours.
This has been your Medical Minute.
DISCLAIMER
Any medical information published on this blog is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with your personal physician or a health care provider.
