Drugs for erectile dysfunction

Painful priapism in men who took one of these drugs immediately before priapism started

Only a doctor's examination

Painful priapism

If amphetamines or is the cause, agitation and anxiety

A doctor's examination

Occasionally drug screening

Painful priapism in boys or men being treated for a disorder

Only a doctor's examination

Blood disorders (such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, sickle cell disease or trait, or thalassemia)

In boys or young men, often of African or Mediterranean descent

A complete blood count

Blood tests to check for abnormal hemoglobin (hemoglobin electrophoresis)

Prostate cancer that has spread to areas next to the prostate or any cancer that has spread to the genitals

In men over 50 who have worsening symptoms indicating that the opening from the bladder into the urethra (bladder outlet) is blocked (such as a weak urine stream, difficulty starting urination, and dribbling at the end of urination)

Sometimes blood in the urine

Blood tests to measure the level of prostate-specific antigen

CT or MRI

Spinal cord disorders, such as narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal cord stenosis) or compression of the spinal cord

Weakness or numbness in the legs

Retention of urine or uncontrollable loss of urine or stool (urinary or fecal incontinence)

MRI or CT of the spine

Injury to an artery

Mildly painful and slightly rigid priapism

In men who have had a recent injury to the penis or groin area

Duplex ultrasonography of the penis (ultrasonography that measures blood flow and shows structure of the blood vessels through which the blood is flowing)

Angiography (x-rays of blood vessels)

MRI