P-Shot® for Erectile Dysfunction and Prevention
As a man engaging in intimate activities with a partner, few things are more frustrating than realizing that your body has not gotten the memo about where you would like things to progress to, or for you to be in the middle of “getting it on,†only for your erection to call it quits before you are finished.
For men in this situation, the P-Shot® offers a solution that addresses erectile dysfunction and prevents future problems from occurring.
Short for Priapus Shot, the P-Shot utilizes PRP therapy to promote tissue growth and improve erection quality, offering a solution for erectile dysfunction that uses the body’s own healing properties.
What Is Erectile Dysfunction?
The most common sex problem reported by men is erectile dysfunction (ED), which occurs when a man struggles to get or keep an erection hard enough to have sex. ED is not an uncommon problem for men to experience, and is estimated to affect 30 million men in the United States.
Even though it is something that men commonly experience, it is not any less frustrating when it occurs.
Causes of ED
There are many different causes of ED, influencing the treatment that will be most effective.
Different causes include:
- nerve damage
- blood flow blockage
- stress or emotional reasons
- more serious illnesses, such as heart disease, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar
In most cases, ED results when nerves are damaged or blood flow to the penis is restricted, two causes that can be addressed through PRP therapy and the P-Shot.
To better understand how these scenarios cause ED, it is first essential to understand what happens when someone experiences an erection.
When sexually aroused, the nerves release chemicals that increase blood flow to the penis. The penis has two chambers of spongy muscle tissue, and when an erection occurs, this tissue relaxes and traps blood. This causes blood pressure in the chambers to rise, increasing firmness in the penis and causing an erection.
An orgasm occurs when a second set of nerve signals reaches the penis, causing the muscular tissue to contract. With this, the blood trapped in the penis returns to the man’s circulation, and the erection goes away.
Now that we know how an erection occurs, we can better understand how the above causes may result in ED. For example, if there is insufficient blood flow to the penis, a man’s erection will not be firm enough to have sex. Additionally, blood flow can be normal, but if the penis cannot trap the blood, it will not be able to hold an erection.
Nerves also play an important role in initiating an erection, so if nerve signals cannot reach the penis, the body will not know to increase blood flow to the penis.
Because of the many causes of ED, it is crucial to determine what is causing your ED to determine if the P-Shot is a viable option for your erectile dysfunction. For example, it is an advantageous treatment option for those suffering from poor nerve signals, but it will not help those suffering from emotional causes, such as depression or stress.
Understanding the limits of the P-Shot ensures you only undergo this treatment if there is a possibility for improvement.
What is PRP Therapy?
With PRP therapy, the body’s healing properties target a damaged or dysfunctional part of the body. For those with ED, the area targeted is the penis.
PRP therapy involves taking a sample of blood, which your doctor then spins in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the other parts of your blood. Platelets are a part of the immune system, and when injected back into the body at a high concentration, they stimulate the immune system and your body’s healing properties.
It’s important to note that much about PRP therapy is still unknown, specifically regarding how it produces the benefits we have seen. However, research into its mechanism of action shows that it can release up to 35 different growth factors or healing substances, which scientists suspect play at least some role in PRP’s benefits, even if this is not the only effect it has on the body.
Scientists predict that these growth factors result from the stimulation of stem cells to the injected location. Stem cells have the ability to become any type of cell in the body, such as nerve or muscle cells. When directed toward a part of the body that has damaged tissue, the stem cells can repair the damage or build new tissue, which helps address dysfunction.
Preparing for the P-Shot
For those interested in the benefits offered by the P-Shot, it is important to first check if it is a good treatment choice.
To determine this, you should meet with your doctor and rule out other health conditions. There are many causes of ED, and the P-Shot may not be the best option for you, depending on what contributes to your ED.
Once your doctor has ruled out other causes of ED, you can then discuss the P-Shot as a treatment option.
What to Expect
The P-Shot is an outpatient procedure completed within a few hours.
Once your doctor has determined that you are a good fit for the P-Shot, they will ask you to remove all clothing on the lower part of your body. They will then apply a numbing cream to the genital area in addition to a local anesthetic.
Your doctor will take a blood sample, typically from a non-invasive place like your arm. They will then spin the blood sample in a centrifuge, which separates the platelets from the rest of your blood.
