Most people are familiar with the parts of the penis that we see – the shaft and glans (a.k.a. the head) – but the penis actually reaches way down into the ischiopubic rami which is part of your pelvis. It’s composed of three chambers, which include one corpus spongiosum chamber, the spongy tissue that surrounds the urethra, and two corpora cavernosa chambers, the erectile tissue that fills with blood during and erection. These two chambers of corpora cavernosa are what extend down deep into the pelvis.
In addition, the penis is home to several important neurovascular structures, including the dorsal artery and nerve, the superficial and deep dorsal veins, and the cavernosal arteries. The cavernosal arteries carry blood into the penis to fill the corpus cavernosa, which causes the penis to become erect and collapse the surrounding veins. After ejaculation, the veins carry blood from the penis back to the body, causing the penis to become soft or flaccid once more.
The urethra is a tube that runs down the underside of the penis. This is the passageway that allows urine to flow from the bladder and out of the body. The urethra also carries semen out of the body during an ejaculation. Proper hygiene is important to keep this plumbing healthy. Washing your genitals with soap and water is all it takes to keep that area so fresh and so clean. Scented powders and sprays can cause irritation, so make sure to stay away from those. If you have your foreskin intact, you’ll want to pull it back gently and wash the skin underneath so that smegma doesn’t build up and begin to irritate the area.
Along with the penis, the scrotum makes up the remainder of the external sex anatomy. The scrotum, also called the balls or the ball sack, is what holds the testicles in place and keeps them at the right temperature. Temperature affects sperm production, so if the temperature is cold, the scrotum will pull your testicles up into your body. If the temperature is hot, the scrotum will let your testicles cool off by hanging away from your body.
Testicles are generally the same size, but they can be slightly asymmetrical or hang at different heights, which is totally normal. However, if you see that one or both of your testicles have drastically changed size, shape or location, it’s best to get that checked out by your doctor, stat. Also, a fact that you undoubtedly know already is that the scrotum and testicles are ridiculously sensitive, so it’s important to protect your family jewels at all costs.
Another important landmark is the epididymis, a small structure located behind the testicles that transports sperm from the testicles into the vas deferens. The vas deferens is another tube that sperm into the seminal fluid.
The penis and testicles are necessary for sexual, reproductive and urinary function – some of the most fantastic and fun functions of the human body. The penis is the primary organ for sexual intercourse. When the penis is in its aroused and erect state, it’s able to penetrate a vagina or an anus, although penetrative sex is by no means the end-all and be-all of sexual activity. The penis can take a great deal of pounding pressure, but it can be injured during sex. A penile fracture happens most often when your thrusting misses its intended target during penetrative sex. This can lead to pain, bruising, swelling, long-term deformities and erectile dysfunction, so please, be adventurous but be careful!
As if sexual intercourse and sexual pleasure weren’t enough, the penis also facilitates urination and ejaculation. Urination is simply the removal of filtered liquid waste from the kidneys and out the tip of the penis through the urethra. The urethra runs like a river through the prostate gland, and because the prostate grows as people get older, its increasing size can sometimes restrict the flow of urine. Urinary tract infections and scarring can also cause difficulties with urination, so if you have any pain, burning or changes in your ability to urinate, make sure you check in with your doctor to see what’s going on.
Ejaculation is when semen is ejected out of the body through the penis, and it’s by far our favorite topic of conversation over here at the Popstar team. Semen contains sperm, but it’s also made up of water, plasma, mucus, calcium, lactic acid, glucose, fructose, magnesium, protein, zinc and potassium. Ejaculation is a team effort between the penis, testicles, epididymis, prostate and vas deferens. For more information on ejaculation, make sure you read the other articles in our Sex Stuff blog and check out our Popstar supplement, which enhances ejaculatory function.
Sperm are made in the testicles. In humans, sperm is necessary to fertilize an egg in order to make a baby. Thanks to modern medicine, the uniting of a sperm and an egg can be done in many, many different ways, so penetrative sexual intercourse is no longer necessary to conceive. In addition to housing the testes, the scrotum can also be responsible for sexual pleasure. Its sensitivity makes it one of the body’s many erogenous zones, and it can be gently aroused during sexual activity.
Your genitals are amazing in a million different ways, but occasionally things can go wrong. It’s important to be intimately familiar with your penis and scrotum so that you know how they normally look and feel. I recommend doing a self-examination about once a month to see if there are any changes. Warning signs to be on the lookout for are changes in size, swelling, pain, lumps, bumps, dark spots, lesions, cysts and redness. However, this is not an exhaustive list, so make sure to pay attention to any deviations from the norm.
