Peeing with a boner isn’t more difficult than childbirth, but we totally get why someone might think that. Especially if said someone has never actually given birth.
To help explain why peeing with an erection is so hard (ha!) and how to go about it if the urge strikes when you’re aroused or wake up with morning wood, we reached out to two board certified urologists.
David Samadi, urologic oncology expert, robotic surgeon, and director of men’s health at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island, and Jay Simhan, associate chair of the department of urology at Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia help answer your burning questions.
As far as we can tell, it came from Reddit, though the poster responsible for the thread surely wasn’t the only person to ever make the comparison.
We get it, peeing with an erection is difficult — but again, not pushing-a-human-out-of-your-body hard.
It’s totally normal to struggle with this and there’s a good reason for it, according to Samadi.
“Achieving an erection is for the release of semen during orgasm,” explains Samadi. “To prevent semen from entering into the bladder, the internal urethral sphincter contracts. This not only prevents semen from going into the bladder, but it also prevents urine from passing through the urethra during an erection and ejaculation.”
So as uncomfortable as it may be to not be able to pee with an erection, it’s better than the discomfort of sleeping in wet sheets after wetting the bed during an especially randy dream, or the look on your partner’s face if you pee on them during sex — unless they’re into that, of course.
It is possible to pee with an erection, but it’ll take some effort.
A few ways, actually!
Just keep in mind that everyone is different and not all boners are created equal, so what works for some might not work for others.
Most experts — Simhan included — will tell you that you’re better off waiting until you lose your erection to pee.
“That might mean putting your hand in a glass of cold water or running cold water in a nearby sink,” which is usually enough to help most people relax so they can pee, according to Simhan.
Speaking of relaxing, that’s Samadi’s recommendation because “relaxing helps the muscles of the urethral sphincter to contract less,” and in turn increases your ability to urinate.
In keeping with his advice to use relaxation, Samadi also suggests a technique known as “double voiding.” This practice is often used by people who have trouble peeing due to an enlarged prostate.
This involves urinating as much as you can, relaxing for a few seconds, then urinating again until you’ve emptied your bladder.
If you’re having a hard time relaxing enough to make any headway or really can’t wait, then it’s time to put the pressure on — literally.
Instead of bearing down and pushing with all you’ve got, try one of these methods to place light pressure on your bladder:
- bend over to pee
- pee sitting down
- gently massage or place light pressure over your bladder (it’s between your belly button and pubic bone)
If these don’t work thanks to an especially persistent boner, warming your bladder is another technique that some people find helpful.
Do this by placing a hot water bottle or heat pack over the area to relax your muscles.
(Pssst, read How to Stop an Erection for more tips to, well, stop an erection).
Well, trying to force your pee out could be uncomfortable, if not downright painful.
Plus, the combo of all that pressure, a forceful stream, and a pinched urethra is likely to be a lot like an out of control fire hose and lead to one very messy bathroom.
Difficulty peeing with an erection is totally normal and not usually anything to worry about. However, if you’re worried about it or are having trouble enjoying sex because of it, you can always speak with a doctor.
If you find that you have trouble passing urine or feel any pain or discomfort when peeing outside of when you’re hard, a trip to a doctor is in order.
Same goes for trouble peeing that’s accompanied by:
These things can indicate an underlying infection or other condition that requires treatment.
If you can’t urinate at all, even after your erection goes down, seek immediate medical care. This is called urinary retention, and it can have serious consequences if not treated right away.
Peeing with an erection isn’t up there with squeezing a human out of you, but that doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park.
There’s no need to panic if pee doesn’t seem to want to come while you’re hard. It’s totally normal and nothing that a little patience and relaxation won’t fix.
Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canada-based freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. When she’s not holed up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals, she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow, or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddleboard.