US man claims his penis has shrunk due to rare Covid side effect
He claims that his “above average” manhood has now significantly diminished – with doctors warning it is “likely permanent”.
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A man claims his penis has shrunk by almost 4cm due to Covid, and doctors say it can’t be fixed.
The anonymous US man said the lasting effect of the virus has damaged his self-confidence.
Before, the 30-something man said his penis was above average size.
Urologists say “Covid d*ck” is a real phenomenon, whereby the penis can reduce in size due to damage to blood vessels, The Sun reports.
A study of 3400 people led by University College London found that of 200 reported long Covid symptoms, a smaller penis was one of the rarer ones.
Calling in to the podcast How To Do It, the man said: “I’m a heterosexual man in my 30s. In July of last year I contracted Covid and was very sick.
“When I got out of the hospital, I had some erectile dysfunction issues. Those gradually got better with some medical attention, but I seem to be left with a lasting problem.
“My penis has shrunk. Before I got sick, I was above average, not huge, but definitely bigger than normal. Now I’ve lost about an inch-and-a-half (3.8cm) and become decidedly less than average.
“It’s apparently due to vascular damage, and my doctors seem to think it’s likely permanent.
“It shouldn’t really matter, but it has had a profound impact on my self-confidence in my abilities in bed.”
American urologist Ashley Winter explained that penile shrinkage after Covid is a domino effect of erectile dysfunction.
She told the podcast: “It is true that having erectile dysfunction leads to shortening.
“You have this period of time where the penis is not stretching itself out, where it’s not, you know, getting all this full blood into it, and that can lead to scarring of the penis and shortening of the penis.
“And that’s probably what you know your caller is referring to now.”
Men are only at risk of a smaller penis if the cause of their erectile dysfunction is physical, Dr Winter explained, such as cancer.
Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction, such as anxiety around sexual performance or depression, are not linked to a shrinking penis.
The evidence shows that the virus can enter – and therefore likely cause damage to – the blood vessels of the penis.
Covid is not sexually transmitted, however.
Dr Winter said when Covid enters the endothelial cells of the blood vessels found in the penis, it can prevent proper blood flow. This stops it from hardening as effectively.
The doctor referred to a study whereby urologists found particles of coronavirus in the penises of two men who had erectile dysfunction after they had completely recovered from infection.
Both men had “normal erectile function” prior to getting Covid, according to findings published in the World Journal of Men’s Health.
But seven to nine months after their infections, they sought penile implant surgeries.
University College London conducted a study into long Covid symptoms, identifying 203 symptoms in patients from 56 countries.
Almost 5 per cent of men suffered a “decrease in size of testicles/penis”, according to the findings which were published in the Lancet’s EClinicalMedicine.
Around 15 per cent of men reported sexual dysfunction.
Is there hope for erectile issues?
The man who wrote into the podcast was desperate for advice.
Luckily, the experts said not all hope is lost because there are treatments for erectile dysfunction and its fallout effects.
Penis stretching using exercises or devices are commonly used as treatment for those on the smaller side – either naturally or due to disease.
An example is a vacuum pump – a tube that fits over the penis and pumps out air, causing more blood flow to the area.
Dr Winter said these types of therapies are given to men during their erectile dysfunction phase to prevent long-lasting damage.
Her other advice to the caller was to find a way of accepting his new penis size.
She said: “Penis length doesn’t define somebody. And the vast majority of the time dissatisfaction with penis length is really self-driven and not partner driven.”
This story first appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission
Originally published as US man claims his penis has shrunk due to rare Covid side effect
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