erection
Meaning of erection: An erection is the firming of erectile tissue as it fills with blood, a physiologic response involving structures in both male and female anatomy.
Definition of erection
An erection is the firming and enlargement of erectile tissue that occurs when that tissue fills with blood, a physiologic response controlled by the nervous system. The term is most familiar in reference to the penis, where increased blood flow into specialized internal tissue, combined with restricted outflow, causes it to become firm.
Erectile tissue with a similar structure and blood flow response is also present in the clitoris, which becomes engorged and firm through the same general mechanism during sexual arousal. In both cases, the response depends on coordinated signals between the nervous system and the blood vessels supplying the erectile tissue.
Because erection depends on adequate nerve signaling and blood flow, conditions that affect either of these systems, including certain vascular diseases, nerve injury, and some medications, can interfere with the response, which is why difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection is often evaluated as a marker of broader nerve or blood vessel health.
Used in a sentence
The patient's history included a discussion of erectile function as part of the broader cardiovascular assessment.
Good to know
Difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection can reflect an underlying nerve or blood vessel problem rather than a condition limited to the reproductive system, which is why the symptom is sometimes evaluated as a marker of broader vascular health.