While issues that we see in my medical practice are usually benign, cancer and other serious conditions do occur. Testicular cancer is often painless, so if something seems off, but it doesn’t hurt, don’t assume that it’s nothing. Cancer often presents as a hard lump, while pain, inflammation, and/or swelling often signal an infection. Luckily your body does have natural protections like pubic hair. Although pubic hairstyles come and go, remember that this patch of fur is an important part of genitalia that actually helps to prevent against bacterial infections and irritation caused by sex. That means you might want to think twice before opting for that full Brazilian waxed look.
Other threats to your genitals come in the form of sexually transmitted infections or STIs. Common STIs include gonorrhea, herpes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, molluscum, syphilis, hepatitis and trichomoniasis. These STIs can present with symptoms of burning, discharge, lesions and pain. However, some STIs show no symptoms at all. Your best defense against STIs and penile health complications that come with them is to practice safe sex and get tested regularly. STI testing can be done at your doctor’s office or at low-cost and free health clinics nationwide. There are even at-home STI testing kits!
No matter what pet names you choose to use for your genitals, make sure you become acquainted with them on an intimate level. There is nothing shameful or gross about touching, feeling, looking at or examining your private parts. It’s not only important to know your bits and pieces, but it is also necessary for your overall health and wellbeing. I promise, your John Thomas and his yam bag will thank you.
Testosterone: The primary male sex hormone. It’s the jack off all trades (typo but we’ll leave it)… doing everything from regulating libido, to fat distribution, muscle mass, strength, and even the production of red blood cells. Testosterone does it all! But did you know that testosterone is also linked to fertility? Popstar is back and here to spill all the fertili-tea.
Before we understand the relationship between testosterone and fertility, it’s helpful to know how testosterone works. Testosterone is produced primarily in the testes and plays a crucial role in maintaining male reproductive organs, including the production of sperm. Our bodies produce sperm through a process called spermatogenesis. An adequate amount of testosterone is optimal for sperm production and quality. As we learned in 5th-grade health class, sperm is 50% of the recipe for conception so having quality sperm is crucial and increases your chances of getting pregnant.
We have all heard the saying, “It’s quality over quantity.” Why not both? While having a higher quantity of sperm is essential, we also want to ensure our little swimmers are ready for 200m breaststroke and not the kiddie pool! They better be prepared to go the distance circa Hercules. But what makes quality sperm?
The characteristics that would make up the Rolls-Royce of sperm would be its motility and morphology, or shape. The better the shape and motility, the better chance the sperm has of coming in contact with its target, an egg. Luckily Popstar helps to get your swimmers in tip-top shape. Since testosterone and sperm production are directly linked, inadequate testosterone levels can reduce sperm motility and shape. Impaired sperm motility and shape make it harder for your swimmers to reach their target. We want to make sure we are setting our sperm up for success. Therefore, having an adequate amount of testosterone is vital for conception.
Low testosterone, also known as hypogonadism, affects much more than fertility, and many causes exist. It can result from various factors, including genetic conditions, testicular disorders, hormonal imbalances, certain medications, obesity, and aging. From what we’ve learned above, we know that hypogonadism can affect your sperm count and quality, but it can also affect your libido. You don’t need to be a doctor to know that it may be challenging to have a baby naturally if you don’t have sex. You can’t win if you don’t get in the race. And without a sex drive, you likely won’t want to have much sex. So if you are someone dealing with hypogonadism, not only could your sperm not be ideal for conception, but you may not even have the drive to do the deed.
Popstar Labs ReviewSo what can we do about it? Starting with eating and living cleaner and healthier is one place to start. Get good sleep (at least 7-8 hours per night), eat a well-balanced diet, exercise 3-4 times per week (combining cardio and resistance training), and cut back on vices like smoking and drinking. There are also various medications available that are designed to boost testosterone levels and restore balance. While testosterone is key to sperm production, you definitely should avoid using exogenous testosterone (like injections, gels, or pellets) because prescribed testosterone actually suppresses the function of your testicles, including spermatogenesis. As always, you should consult your primary care provider or favorite urologist before starting any testosterone boosting treatments.
Recently, a much-maligned TikTok user got everyone’s panties in a wad by asserting that the phenomenon of blue balls was just a myth perpetuated by horny dudes trying to get laid. In case you’re not in possession of a set of testicles, the term “blue balls” is used to describe the painful sensation in the testicles of a male who is sexually aroused but unable to experience the sexual release that comes with ejaculation. And yes, blue balls are very real.
The medical term for blue balls is epididymal hypertension (EH). When men become sexually aroused, blood flow to the penis and testicles increases. This is what facilitates an erection and it also causes an increase in the size of the testicles as well. If the aroused man doesn’t have an orgasm, the penis and testicles stay in the engorged state and the increased pressure can cause discomfort. The unpleasant feeling is generally described as an achy or throbbing pain.
