Yes. Erections are a perfectly normal function of the male body, especially
in guys who are going through puberty.
What Is an Erection? An erection
is a hardening of the penis that occurs when sponge-like tissue inside the penis
fills up with blood. Usually, an erection causes the penis to enlarge and stand
away from the body.
Erections can go away on their own or after ejaculation, the
release of semen through the urethra, the small hole at the tip of the
penis.
Sometimes guys ejaculate at night while sleeping (these are called nocturnal
emissions or wet dreams). Guys may have several erections and arousal periods
while in the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep, the type of sleep in which
most dreams occur.
What Causes Erections? Although many erections are caused by sexual arousal, such as
watching a sexy television show or fantasizing, many erections seem to happen
for no particular reason.
So if you've had an erection in an odd or embarrassing
situation - like right in the middle of a really boring history lesson - there's
no reason to worry that something is wrong with you. Your body is just acting
naturally for a guy your age.
Am I Getting Too Many
Erections? Because each person is so
different, it's impossible to say what's a "normal" number of erections. Some
guys experience many erections each day, whereas others may not experience any.
Hormones fluctuate with age, sexual maturity, level of activity, and even the
amount of sleep a guy gets. Unless your erections are causing you discomfort or
pain, don't worry about how many you get. If you're concerned, it's a good idea
to talk to your doctor. He or she can answer your questions and will probably
put your mind at ease.
What Can I Do to Avoid Getting Erections? Because erections usually aren't controllable, there's not much you
can do to avoid getting them. Unless the penis is stimulated enough to
ejaculate, time is the only thing that will help them go away.
As your hormones settle down and you advance through puberty, the frequency
of unexpected erections and wet dreams should decrease.
Reviewed by: Steven
Dowshen, MD Date reviewed: August
2004
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