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.
|
