Penis: Difference between revisions

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			The penis is bad...
	The '''penis''' (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'') or ''']''' is an external ] ]. The penis is the male ] organ and for ]s additionally serves as the external male organ of ].
			The gun is good....

			The penis shoots seeds that infest this world.
	The penis is ] to the ] ]. Both develop from the same embryonic structure.

			DODGE!
	==Linguistics==
			"17 on a reflex save."
	===Etymology===
			"Not good enough, roll for pregnancy."
	{{wiktionarypar\|penis}}
			"Is that a consitution or a will save?"
	The word is derived from the Latin word for ''tail'', also used to describe the organ, ''"penis"''. The Latin word ''"phallus"'' (from the Greek ''"phallos"'') is sometimes used to describe the penis, though the word originally was used to describe ''images'', pictoral or carved, of the penis .

	Some derive the Latin word ''penis'' from earlier ''pesnis'', and the ] word ''peos'' = "penis" from earlier ''pesos''.

	===Synonyms===
	For a far more exhaustive and multi-lingual thesaurus, see the entry on .

	==The human penis==
	The human penis differs from those of some other mammals. It has no ], or '''erectile bone'''; instead it relies entirely on engorgement with blood to reach its erect state. It cannot be withdrawn into the groin, and is larger than average in proportion to body mass.

	===Structure===
	]
	The human penis is made up of three columns of erectile ]:
	* the two ] (singular: ''corpus cavernosum'') and
	* one ]

	The corpus spongiosum lies on the underside (known also as the ]) of the penis; the two corpora cavernosa lie next to each other on the upper side (]).

	The end of the corpus spongiosum is enlarged and cone-shaped and forms the ]. The glans supports the ] or prepuce, a loose fold of skin that in adults can retract to expose the glans. The area on the underside of the penis, where the foreskin is attached, is called the ] (or frenulum).

	The ], which is the last part of the ], traverses the corpus spongiosum and its opening, known as the ], lies on the tip of the glans penis. It is both a passage for ] and for the ] of ]. Sperm is produced in the ] and stored in the attached ]. During ejaculation, sperm are propelled up the ], two ducts that pass over and behind the bladder. Fluids are added by the ]s and the vas deferens turns into the ]s which join the urethra inside the ]. The prostate as well as the ]s add further secretions, and the semen is expelled through the penis.

	The ] is the visible ridge between the ] halves of the penis, found on the ] or under side of the penis, running from the meatus (opening of the urethra) across the scrotum to the ] (area between scrotum and anus).

	=== Relation to female genitals ===
	The ] of the penis is ] to the ], the corpora cavernosa are homologous to the body of the ], the corpus spongiosum is homologous to the ] beneath the labia minora, and the scrotum is homologous to the ], ] and ]. The raphe does not exist in females, because there the two halves are not connected.

	=== Erection ===
	''Main article: ]''
	<!-- PLEASE do not remove this image without first consulting the talk page, otherwise your edit is likely to be reverted -->
	]).]]

	] is the stiffening and rising of the penis which occurs in the ] male, though it can also happen in non-sexual situations. The primary physiological mechanism that brings about erection is the autonomic dilation of arteries supplying blood to the penis, which allows more blood to fill the three spongy erectile tissue chambers in the penis, causing it to lengthen and stiffen. The now engorged erectile tissue presses against and constricts the veins that carry blood away from the penis. More blood enters the penis than leaves until an equilibrium is reached (equal volume of blood flowing into the dilated arteries and out of the constricted veins). A constant erectile size is achieved at equilibrium.

	Inability to attain a satisfactory erection is known medically as ], or ED in short. A drug against this condition, ''] citrate'' (marketed as ]®) works by ].

	Erection facilitates ] though it is not essential for some other ]. Although many erect penises point upwards (see illustration), it is common and normal for the erect penis to point nearly vertically upwards or nearly vertically downwards, depending on the tension of the suspensory ligament that holds it in position. Stiffness of erectile angle also varies.

	===Size===
	''See main article ]''

	As a general rule, an ]'s penis is proportional to its body size, but this varies greatly between ] — even between closely related species. For example, an adult ]'s erect penis is about 1.5 ] (4 ]) in length; an adult ], significantly smaller (in body size) than a gorilla, has a penis size about double that of the gorilla. The common chimpanzee, or '']'', has the third largest penis size among the ]: in comparison, the ] penis is larger than that of the common chimpanzee, both proportional to body size and in absolute terms; one study has found that the average human penis is 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length when fully engorged with blood during arousal.

