Erectile Pressure

I’ve read on here many times about recommended pumping pressures and that raised my curiosity about what is normal erectile pressure in a penis. You could generate this pressure either by lowering the pressure of the air around the penis with a pump, or by squeezing blood into the penis by jelqing.

My common sense told me that erectile pressure would have to be less than the normal systolic blood pressure so if you assume 120mm/80mm Hg that would result in a maximal pressure of about 5" Hg.

Tonight I decided to research this a little and I came up with the following info.

Based on several studies, the average erectile pressure is on the order of 100 mm or 4" Hg.

However it can exceed that level. The article here describes Phase 4 of an erection as:

Interestingly the erectile pressure can exceed the systolic bp although the article does not specify by how much (probably not by too much), but this would give an erectile pressure of 6" or possibly 7". I also found it very interesting that no blood would be flowing through the cavernous artery at this time.

I’m not sure, but I think that the pressure would be additive in pumping, such that if you had an erection with 4" Hg pressure and you pumped at the same time with 4" Hg then you would have a pressure differential of 8" Hg.

It seems to me that in order to enlarge the penis through pumping or jelqing that one would need to exceed the average pressures present during an erection. I leave it to those more knowledgeable than me to speculate on how much.

Interesting links.

The link that I gave above has a lot of interesting info on erection mechanisms.

This study is fairly typical of several that I found that discuss modeling the mechanisms of erections. Note that almost all the models of erection ignore the CS and only deal with the CC.

I am envious! Great post!

I have to thank you also … great post.

itsme said:

Interestingly the erectile pressure can exceed the systolic bp although the article does not specify by how much (probably not by too much), but this would give an erectile pressure of 6” or possibly 7”.
The material I have seen indicates that during phase 4 the intracavernous pressure is approximately 200 cm water (which is about 150 mm Hg or just under 6 inches Hg).

I also found it very interesting that no blood would be flowing through the cavernous artery at this time.
The Cavernous arteries enter the corpora just below the pubic bone and travel down the center of each CC. At maximal erection (phase 4) the intracavernous pressure exceeds systolic blood pressure and closes off the artery preventing further inflow.

I'm not sure, but I think that the pressure would be additive in pumping, such that if you had an erection with 4” Hg pressure and you pumped at the same time with 4” Hg then you would have a pressure differential of 8” Hg.
Due to the strength and resistance to further expansion by the tunica I doubt you get 100% of the extracorporal vacuum to add to the internal pressure.

It seems to me that in order to enlarge the penis through pumping or jelqing that one would need to exceed the average pressures present during an erection. I leave it to those more knowledgeable than me to speculate on how much.
I would think anything over the average intracavernous pressure of 100 mm Hg (4 inches Hg) would be beneficial. You wouldn’t have to double it. Perhaps the recommended 5 to 6 inches Hg is all it takes to give that extra jolt to the tissues. That would be like having a maximum erection (phase 4) that lasted as long as the pump session.

Note that almost all the models of erection ignore the CS and only deal with the CC.
The pressure in the glans and CS is only 1/3 to 1/2 that in the CC during an erection because the tunica covering the CS is thin and the glans has virtually no tunica to contain pressure. Only at maximum erection (phase 4) do the glans/CC become much firmer. This is due to their compression within the penile fascia from the increased pressure caused by the contraction of the BC and IC muscles.

Great post itsme.

Westla: I have a very soft CS and glans unless I wear a cock ring. So by the sounds of things there’s never enough pressure in my penis. What can be done about this?

itsme and westla90069,

Thanks for the great topic, theory and information provided. Absolutely great!

Peforeal

Thanks Westla. I appreciate the additional specific info, and I admire your knowledge.

I’m just a good researcher with a medical library at hand. And I have a penis that I’m interested in making bigger so, like Bib, I want to know “the details” about how it works.

Good_Knight - I have a post in this thread with links to posts about exercises thought to increase head size, but I know of no way to keep pressure in the CS/glans except a cock ring. It’s like anything else, there are differences between men and some guys will always have a “softer” glans than others and there isn’t much to be done about it.

Thanks Westla. Yeah, I feared that that was the case… Looks like I’m going to be a life time cock ring wearer… I literally lose about 1.3” head girth without one. :(

I forgot to put too Westla that it always amuses me that somebody with “just an interest” in penis physiology knows more about the workings of the penis than the medical profession! ;)

Well, I’m not a physician, but my work is related.