Proper penis sensation is absolutely crucial for enjoyment of sexual activities, whether they involve a partner or one’s own hand. Most of the time, paying adequate attention to one’s penis health helps to ensure no diminishment in penis sensation. There are, of course, issues outside the general realm of penis health that could still impact the penis and its sensitivity - and something called paresthesia is one of these.

About paresthesia

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says that paresthesia "refers to a burning or prickling sensation…which happens without warning, is usually painless and described as tingling or numbness, skin crawling, or itching." Often the sensation is described as kind of "numbness" or deadening of feeling.

Paresthesia can be either temporary or chronic. Most people have experienced a mild form of temporary paresthesia, such as happens when the arm or leg "falls asleep." This resolves itself soon after the removal of pressure on nerves that caused the numbness in the first place. Other causes of temporary paresthesia include lack of blood flow, dehydration or a panic attack.

A chronic case of paresthesia - one which recurs or lasts for a long time and which doesn’t resolve when obvious pressure on a nerve is relieved - indicates issues such as an underlying neurological or circulatory cause, diabetes, connective tissue disorder, etc.

Penis sensation

Although it is more common to experience paresthesia in the arms or legs, some men do experience it in the penis. Why would this be? There can be several reasons.

- A guy may have been lying on his penis in such a way that the nerves felt "pinched." This should be a very temporary form of paresthesia, and should wear off within a few minutes of shifting position so that there is no longer weight bearing down on penile nerves.

- There may be an impediment in the blood vessels which is keeping an appropriate amount of blood to flow into the penis during the erectile phase. The lack of sufficient blood can in some instances result in a diminishment of penis sensation.

- Nerves in the penis may have become damaged due to rough use. This is probably the most common cause of paresthesia in the penis. The damage comes about, for example, because a man is masturbating with a "death grip," i.e. a grip around the penis that is too tight and which causes minor nerve damage. Often lack of lubrication is also involved.

In many cases, paresthesia in the penis is quite temporary. However, if it is chronic, a man definitely needs to see a doctor - especially if he experiences similar numbness in other parts of the body as well. He should let the doctor know where the numbness has occurred, how often, etc. so that the doctor can determine the appropriate course of treatment to recommend. (That treatment will depend on a diagnosis of the underlying cause of the paresthesia.)

When paresthesia results in a loss of penis sensation and the cause seems to have been rough handling of the penis, a man may find some relief by regularly applying a first rate penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The key to success in this area is to find a crème that includes L-carnitine in its ingredients. L-carnitine is an amino acid that has been shown to protect against peripheral nerve damage caused by friction, compression, and other common injuries. It also helps if the same crème contains a potent antioxidant; alpha lipoic acid is an excellent one. Alpha lipoic acid helps fight against excess free radicals and the oxidative stress they can cause. This will help strengthen penis skin and better protect delicate penile nerves.