Some Penis Facts

• The shaft of the penis contains three cylinders of sponge-like tissue. During arousal these fill with blood, producing an erection. The ‘glans’ (head) is loaded with nerve endings, making it extremely sensitive to touch, particularly during arousal.
• The ‘corona’ is the flared part of the glans where it meets the shaft and many men is the most sexually sensitive part of the penis.
• The testicles are part of the body’s endocrine (hormone) system and produce the primary male sex hormone, testosterone.
• During puberty, the testicles produce a large amount of testosterone, which stimulates sperm production and causes the voice to deepen, muscles to develop and hair to grow on the face and the body.
• On average, the testicles produce approximately 150 million sperm each day.
• It only takes one sperm to get a woman pregnant.
• The size of a penis bares no relation whatsoever to man’s fertility A normal ejaculate contains more than 40 million sperm.
• The optimum temperature for sperm production is three to five degrees cooler than body temperature. This is why the testicles hang outside the body.

Erections

Otherwise known as a ‘hard on’. This is when the penis gets stiff / hard. Erections are controlled by emotional, physical and hormonal signals which means that you can’t necessarily control them yourself – sometimes they have a mind of their own!

Testicles

Otherwise known as your ‘balls’, the testes produce testosterone (hormones) and sperm. Sperm is also stored in the testes and it fertilises an egg to make a baby.

Testosterone is responsible for causing;

• A deep voice
• Beard growth
• Muscle development
• The ability to have an erection
• A sex drive (the feelings you have about wanting sex)

Prostate Gland

This is a bit of a mystery but the prostate is found between the bladder and the penis, wrapped around the urethra (the tube which urine flows from the bladder – and therefore is commonly known to help with urine flow). This is a major design flaw because as you get older the prostate naturally starts to enlarge. This squeezes the urethra and interferes with urinary flow. When they enlarge it can cause infection (common 25-45yrs). Prostate cancer is most common over 55yrs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of men will eventually need treatment for prostate problems. One in three will need an operation.

A healthy prostate gland is the size and shape of a large chestnut. It is made up of millions of tiny glands that secrete a thin, milky, acidic fluid. The prostate also contains muscle and fibre cells which help the gland to contract.

The prostate is hidden away between the bladder and the penis, wrapped around the urethra the tube through which urine flows from the bladder.

Three main things tend to go wrong with the prostate gland; each occurs at a different stage in a man’s life:

1. Prostatitis, in which the gland becomes infected or inflamed. This is most common between the ages of 25 and 45.
2. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), in which the gland slowly enlarges. This commonly causes symptoms after the age of 45.
3. Prostate cancer, which tends to occur over the age of 55 though it can occur much earlier.

The prostate gland helps to direct semen outwards during ejaculation so sperm don’t reflux up into the bladder. This means that the testicles produce sperm (and testosterone), whilst the prostate produces the semen that directs sperm, it helps keep sperm healthy and aids with ejaculation.

Pics and penis facts from Channel 4′s Sexperience website

If you are worried about anything you think might be unusual you should book an appointment to see your GP.

Some Size Facts

• Size does not matter. As long as the penis can enter the partner there is no reason why intercourse (and fertilisation of an egg if your partner is female) couldn’t happen.
• The average erect penis size is 6.3 inches when measured from tip to base.
• When becoming erect, a large flaccid penis does not increase proportionately in size as much as a smaller flaccid penis.
• The size of a penis bares no relation whatsoever to man’s fertility

• On average, sperm are produced at a rate of 1,500 per second per testicle.
• Sperm take 74 days to form and a further 26 days to mature and pass through the epididymis and vas deferens.
• A sperm lashes its tail 800 times to swim 1cm.
• Sperm reach the Fallopian tubes within 30 60 minutes after ejaculation into the female tract.
• Sperm normally only survive in the vagina for up to six hours as the acid vaginal secretions are hostile once in the alkaline mucus of the cervix, however, they can survive for several days.
• The average survival time for a sperm in the female reproductive tract is 3 4 days. Live sperm have been found in the female tract 7 days after ejaculation, but whether or not they are capable of fertilization remains unknown.

Impotence means ‘lack of power’. It is being unable to have or keep an erection for the duration of vaginal sex.

• It’s a common and distressing problem affecting 10-30% of men on a regular basis.
• Sometimes impotence is caused by mental health problems or it can be physical such as a medical condition, the side-effects of prescribed drugs, stress or tiredness.
• There is lots of help out there for men suffering from these problems. If you are worried speak to your doctor and they will refer you to a local service in Halton. Most men sort the problem out if they seek help.