Once the PRP serum is created, they will extract it from the test tube into syringes. The serum is then injected into a few spots of the penile shaft.
Follow-Up Care
Those who receive the P-Shot will also be given a penis pump, which helps draw blood into the penis and ensures your treatment works as expected. Your doctor will provide you with exact rules to follow, but common instructions involve using the penis pump for 10 minutes each day for a few weeks.
It is essential to follow your doctor’s instructions regarding treatment duration, as using it too often or for too long can damage the elastic tissue that makes up the penis, which could then lead to fewer firm erections.
Recovery
Recovery from the P-Shot is quick, with most men resuming their normal activities the same day or the next.
However, it is crucial to avoid having sexual intercourse for a couple of days after the procedure to prevent infection of the injection site. Additionally, limiting physical activity for a few days after your procedure is best, as sweating or chafing can irritate the injection area.
Results of the P-Shot
The benefits of the P-Shot seen in those who receive it can include:
- easier time achieving an erection
- stronger, firmer erections
- increased sensitivity
- increased penis length and girth
- improved sexual stamina
The time it takes to see results can vary by person, with some people seeing results right away after just one treatment, whereas others may need multiple treatments or several months to see results.
How quickly your body shows results can vary based on how easily it responds to the P-Shot, what factors contribute to your sexual dysfunction, and how long you have been experiencing these problems.
In general, most individuals see peak effects with 3-6 treatments, with a change in responses first observed after the second treatment. After a month or two of treatment, they typically reach their peak results. So, while results can be seen just one day after the first treatment, that is not the norm.
The P-Shot also does more than treat ED, it can help prevent it from occurring by continually rejuvenating the penile tissue and blood vessels. This then helps to keep the nerves and blood vessels functioning properly.
Side Effects of the P-Shot
There are some minor side effects of the P-Shot that typically go away in 4-6 days, and they can include:
- redness
- swelling
- bruising
In rare cases, complications such as scarring, infection, or outbreaks of cold sores (if you have a history of herpes) may occur.
It is always recommended to discuss with your doctor your risk of these side effects.
P-Shot® for Treating and Preventing ED
Despite being common in men, ED can significantly impact mental health, making treatment all the more important. While there are many causes of ED, poor blood flow and nerve dysfunction are the most common, which the P-Shot can help with.
Using the body’s own healing properties through PRP therapy, the P-Shot injects platelets directly into the penis, encouraging the body to heal damaged tissue and repair nerves, addressing causes of ED and preventing future instances of ED from occurring. For men interested in improving or maintaining their sexual health, the P-Shot® is one way to do so.
References
Dysfunction, D., & Health, N. (2022). Definition & Facts for Erectile Dysfunction | NIDDK. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/erectile-dysfunction/definition-facts
Dawood, A., & Salem, H. (2018). Current clinical applications of platelet-rich plasma in various gynecological disorders: An appraisal of theory and practice. Clinical And Experimental Reproductive Medicine, 45(2), 67-74. doi: 10.5653/cerm.2018.45.2.67
Krzastek, S., Bopp, J., Smith, R., & Kovac, J. (2019). Recent advances in the understanding and management of erectile dysfunction. F1000research, 8, 102. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.16576.1
Kumar, C. (2017). 265 Combined Treatment of Injecting Platelet Rich Plasma With Vacuum Pump for Penile Enlargement. The Journal Of Sexual Medicine, 14(1), S78. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.11.174
Scott, S., Roberts, M., & Chung, E. (2019). Platelet-Rich Plasma and Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: Critical Review of Literature and Global Trends in Platelet-Rich Plasma Clinics. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 7(2), 306-312. doi: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.12.006
About Dr. Mel Irvine
Dr. Mel Irvine, DNP and Clinical Sexologist specializes in sexual medicine and beauty in Fort Myers Florida. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Florida Gulf Coast University and her master’s degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2018, she completed a preceptorship at San Diego Sexual Medicine with Dr. Irwin Goldstein and obtained her clinical sexologist certification from STII with Dr. Carol Clark. She is passionate about working with singles and couples to learn and explore their sexuality and sexual health needs through providing a comfortable and nonjudgmental atmosphere. As a provider she offers a balanced and holistic approach that encompasses a multimodal care delivery model.
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