I know it's called a boner, but this is ridiculous!

September 7, 2006 6:46 PM

Should my penis make a popping noise during sex?

About 1/4 of the time I'm having sex, my penis makes this popping sound during sex. It occurs right at the base of my penis and it sounds remarkably like I'm cracking a knuckle. This has been going on for years, and I always figured everyone's penis did that, but my girlfriend just recently informed me that she's never heard it before. A little asking around among my friends turned up no one else with this issue, so now I'm curious.

I tried googling for any information, but needless to say all the results I got back were, unsurprisingly porn related, and useless.

So, I ask you. Have you ever run into this before? Does anyone have any idea what it could be? Like I said, it doesn't hurt, but it is surprisingly loud.

posted by KirTakat to health & fitness (31 comments total)

No, I don't believe it should.

Ans just out of curiousity, how many penises has she heard to be sure it shouldn't happen?
posted by jimmy0x52 at 6:50 PM on September 7, 2006 [1 favorite]

Her? 4 including mine, total of all the people I asked, gets closer to 20 penises total.
posted by KirTakat at 6:51 PM on September 7, 2006

It happens to me in a manner and frequency strikingly similar to what you describe. So, yes, I've run into it before. That makes at least two of us.
posted by PhatLobley at 6:52 PM on September 7, 2006

Three.
posted by Zozo at 7:00 PM on September 7, 2006

From here (Question 6): "The popping sound is usually heard when there is a ligament sprain within the penis, or a "bending" of the penis at the base or middle during energetic lovemaking."
posted by tellurian at 7:04 PM on September 7, 2006

You may be cracking the pubic symphysis. I started to look for a specific reference to this phenomenon, but searching on combinations of "crack" and "pubic" got too scary.
posted by Zed_Lopez at 7:04 PM on September 7, 2006 [1 favorite]

Tellurian: I don't think that's it, first off they're talking about something that seems like an injury, with the guy losing erection and what not, whereas I never have an issue with my erection during or afterwards, and it certainly doesn't hurt.
posted by KirTakat at 7:10 PM on September 7, 2006

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply… Google for "ligament pop".
posted by tellurian at 7:27 PM on September 7, 2006

Four.

No bubblegum involved.
posted by Kickstart70 at 7:30 PM on September 7, 2006

Not me, I feel left out.
posted by Iron Rat at 7:51 PM on September 7, 2006

I once chased a stoned girl around a table making that very same popping sound. That was the first time I let it be known I could do...that. This is the second. So....

Five.
posted by now i'm piste at 8:21 PM on September 7, 2006 [1 favorite]

Have you asked your doctor?

I admit, that might be more embarrassing then asking a mass of 'net strangers....
posted by rsanheim at 10:49 PM on September 7, 2006

Six. Once in a while, many years ago. Not recently.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:59 PM on September 7, 2006

Seven.
posted by ill3 at 11:34 PM on September 7, 2006

I get it, but for me it's the ligament pop described by tellurian's link. And yes, it hurts (usually happens with her on top, things bending ways they aren't supposed to bend).
posted by antifuse at 12:57 AM on September 8, 2006

I can do something like that if I push straight down at the base of my penis. Not during sex, tho.
posted by notsnot at 4:43 AM on September 8, 2006

notsnot: is that straight down as in "towards the toes", or straight down as in "from front to back"?
posted by spaceman_spiff at 5:12 AM on September 8, 2006

Could it be the onset of Peyronie's Disease? [potentially NSFW] I mean, I hope not, as this occasionally happens to me as well.
posted by exlotuseater at 5:37 AM on September 8, 2006

Argh. admin, hope me! ^^^


Could it be the onset of Peyronie's Disease? [potentially NSFW] I mean I hope not, as this happens to me occasionally as well.

Take it easy!
posted by exlotuseater at 5:40 AM on September 8, 2006

I doubt this is anything like Peyronie's Disease, as this has been going on for years really, I just never thought anything of it until my current girlfriend mentioned it during sex (making it obviously loud enough for her to here). Because of that I never really thought to ask my doctor, and I never go to the doctor anyways.

Glad to see I'm not the only guy that has this happening though, seems like there's quite a number of us.
posted by KirTakat at 6:36 AM on September 8, 2006

Eight.

It is remarkably like popping a knuckle. I can do it when I wish, but it has rarely happened during sex.

You are not alone....
posted by Ateo Fiel at 7:31 AM on September 8, 2006

Nine.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:47 AM on September 8, 2006

Uh, ten, but only very occasionally.

Am I eliminating any chance I'll ever be able to run for public office by posting this? "FRINGE LIBERAL'S DICK MAKES FREAKY POPPING SOUND -- DO YOU TRUST HIM WITH YOUR CHILDREN?"
posted by Greg Nog at 8:21 AM on September 8, 2006

Eleven.

But i don't believe i can do it "when I wish." I think its all HER fault, to tell you the truth...
posted by punkbitch at 9:23 AM on September 8, 2006

This thread is useless without audio.
posted by meehawl at 10:30 AM on September 8, 2006

Twelve. Not regularly, not painful, not on-demand, and not for a few months, despite regular "use" - apart from one pop very recently.

Great question :-)
posted by ajp at 11:01 AM on September 8, 2006

Eww. No audio, PLEASE!

/DrtyBlvd renames channel *Pop Went Peoples Weasels*
posted by DrtyBlvd at 12:05 PM on September 8, 2006

Thirteen.

Mostly when I was a newlywed. I think since then, I've limbered up, as it hasn't happened in quite a while.

It never hurt, the wife didn't panic, and it ended up being one of those "gee whiz" type things early in our marriage. And it was when we seemed to be working a little harder than usual, if you get my drift. But again, painless.

I've seen references to this before, and that it's normal. I thought that I'd seen it in the Straight Dope, but it looks like I'm confusing This SD Article with something else.

But I'm sure I've read of its normalcy, which is why I've never worried about it (and, by the way, still functioning fine 7 years later). Sorry I'm not more help.
posted by SlyBevel at 3:01 PM on September 8, 2006

14

It happens almost every time I have sex (never more than once in a session). It doesn't hurt. It usually happens when I'm on top, missionary, all the way in, and pushing vigorously.
posted by syzygy at 6:46 AM on September 14, 2006

Well, at least I appear to be in good company.
posted by KirTakat at 12:58 PM on September 15, 2006

Fifteen. Especially when it's been a while.
posted by koeselitz at 9:29 AM on November 29, 2006