‘Penis Death Grip Syndrome’ Sounds Horrifying, But It’s Most Likely Not Why You Can’t Get It Up

The term “death grip” should never be associated with a penis, but according to our always trustworthy friend the internet, that’s the term for when you choke the chicken so often or vigorously that it’s actually difficult to ejaculate. “Penis Death Grip Syndrome” also has its very own Urban Dictionary entry:

A condition in which frequent masturbation by hand desensitizes the nerves in the cock, thus lessening the pleasure of jerking off. The best cure for Death Grip Syndrome is a Fleshlight! (by The Jizz Wiz March 13, 2010)

Now, in case you were wondering, “The Jizz Wiz” is probably not a practicing doctor.

That’s the problem with Death Grip Syndrome — it’s one of those internet ideas that has yet to be proven with any scientific backing, but people still take it seriously. Just check out the website CureDeathGrip.com.

The website tells you what to do, how to seek help and even which Fleshlight is best for you, though it does provide a short disclaimer:

“Death Grip Syndrome” is not a recognized medical condition and the ideas presented here are not meant to be and do not constitute medical advice. It is only based on personal experience. Results may vary. Problems enjoying sexual pleasure may have many causes. Especially if you are experiencing difficulty maintaining an erection in addition to trouble reaching an orgasm, be sure to consider any health, stress, or relationship factors that may be affecting you. Even slightly elevated blood pressure can have substantial effects on your sexual performance and health. Seek medical help from your doctor.

While Death Grip Syndrome may not be a real medical syndrome (CureDeathGrip.com is little more than a site for selling jerk-off toys), penile desensitization can affect men, particularly young adults, though often it’s more to do with the psychological than the physical.

In 2003, sex advice columnist Dan Savage even gave advice to a teenager to vary his self-pleasuring style in order to maintain his sensitivity: “One potential pitfall of youthful masturbation, however, is habituating yourself to a particular kind of stimulation. If you masturbate in the exact same way every time, or if you hold your cock in a death grip every time, you may find it difficult to climax as the result of other, more subtle sensations.”

Even without Death Grip Syndrome, there are a number of reasons someone might have difficulty ejaculating, according to Dr. Richard Santucci, Chief of Urology at Detroit Receiving’s Center for Urologic Reconstruction. He has said that men suffering from delayed (or lack of) ejaculation could possibly be dealing with “diabetes, medications, low testosterone, anxiety, all that other stuff.”

If you’re a perfectly healthy, able-bodied man with none of those problems, then, according to Savage, “maybe that’s just the way your dick works.”

Did you know about Penis Death Grip Syndrome?

This story was originally published on Aug. 31, 2015