
Why is my Penis so Sensitive?
Whether penile hypersensitivity is a premature ejaculation cause or not is still up to debate. Although some studies suggest that a hypersensitive penis is a risk factor for PE1, others studies show more nuanced results2. Anyhow, a lot of premature ejaculators have the impression that their penis is hypersensitive. If it’s your case, there is three possible explanation to the question why is my penis so sensitive.
Physiologic Sensitivity
First, everybody is different. The penis is an organ with a lot of nerve endings and some physiologic difference from one man to another could explain the sensitivity difference. We know that some sensitive parts of the penis (like foreskin rete ridges) are irregular and vary in height depending on different criteria3. Frenulum length is also another anatomical difference between men that could play a role in penis sensitivity4.
Neurologic Sensitivity
Beyond the physiological differences, neurologic reasons could also explain the impression of hypersensitivity. The penis sends some signals to the brain and spinal cord when it’s stimulated. Those signals travel via the nervous system. When enough signals are sent, the spinal cord triggers the ejaculation reflex.
The impression of hypersensitivity could also come from the nervous system. The nervous system uses neurotransmitters to communicate. Some of those neurotransmitters, like the serotonin, play a considerable role in the ejaculation reflex. Some specialists suspect that an imbalance in the nervous system could create the impression of a more sensitive penis5. For example, a lack of serotonin could make your penis feel hypersensitive even if, anatomically speaking, your penis is just fine.
Psychological Sensitivity
Psychological factors represent the last way in which your penis could seem hypersensitive. Premature ejaculation also has some psychological and relational risk factors. In this case, your penis may feel sensitive even if there are no physical factors at play. One common example is men who have trouble managing their arousal. Arousal modulation is a skill that some people have a problem with. When you’re aroused, your penis feels more sensitive. If you get too excited too soon, the issue is not with your penis but with your arousal control.
Another example is when your relationship isn’t going well, and those relational tensions influence your mood. You can feel stressed or anxious about sex if your relation is toilsome. This stress and anxiety could also give you the impression that your penis is more sensitive than usual.
How Can I Know If My Penis Is Hypersensitive
If you suffer from premature ejaculation and you are wondering if a penile hypersensitivity could cause it, there’s a simple test you could do. Like we explain on the cum too fast page, ejaculation is triggered by two things, physical arousal (genital stimulation) and psychological arousal. On the premature ejaculation training unit page, you’ll find a test that will help you determine if you are more sensitive to physical arousal.
How Can I Reduce My Penis Sensitivity
If you find yourself more sensitive, you should take a look at the How to Make your Penis Less Sensitive page to find trick on how to reduces penis sensitivity.
Sources:
- Fanciullacci F, Colpi GM, Beretta G, Zanollo A (1988) Cortical evoked potentials in subjects with true premature ejaculation. Andrologia 20:326–330, Xin ZC, Choi YD, Rha KH, Choi HK (1997) Somatosensory evoked potentials in patients with primary premature ejaculation. J Urol 158:451–455, Xin ZC, Chung WS, Choi YD, Seong DH, Choi YJ, Choi HK (1996) Penile sensitivity in patients with primary premature ejaculation. J Urol 156:979–981
- Perretti A, Catalano A, Mirone V, Imbimbo C, Balbi P, Palmieri A, Longo N, Fusco F, Verze P, Santoro L (2003) Neurophysiologic evaluation of central-peripheral sensory and motor pudendal pathways in primary premature ejaculation. Urology 61:623–628, Paick JS, Jeong H, Park MS (1998) Penile sensitivity in men with premature ejaculation. Int J Impot Res 10:247–250, Vanden Broucke H, Everaert K, Peersman W, Claes H, Vanderschueren D, Van Kampen M (2007) Ejaculation latency times and their relationship to penile sensitivity in men with normal sexual function. J Urol 177:237–240
- Risks Factors in Premature Ejaculation: The Neurological Risk Factor and the Local Hypersensitivity (2013) Ibrahim A. Abdel-Hamid, Moheb M. Abdel-Razek and Tarek Anis. Chapter 14 in Premature Ejaculation, from Etiology from diagnosis and treatment, Jannini, Emmanuele, McMahon, Chris G., Waldinger, Marcel D., Springer-Verlag Mailand, 2013 p.5-24, ISBN 978-88-470-2646-9., Halata Z, Munger BL (1986) The neuroanatomical basis for the protopathic sensibility of the human glans penis. Brain Res 371:205–230
- Gallo L, Perdona S, Gallo A (2010) The role of short frenulum and the effects of frenulectomy on premature ejaculation. J Sex Med 7(3):1269–1276
- Waldinger MD, Berendsen HHG, Blok BFM, Olivier B, Holstege G (1998) Premature ejaculation and SSRI-induced delayed ejaculation: the involvement of the serotonergic system. Behav Brain Res 92:111–118