Penile Injection Therapy

Penile Injection Therapy can help when Viagra and other oral medications (PDE-5 inhibitors) are unable to help your ED or when you are unable to take the necessary dosage. Penile injections are prescription medicines that you inject directly into your penis 5 to 10 minutes before sexual intercourse. This may sound unpleasant, but this approach (also known as introcavernosal injection therapy) may be the best treatment option for you to once again enjoy a normal sex life. Reported success rates for injection therapy are high. 

We use a very fine, short needle for this process and men have reported that it feels like pulling the hair on the back of the hand. The medication increases blood flow and causes the blood vessels in the penis to widen and dilate. It causes erections that last up to 60 minutes. If you have an erection that lasts much longer, contact your doctor immediately. Always use the recommended dosage and do not perform more than three injections a week.

Penile injection therapy can use one or more type of medication. We usually prescribe Alprostadil, a type of prostaglandinE1, available in single-drug injections. Alprostadil is sold under the brand names Caverject, Muse, and Edex. Like other medications, these drugs (called vasodilators) smooth muscle tissue so the blood can flow into the penis and create an erection.

Possible side effects include a prolonged erection (as long as six hours), slight bruising or swelling at the injection site, and penile pain. Pain is the least common side effect and is most likely to affect men who have had radical prostectomy surgery or diabetes.