How does the body produce an erection?
In reality, the question misstates the process. First, the mind has to accept the situation as involving sexual stimulation. If, for some reason, the mind is not engaged, there will be no effective or lasting sexual response to the stimulation. For this reason, viagra is not always successful when there is a serious depressive disorder or some confusion about sexuality. But if the mind is willing, it will send a chemical messenger to the smooth muscles in the walls of the arteries leading into the penis and inside the corpus cavernosum. While at rest, the arteries are contracted and take only a small supply of blood from the main vessels. As the arteries dilate, more blood flows into the penis. Inside, the corpus acts like a sponge and, as its arteries expand, it swells to absorb the flow. This swelling pinches the veins that would otherwise allow the blood to circulate out of the penis. The result is a gradual stiffening until the full erection is produced. So long as the blood pressure remains constant, the erection will remain until orgasm or the mind loses interest, e.g. you are interrupted.
