Women too can suffer from prolonged, painful erection of the clitoris
Feb 21, 2011
THE American heritage medical dictionary defines clitorism as the prolonged and usually painful erection of the clitoris. It is also described as an abnormal enlargement of the clitoris and is equally painful like the case is in priapism.
Last week, Health & Beauty brought you priapism (prolonged frequent erection despite the absence of both physical and psychological stimulation). Due to feedback from our readers on whether there is a similar condition in women, today, we bring you clitorism, a term that refers to priapism in women.
By Reste Namuhenge
THE American heritage medical dictionary defines clitorism as the prolonged and usually painful erection of the clitoris. It is also described as an abnormal enlargement of the clitoris and is equally painful like the case is in priapism.
Dan Murokora, the medical director of Uganda Women’s Health Initiative, says the condition is not common, but the possibility of acquiring clitoral priapism (clitorism) is possible.
He adds that clitorism is a potentially painful medical condition in which the erect clitoris does not return to its flaccid state, despite the absence of both physical and psychological stimulation, within four hours.
Men and women alike may feel ashamed to seek medical attention upon acquiring this problem, yet it can be handled.
Causes
Dr. Vincent Karuhanga of Friends’ Polyclinic in Kampala says understanding priapism is fundamental in understanding the causes of clitorism. “Just like the men’s genitals, women too have the female external genitalia called the clitoris.
For clitorism to occur, there must be problems with the nerves or a blood vessel due to injury or busting of the clitoral artery, and if blood is not returned to the brain from the genitals,†he says.
Karuhanga says unlike men who have a system that deals with the flow of blood, women lack the system. Hence if blood from the adnominal aorta (the largest artery in the abdominal cavity) gets trapped in the deep clitoral artery, deformity of the female external genitalia occurs.
Murokora says penile or clitoral erections occur when blood flows into the spongy tissue of the clitoris. The erection is usually brought about through either physical or psychological stimulation and once this stops, the erection should go away.
“Clitorism also comes about when blood gets trapped in the clitoris and is unable to return to the body’s normal circulation. This is caused by a blockage in the vein that runs away from the clitoris.
Some types of cancer and medicines, such as antidepressants and treatments for other mental health conditions, are known to cause clitoris in women,†he says.
Other causes of this condition may include use of antihypertensives (hypertension medication), antipsychotics (tranquillisers), antidepressants, anticoagulants (drugs which prevent blood from clotting), cocaine and alcohol.
Sickle cell disease has also been shown to cause this condition because of its blood clotting abilities that interfere with blood flow.
Clitorism is also caused when the clitoral arteries are ruptured and this is often due to high levels of the androgen hormone (responsible for growth of the male reproductive system) and low levels of oestrogen (a hormone produced by the ovaries).
Androgens are produced by the body in greater amounts in males, however, they are also present in females in small amounts.
Androgens and oestrogen are necessary for normal sexual development of the female and for regulation of the menstrual cycle during the childbearing years.
Clitorism, like priapism is grouped into two categories; high flow clitorism often as a result of blood being trapped in the genital area and high flow-induced clitorism when an artery is ruptured from an injury to the genital area, preventing proper blood circulation.
Treatment
Karuhanga says this condition is rare and in most cases needs no treatment, adding that it is nearly impossible to treat clitorism since the female genitals are mostly on the inside. However, if one is to treat this condition they ought to identify the causes first.
He advises that the first remedy is inducing orgasm. If that fails, other methods may be introduced to reduce pain. If the illness is due to high blood flow in the genitals, ice packs are used.
Sedation after sex can be a remedy and if clitorism is caused by nerve problems — if the pudendal nerve which carries sensations from the external genitals, the lower rectum and between the genitals and the anus is trapped — surgical relief, where part of the oversized genitalia is removed, is required.
Experts advise that in case of surgery, detection of hormonal levels should be done first. The causes of the situation must be made clear before treatment and in case of another illness, the patient should be treated first.
Surgery cannot be conducted during the monthly periods and loss of sensitivity as a result of surgery may occur.