Anyone with testicles can experience EH, but it’s more common in younger men. However, not everyone equipped with male plumbing will experience EH and even those without a penis and testicles can experience this type of discomfort. That’s right, when women become aroused, blood rushes to their sex organs, too, causing a similar sensation called “blue vulva” or pelvic vasocongestion. Similar to blue balls, blue vulva can cause feelings of achiness or heaviness in the clitoris and vulva.
Most people would prefer to alleviate epididymal hypertension with an orgasm, but sometimes that’s just not possible. Don’t worry. You will not die from blue balls. In fact, if you’re not able to ejaculate, you will experience no damage or long-term side effects whatsoever. EH will generally resolve itself. The caveat to this is if you routinely practice what’s called “edging,” which is an intentional withholding of orgasm to make an eventual orgasm more intense. Constant edging can make the instance of blue balls worse and lead to prostatitis.
The best way to take care of blue balls is to ejaculate. It’s actually good for your prostate to release these juices on a regular basis. In fact, I recommend that men get in 2 to 3 orgasms per week to avoid blue balls and to keep the prostate healthy. This does NOT mean that you should pressure or guilt-trip your partner into helping you finish. You’re a big boy and you’re perfectly able to take care of that yourself. No one should feel obligated or be forced to engage in any sexual act, ever. Period.
If you’re experiencing EH and ejaculating is not helping, then try taking an over-the-counter medication like Advil or Motrin. Usually, the pain and sensitivity will subside in 3 to 5 days with regular masturbation and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, if the pain worsens, you feel a lump or you’re consistently having pain with erections or orgasms, then you should see a doctor, stat. A urologist like myself can do a thorough examination to make sure that there’s nothing more serious at play.
A doctor’s visit is also in order if you have pain, heaviness, sensitivity and discomfort in the testicles when you’re not aroused. This could be a sign of other problems like epididymitis, orchitis, prostatitis or kidney stones. Also, even though EH is called “blue” balls, your testicles don’t actually turn blue. If you do notice that your testicles are turning blue or purple, it could be a sign of testicular torsion, a condition where the testicles are rapidly twisted causing pain, swelling and discoloration. This is an emergency situation that merits a quick trip to the ER.
The guy on TikTok who set the world of male/female relations on fire with his assumption that blue balls were just a made-up excuse that men use to get laid is wrong. EH is a very real condition. Do men use it to guilt their partners into getting them across the finish line? Yes. Should they? Absolutely not. Taking care of your sexual health is your job, not your partner’s. If you need to take a minute alone to alleviate a case of blue balls, do it. As you disappear into the bathroom, you can tell your partner it’s doctor’s orders.
A groundbreaking study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on March 12, 2024, conducted by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, has identified sildenafil, commonly known as Viagra, as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. This research, supported by computational models and observations of brain cells in individuals with Alzheimer's, raises the possibility of repurposing this well-known medication to combat the debilitating neurological condition.
Originally discovered in 1989 during research for hypertension treatment by Pfizer, sildenafil, later marketed as Viagra, became renowned for its efficacy in treating erectile dysfunction. While its initial development for heart disease treatment did not yield desired results, the observation of enhanced erections in male participants led to its repurposing as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Recent investigations have explored sildenafil's potential beyond its primary use, including its effects on Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Feixiong Cheng, Ph.D., leading the research, underscores the importance of repurposing FDA-approved drugs like sildenafil to address the urgent need for innovative therapies in Alzheimer's treatment.
The study utilized artificial intelligence to analyze extensive patient data, revealing a notable reduction (30-54%) in Alzheimer's diagnoses among sildenafil users compared to non-users. Furthermore, laboratory experiments demonstrated sildenafil's ability to mitigate the accumulation of toxic brain proteins associated with Alzheimer's and promote processes beneficial for neuronal health.
Dr. Cheng and his team advocate for clinical trials to further investigate sildenafil's effectiveness in treating Alzheimer's disease. Their findings suggest a promising avenue for Alzheimer's treatment and prevention, potentially marking a significant advancement in the field.
This study signifies a potential breakthrough in Alzheimer's research, highlighting the therapeutic potential of sildenafil, commonly known as Viagra. With further exploration through clinical trials, Viagra may emerge as a valuable tool in the fight against Alzheimer's and related memory disorders.
Dr. Brian Steixner is a board-certified urologist and an expert in men’s sexual medicine. He completed his General Surgery and Urology training at The University of Pennsylvania and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, one of the busiest and most comprehensive programs in the nation. During his career, Brian has treated thousands of men with sexual health issues including male factor infertility.