Psychological problems account for 60 per cent of cases of impotence. Counselling and psychotherapy are helpful and often result in dramatic improvement.

Psychological problems are usually based on fear, guilt or feelings of inadequacy. The more a man worries about not getting an erection, the more the erection is likely to fail. Relaxation training and professional psychosexual counselling are vital.

A caring and sympathetic partner is important. He or she is an invaluable support during the investigation and treatment of the partner’s impotence. A partner who mocks or ridicules (or even feels overly sorry for) a man’s performance is making the problem worse and may even have contributed to it in the first place.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is the most common male sexual dysfunction. There are three different ways of defining it:

1. If the man comes before he wants to or before his partner wants him to
2. If ejaculation occurs before the penis penetrates the vagina
3. If the man cannot stop himself ejaculating for at least one minute after penetrating his partner.

Most men experience premature ejaculation several times during their lives most commonly when losing their virginity. It also occurs in over 50% of males when making love to a new partner for the first time. Premature ejaculation is particularly common among teenagers and tends to become less of a problem for men in their twenties and thirties and beyond.

If a man can stop ejaculating for anything over one minute after penetration, this is normal. It may not sound very long, but our primitive male ancestors were originally designed to thrust only five or six times before reaching orgasm!

Premature ejaculation is usually due to anxiety especially if a new partner is involved. This often results in eagerness and over-excitement. The other main cause is anxiety about performance ­ whether you will be ‘good enough’ for your partner or will fail to satisfy. No man wants to feel his performance is not up to scratch.

Other causes of premature ejaculation are the man feeling that his partner is not really interested in sex, or if either partner has difficulty in showing or responding to affection.

Sometimes the opposite problem of retarded ejaculation occurs especially if the male is trying to postpone his orgasm to make sure his partner is satisfied.

The easiest way to make premature ejaculation less of a problem is to bring your partner to the point of orgasm during foreplay. Then, when your partner is about to come, penetration can occur or you can wait until after your partner’s orgasm before entering. There are eight other techniques that help to overcome premature ejaculation – you can talk this through when you see a specialist.

Retarded Ejaculation

Retarded ejaculation is the inability of a man to ejaculate, despite having prolonged intercourse, adequate stimulation, and an intense desire to do so. This is an occasional occurrence in most men, especially when tired, but some males have never achieved ejaculation during sexual intercourse. Most affected men are able to ejaculate during masturbation.

Medical conditions such as diabetes, an enlarged prostate gland, previous prostate operation or certain drugs (e.g. water tablets, tricyclic antidepressants, treatment for high blood pressure) are sometimes at fault.

The commonest cause of ejaculatory failure, however, are psychological inhibitions such as in the case of:

• Newlyweds sleeping next door to their parents
• Discovering a partner is unfaithful
• A recent condom break when pregnancy would have been disastrous
• Having recently been interrupted during sex, such as by your children.

Make sure your surroundings are compatible with unstressful sex that is, quiet, with no risk of interruption or being overheard, warm and comfortable. If problems persist you can be referred for psychotherapy, which will involve a structured program with a specialist. Always go to your GP first and they will refer you.

Infertility affects one in every six couples at some time. For at least 30% of couples seeking treatment, male infertility is the problem; it is a contributory factor in another 20 per cent of cases.

Drugs can affect lower sperm counts in some men which includes prescribed drugs (such as those used to treat cancer, diabetes and other long term conditions) and illegal drugs such as cannabis etc.

If you suffer from infertility and are taking any form of drugs, consult your doctor for advice on stopping or switching them.

Men have a small gland about the size of a walnut called the prostate gland.  The prostate surrounds the first part of the tube (urethra) which carries urine from the bladder to the penis. The same tube also carries sex fluid (semen).  The prostate gland is divided into 2 lobes, to the left and the right of a central groove.  Doctors look at the 2 lobes when they are staging prostate cancer.

What the prostate does

The prostate gland produces a thick clear fluid which is an important part of the semen.  The growth and function of the prostate depends on the male sex hormone testosterone, which is produced in the testes. Some treatments for prostate cancer work by reducing the levels of testosterone.

For further information on the Prostate and Prostate Cancer please go to the Cancer Research UK website.

• Most common form of cancer in young men aged between 20-40yrs.
• The only good thing about testicular cancer is that 95% of those affected are readily cured if the cancer is caught early enough.
• It’s really important that all males regularly examine their testicles for abnormal lumps. It only takes a few minutes and should not be painful!