According to Murokora, once the underlying cause of this condition has been treated, the condition usually goes away.
In some cases, it may be necessary for a gynaecologist to use a needle and syringe to draw the trapped blood out of the clitoris, followed by injecting of medicine directly into the clitoris.
By Reste Namuhenge
THE American heritage medical dictionary defines clitorism as the prolonged and usually painful erection of the clitoris. It is also described as an abnormal enlargement of the clitoris and is equally painful like the case is in priapism.
Dan Murokora, the medical director of Uganda Women’s Health Initiative, says the condition is not common, but the possibility of acquiring clitoral priapism (clitorism) is possible.
He adds that clitorism is a potentially painful medical condition in which the erect clitoris does not return to its flaccid state, despite the absence of both physical and psychological stimulation, within four hours.
Men and women alike may feel ashamed to seek medical attention upon acquiring this problem, yet it can be handled.
Causes
Dr. Vincent Karuhanga of Friends’ Polyclinic in Kampala says understanding priapism is fundamental in understanding the causes of clitorism. “Just like the men’s genitals, women too have the female external genitalia called the clitoris.
For clitorism to occur, there must be problems with the nerves or a blood vessel due to injury or busting of the clitoral artery, and if blood is not returned to the brain from the genitals,†he says.
Karuhanga says unlike men who have a system that deals with the flow of blood, women lack the system. Hence if blood from the adnominal aorta (the largest artery in the abdominal cavity) gets trapped in the deep clitoral artery, deformity of the female external genitalia occurs.
Murokora says penile or clitoral erections occur when blood flows into the spongy tissue of the clitoris. The erection is usually brought about through either physical or psychological stimulation and once this stops, the erection should go away.
“Clitorism also comes about when blood gets trapped in the clitoris and is unable to return to the body’s normal circulation. This is caused by a blockage in the vein that runs away from the clitoris.
Some types of cancer and medicines, such as antidepressants and treatments for other mental health conditions, are known to cause clitoris in women,†he says.
Other causes of this condition may include use of antihypertensives (hypertension medication), antipsychotics (tranquillisers), antidepressants, anticoagulants (drugs which prevent blood from clotting), cocaine and alcohol.
Sickle cell disease has also been shown to cause this condition because of its blood clotting abilities that interfere with blood flow.
Clitorism is also caused when the clitoral arteries are ruptured and this is often due to high levels of the androgen hormone (responsible for growth of the male reproductive system) and low levels of oestrogen (a hormone produced by the ovaries).
Androgens are produced by the body in greater amounts in males, however, they are also present in females in small amounts.
Androgens and oestrogen are necessary for normal sexual development of the female and for regulation of the menstrual cycle during the childbearing years.
Clitorism, like priapism is grouped into two categories; high flow clitorism often as a result of blood being trapped in the genital area and high flow-induced clitorism when an artery is ruptured from an injury to the genital area, preventing proper blood circulation.
Treatment
Karuhanga says this condition is rare and in most cases needs no treatment, adding that it is nearly impossible to treat clitorism since the female genitals are mostly on the inside. However, if one is to treat this condition they ought to identify the causes first.
He advises that the first remedy is inducing orgasm. If that fails, other methods may be introduced to reduce pain. If the illness is due to high blood flow in the genitals, ice packs are used.
Sedation after sex can be a remedy and if clitorism is caused by nerve problems — if the pudendal nerve which carries sensations from the external genitals, the lower rectum and between the genitals and the anus is trapped — surgical relief, where part of the oversized genitalia is removed, is required.
Experts advise that in case of surgery, detection of hormonal levels should be done first. The causes of the situation must be made clear before treatment and in case of another illness, the patient should be treated first.
Surgery cannot be conducted during the monthly periods and loss of sensitivity as a result of surgery may occur.
According to Murokora, once the underlying cause of this condition has been treated, the condition usually goes away.
In some cases, it may be necessary for a gynaecologist to use a needle and syringe to draw the trapped blood out of the clitoris, followed by injecting of medicine directly into the clitoris.