The most obvious fact about the penis
HTML clipboardPenis. The most obvious fact about the penis is that it can be distended with blood under mental or physical stimulus, so that it becomes stiff or erect. The penis is made up of three columns of spongy erectile tissue—the middle one containing the urethra. The head of the penis is called the glans and is very sensitive to touch. The glans contains many nerve endings, which help build orgasmic tensions during sexual contact.
At birth the glans is covered by a fold of skin called the prepuce or foreskin. The foreskin requires special care to keep it clean and prevent accumulation of a greasy secretion called smegma. If the foreskin is too tight, it may interfere with erection and intercourse. For these reasons, the practice of circumcision shortly after birth has grown in popularity as a hygienic measure. Circumcision is the cutting off of enough foreskin to leave the glans exposed.
Semen (the seminal fluid) is manufactured and stored in the prostate gland and the seminal vesicles where contractions force it into the urethra at the time of ejaculation. As you can see, any enlargement (hypertrophy) of the prostate gland may interfere with the flow of urine from the bladder.
For many years some peoples, by custom or religion, have practiced circumcision. It is interesting to note that this is the only surgical operation mentioned in the Bible. About four thousand years ago, God commanded that the operation be done on the eighth day after birth. It is only in the last few decades that it has been found that the eighth day is when blood-clotting and infection-preventing factors are the most favorable in a baby’s life. Today, however, the timing of this operation is not as critical, because we have modern surgical instruments and drugs with which to avoid and control infection.
The urethra is a small tube that carries the urine from the bladder through the prostate gland and the penis. The outside opening of the urethra is called the meatus. The urethra is lubricated by secretions from glands near the base of the penis. These secretions help the sperm make their way out.
The length of the unstimulated or flaccid penis varies greatly, but the erect penis is usually from five to seven inches long. Smaller or larger dimensions are not abnormal, however. Practically all the sexually stimulating sensations take place in the glans of the penis for the male and in the clitoris for the female. So, length of the penis has little to do with stimulation of the wife or with satisfaction for the husband. Contrary to popular belief, there is more chance for a wife to feel discomfort and a lack of satisfaction from too large a penis than from one which is too small. However, a penis of any length is capable of providing full satisfaction. During erection the rim of the glans becomes a little harder than the tip and may increase female excitement. Recent research proves there is no difference in sexual sensation for the male, whether he is uncircumcised or circumcised.
Posted in Understanding the Basics
To Ed Wheat Sr. and Gladys Gibson Wheat, whose commitment, devotion, warmth, generosity, and integrity stood for fifty years as a beautiful picture of genuine agape love.