	As with any other bodily attribute, the length and girth of the penis is highly variable between individuals of the same species. In many animals, especially ]s, the size of a flaccid penis is much smaller than its size when erect. In humans and some other species, flaccid vs. erect penis size varies greatly between individuals, such that penis size when flaccid is not a reliable predictor of size when erect.

	Except for extreme cases at either end of the size spectrum, penis size does not correspond strongly to reproductive ability in almost any species.

	===Normal variations===
	Depending on temperature, a flaccid (not erect) penis of average size can withdraw almost completely within the body. During erection the penis will return to its normal (erect) size.

	Other variations:
	* ] are raised bumps of somewhat paler colour around the base of the glans and are normal. See ] picture and picture at article.
	* ] are small, raised, yellowish-white spots 1-2mm in diameter that may appear on the penis, as well as the inner surface and ] of the lips of the face, and are normal.
	* ''Sebaceous prominences'' are raised bumps similar to Fordyce's spots on the shaft of the penis, located at the ]s and are normal.
	* ], an inability to retract the foreskin fully, is harmless in infants and pre-pubescent males, occurring in about 8 percent of boys at age 10.

	===Disorders affecting the penis===
	] (swelling) of the foreskin can result from sexual activity, including ]. It appears worrying but so long as the foreskin is in its normal position and blood flow is present it's harmless. See '']'' for situations where the foreskin can't be moved to its normal position or the swelling persists. If the condition recurrs regularly, medical advice should be obtained, since it can be a symptom of conditions such as chronic heart disease. ('''')

	''Pathological Phimosis''--where a non-retracting foreskin is accompanied by pain or physiological distress, or affects physical hygiene, requires treatment which can be surgical or non-surgical depending on the seriousness of the condition. See ] for more details.

	] is an inability to move the foreskin forward over the glans. It can result from fluid trapped in a foreskin which is left retracted, perhaps following a medical procedure, or accumulation of fluid in the foreskin because of friction during vigorous sexual activity. Applying pressure to compress the glans, then moving the foreskin to its normal position is the initial procedure to follow, perhaps with the assistance of a lubricant. Placing the penis in normal granulated sugar can reduce the swelling via osmosis. If the condition persists for more than several hours or there is a sign of lack of blood flow, a hard glans with no erection or an inability to urinate, it should be treated as a medical emergency.

	In ], anomalous scar tissue grows in the soft tissue of the penis, causing curvature. Severe cases can benefit from surgical correction.

	A ] can occur during periods of frequent and prolonged sexual activity, especially ]. It is usually harmless and self-corrects within a few weeks.

	] is a condition characterized by pain on sitting and loss of penile (or clitoral) sensation and orgasm. Occasionally there is a total loss of sensation and orgasm. The ] can be damaged by narrow hard cycle seats and accidents.

	] can occur if the erect penis is bent excessively. A pop or cracking sound and pain is normally associated with this event. Emergency medical assistance should be obtained. Prompt medical attention lowers likelihood of permanent penile curvature.

	In ], ] can cause tingling in the penile skin and possibly reduced or completely absent sensation. The reduced sensations can lead to injuries for either partner and their absence can make it impossible to have sexual pleasure through stimulation of the penis. Since the problems are caused by permanent nerve damage, preventive treatment through good control of the diabetes is the primary treatment. Some limited recovery may be possible through improved diabetes control.

	], formerly known as ''impotence'', is the inability to have and maintain an erection sufficiently firm for satisfactory sexual performance. A wide variety of generally effective treatments are available. Diabetes is a leading cause, as is normal aging.

	] is a painful and potentially harmful medical condition in which the erect penis does not return to its flaccid state. The causative mechanisms are poorly understood but involve complex neurological and vascular factors. Potential complications include ischaemia, thrombosis, and impotence. In serious cases the condition may result in gangrene, which may necessitate amputation.

	====Developmental disorders of the penis====
	] is a ] where the ] is positioned wrongly at birth. Hypospadias can also occur ]ally by the downward pressure of an indwelling urethral catheter. It is usually corrected by surgery.

	A ] is a very small penis caused by developmental or congenital problems.

	====Penis replacement====
	The first successful penis ] surgery was done on September 2005 in a military hospital in ], China. (''Guangzhou Daily'', ) A man at 44 sustained an injury after an accident and his penis was severed. ] became difficult as his urethra was partly blocked. A newly ] man, at 23, was tracked down and his penis selected for the transplant. Despite ] of blood vessels and nerves, the ], ], nerves and the corpora spongiosa were successfully matched. It remains to be observed if infection or ] has occurred after the transplant and how much sexual function the man would regain.
	====Alleged and observed penis-related psychological disorders====
	*] (''koro'' in ]/]) - ] of shrinkage of the penis and retraction into the body.
	*] - the contested ]ian belief of a woman ]ing men for having a penis.

	===Altering the male genitalia===
	] penis.]]
	''Main article: ]''

	The most prevalent form of genital alteration in some countries is ]: removal of part or all of the foreskin for various cultural, religious, and more rarely medical reasons. In many cases, such as in some United States hospitals, the ] and part of the shaft skin is also removed.
	Less commonly, the penis is sometimes ] or decorated by other ]. Such alterations are almost universally elective and usually for the purpose of aesthetics or increased sensitivity. Piercings of the penis include the ], the ], the ], the ], and the ]. ] or stretching is a further form of ].

	Other practices which alter the penis are also performed, although they are rare in Western societies without a diagnosed medical condition. Apart from a ], perhaps the most radical of these is ], in which the urethra is split along the underside of the penis. Subincision originated among ]s, although it is now done by some in the U.S. and Europe.

	===Fears and reassurance===
	Possibly due to shame inculcated in regard to genitalia, some people suffer from misunderstandings and resultant fear.

	] is a kind of hysteria that appears to be culturally conditioned and largely limited to Sudan, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

	As mentioned earlier, the ] is the visible ridge between the lateral halves of the penis, found on the ventral or under side of the penis, running from the meatus (opening of the urethra) across the scrotum to the perineum (area between scrotum and anus). This ridge is actually the "biological zipper" that closes the urethra during the normal course of fetal development. When the urethra does not close normally, the resulting condition is called ]. Surgery is required to close the urethra. Treatment may involve multiple surgeries and attendant pain.

	<!-- is there any evidence of this whatsoever? commented out in expectation of an example. -- Adolescent males trying to ] successfully for the first time, and ignorant of the utility of lubricants, may chafe themselves and become fearful due to having learned "myths" about penile cancer. -->

	==Non-human penises==
	]
	Most ], except for the two largest species of ]s, have a ]. That is, it separates into two columns, and so the penis has two ends. The ] has the longest penis for its own length: up to twenty times the length of the animal. ] alleges that the ] has ] control over his penis. In the realm of absolute size, the smallest penis belongs to the common shrew (5 mm or 0.2 inches). The largest penis belongs to the blue whale estimated at over 2 m (about 6 feet). Accurate measurements are difficult to take because the whale's erect length can only be observed during mating.

	The ] is devoted entirely to collecting penis specimens from all the land and sea mammals living in Iceland. The museum has received a legally-certified gift token for a future specimen belonging to ''Homo sapiens''.

	In male ]s, the structure homologous to a penis is known as ]. Male specimes of the '']'' order of reptiles have two paired organs called ].

	]s have relatively small penises, so it is an often used subtle insult in countries such as ] to insinuate or directly state that one is 'hung like a gorilla'.

	==Cultural aspects involving penises==

	===Uses of animal penises===
	* Culinary, e.g., in Chinese gastronomy
	* Magical and therapeutic, in medicine and/or superstition, especially as an aphrodisiac or even cure against impotence
	*Also used for dog toys, such as the bull pizzle

	===Uses of human penises in cultural traditions===
	* Esthetical, e.g., ]
	* For the symbolic and artistic use, see under ]
	* In humor, e.g., in ] - considered indecent or completely taboo in various cultures

	==See also==
	{{commons\|Penis}}
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*] - Viagra, Cialis and Levitra
	*] — the ] list of synonyms and slang words for penis in many languages

	==External links==

	* ,contains collection of over one hundred and fifty penises and penile parts belonging to almost all the land and sea mammals that can be found in Iceland
	*
	*


	{{reproductive_system}}

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Revision as of 17:17, 9 January 2006

The penis is bad... The gun is good.... The penis shoots seeds that infest this world.

DODGE! "17 on a reflex save." "Not good enough, roll for pregnancy." "Is that a consitution or a will save?"