Medication that relaxes the smooth muscle of the penis and increases blood flow is injected with a tiny needle into the side of the penis. A doctor can generally teach a man or his partner to administer the injections in one or two office visits. Patients will have to return for follow-up visits, particularly at the beginning of treatment, to ensure they are receiving proper dosage of the medication. The injections produce completely normal erections and are easy to prepare and administer. This treatment option does not involve surgery, is only minimally painful, and can be used any time.
Some men report that the injections cause urethral pain and burning.
Injections should be limited to once or twice a week to minimize risks of scars or penile damage. The most serious complication of penile injections is priapism , a painful condition where the erection persists and does not go away. A vacuum constriction or vacuum erection device is a large plastic tube attached to a pump. Placed over a lubricated penis, the pump is activated, causing a vacuum in the tube. The vacuum allows blood to flow into the penis, producing an erection.