Please follow this link to the Cancer Research UK website for help on how to examine your testicles to make sure they are healthy.

“Sexuality involves our relationship with ourselves, those around us and the society in which we live – whether we identify as gay, heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual or celibate.”

Sexuality and sexual orientation is something people become increasingly aware of as they move through their teen years and into their 20’s. Many people know with certainty at an early age which sex they prefer. Many others only discover their sexual identity over several years and after some experimentation.

Which Sexual Orientation are you?

Homosexual / Gay
Sexual or romantic attraction to a person of the same sex, (i.e. man + man)

Lesbian
Sexual or romantic attraction to a person of the same sex – this is the same as homosexual but people usually only refer to women + women as lesbian.

Heterosexual / straight
Sexual or romantic attraction between opposite sexes, and this is the most common sexual orientation among humans.

Transgendered
This is the term usually used to describe people who do not act in usual ‘accepted’ gender roles. For example, cross-dressers, drag queens and people who identify as gender queer.

Bisexual
Sexual or romantic attraction of individuals to others of both sexes. Most bisexuals are not equally attracted to men and women and may even shift between states of finding either gender particularly attractive over time. However, some bisexuals are and remain fairly stable in their level of attraction throughout their adult life.

Asexual
Asexuality is seen by most Asexuals as an orientation in its own right. After all, there is a sexual attraction to the opposite gender, the same gender, both genders, so why not neither gender? An asexual person may not wish to be ‘labelled’ and define themselves in relation to sex or sexuality. Some asexuals do not consider asexuality as an orientation because it is more like a lack of orientation. They do not feel that they have a sexual orientation at all. Asexuals can still have relationships but they might not identify with sexual attractiveness, and therefore may not engage in sexual activity.

It’s not wrong

Your sexual orientation may be different to your friends or family, but that doesn’t mean you are a bad person just because you are sexually or romantically attracted to someone who may be the same sex as you, or both sexes – or no sexes at all. It’s up to you who you fancy.

When you’re growing up it’s totally normal to have crushes on all kinds of people, including people of the same sex. If you do, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gay.

There is no ‘set’ age when people decide which sexual orientation they ‘are’ – some people know from a very early age and others are well into adulthood.

When it comes to relationships, there’s no right or wrong. Everyone has the right to be with someone they like – regardless of who they are.

Talking about your feelings with friends and family can be hard. You might be scared that they won’t understand – or that they’ll think you’re weird. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone you don’t know and there are all kinds of places that you can call or visit for confidential advice or even just a chat.

Need to talk?

Get the names of places you can go for help…

Body Positive North West

Tel: 0161 822 2200
Email: info@bpnw.org.uk
Website: www.bpnw.org.uk

Providing quality services to those living with and affected by HIV ? AIDS in the North West. Helpline 365 days / 10am – 10pm.

Cheshire Cheese

Tel: 01270 653150
Email: info@cheshirecheese.org.uk
Website: www.cheshirecheese.org.uk

Monthly newsletter for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual people in Cheshire, Halton, St Helens & Warrington

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation

Tel: 0845 3 30 30 30
Email: info@lgf.org.uk
Website: www.lgf.org.uk

Group Work: Gay mens 40+ group and older lesbians Sapphos group.
Coming out – Icebreakers (men) Stepping Stones (women). Married mens group. HELPLINE 0845 3 30 30 30 – 24 hour service automated or operator available 6pm – 10pm daily.
Counselling: Face to face counselling service. Referral through helpline.
General Advice: LGBT Community resources and leaflets. ‘Out North West’ – LGB community magazine and website. LGB Sexual Health walk-in clinic – Thursday evenings 7pm – 10pm (with NHS).

Sexual Health Line

Freephone: 0800 567 123
Website: www.condomessentialwear.co.uk

A 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, free and confidential telephone service with advice about HIV, AIDS, sexual health, Sexually Transmitted Infections, local services, clinics and support services.

Halton G Space

Tel: 07789 332 880 or 0151 422 5503
Email: haltongspace@hotmail.co.uk

Youth Service project offering information, advice and social events for lesbian, gay or bisexual young people aged 13-19yrs.

1806 WISH

Tel: 01925 241994
Tuesday 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Or 24 hour answerphone.

A variety of confidential services include counselling, support groups, social gatherings, free condoms, safer sex packs and sexual health information / advice / leaflets.