A mortician has shed light on the unusual and rare phenomenon known as a ‘death erection’.
A death erection refers to an apparent erection occurring after death, which can be quite perplexing since such physical responses are typically associated with the living.
Victor M. Sweeney, a mortician and funeral director, discussed his intriguing profession and some of the unusual occurrences he’s encountered during an episode of LADbible’s Honesty Box.
When asked about what occurs if someone dies with an erection, Sweeney found amusement in the question.
Sweeney remarked: “I’ve never had anybody die with an erection… yet. I’m not sure how that would work.”
He continued by explaining: “It’s a nervous response, right? There’s the physicality of the thing but there’s a nervous response.
“So I’d have to believe that when the nervous system and the brain stops working, that the erection goes away. But I don’t know for sure.”
Nonetheless, Sweeney acknowledged encountering what is often referred to as ‘angel lust’ or a ‘death erection’—a condition where a man’s penis becomes erect post-mortem.
This occurrence is technically a variant of priapism.
Priapism is more typically experienced by living individuals and involves a prolonged erection lasting several hours, which isn’t due to sexual stimulation as per the Mayo Clinic.
The Mayo Clinic further explains: “Ischemic priapism, also called low-flow priapism, is the result of blood not being able to leave the penis.
“Blood is trapped in the penis because it cannot flow out of the veins of the penis or there is a problem with the contraction of smooth muscles within the erectile tissue of the penis.
“Nonischemic priapism, also known as high-flow priapism, occurs when blood flow through the arteries of the penis isn’t working properly. However, the penile tissues continue to receive some blood flow and oxygen.”
Cases of priapism have been linked to spinal cord injuries, and individuals who have died by hanging, whether through execution or suicide, might experience this condition.
Sweeney described observing instances of ‘death erection’ during some post-mortems he has performed.
He noted: “I have embalmed bodies where inexplicably all the pressure ends up in the c**k, and it becomes an erection again.
“And then that also eventually goes away when the abdominal pressure goes down, but that doesn’t happen very often.
“I’ve heard of people calling it ‘angel lust’, but I’ve only had that happen like twice in my career, so not super common.”