Can a man really break his penis?

When women worry about hurting a man's penis, this is usually their big fear. So can you really "break" a penis? Well, sort of. What we call a "fracture" is actually a tear in one of the tube-like structures in the penis that hold blood during an erection.

It typically occurs during intercourse, when your pelvic bone bumps his erect penis too hard and his erection gets bent accidentally (you're on top of him and come down too vigorously, for example). In addition to severe pain, his penis may curve abnormally and he may have difficulty urinating or having intercourse. He may also have significant swelling of the penis and dark, reddish-purple discoloration as the blood fills the space underneath the skin. If the outer skin breaks also, he could have a considerable amount of bleeding. Be careful! If you do suspect a fracture, get him to the emergency room immediately; surgery is often necessary to prevent permanent problems.