I was out with a friend who works in healthcare and heard the scariest story about a sex toy related injury. A bad one. Like, the worst.

Apparently a couple was using a cock ring and it couldn’t be removed after sex. For those unfamiliar with this ‘marital aid,’  a cock ring goes around either the base of the penis or the testicles or both. It restricts blood flow to the penis and helps it stay erect for a longer amount of time. It should be easy to remove and as we know from Viagra commercials, staying erect for a long period of time isn’t healthy.

Photo Courtesy of Tommy Jones

If a cock ring can’t be removed it’s a problem. The couple in the aforementioned story was too embarrassed to seek help when they couldn’t remove a cock ring. They went to sleep with the ring still in place and eight hours later his penis was still erect and they still couldn’t remove the ring. Still embarrassed they waited a little longer before finally going to the emergency room.   After that amount of time the tissue of the penis had already died. Doctors had no other option but to remove all but an inch of it. If this couple had only not been embarrassed to seek medical attention they would not have lost his penis. HE LOST HIS PENIS!

Using a cock ring is a perfectly fine choice if that’s something that helps you have fun sex. It’s just best to follow the guidelines of experts when using one.

• Try it on before you buy or at least know the right size by measuring penis girth.

• If you feel pain or the penis is too cold/numb…remove the ring!

• Buy a ring that snaps or is made of soft plastic or rubber so you can remove it easily.

• Don’t leave it on for more than 30 minutes

• Don’t be embarrassed to seek help if you need it. ER staff have seen it all.