Cock Rings and Masturbation: A Beginners Guide

Did you know that using a cock ring during masturbation has many benefits? You may know a lot about cock rings already and want to learn more about them for masturbation purposes. The following guide will cover everything you need to know; whether they are for you or not and how to get the most out of your cock ring for a great masturbation experience!

Cock rings (also known as penis rings or c rings) are rings that go round the balls or the base of the penis.  Cock rings are made of different materials like silicone, rubber, leather, metals, neoprene, plastic, wood, etc. And they have a variety of sizes according to their diameter with various types available. 

You can use a cock ring either for penetrative sex; with you and your partner, oral sex, or if you prefer to go solo. A cock ring can also be used with other toys like a butt plug and dildo. Using a cock ring can generally improve your sex life. They are usually available in most sex toy stores.

Can I use a cock ring to masturbate?

Yes, cock rings can be used during masturbation and have many benefits in doing so.  Even though cock rings are mostly known for their ability to help sex partners improve their sex life, they are also very useful tools for masturbation, especially for men with erection problems. 

Masturbation is very common in the modern world. Almost 80% of all men and 30% of women have masturbated at some point in their lives. A study shows that about 72.2% of sexually active people have engaged in masturbation since the emergence of the global pandemic. This has led many people to look for other ways or tools that can improve their pleasure. Many men that used a cock ring to masturbate, never want to masturbate again without using one.

How cock rings can improve your masturbation experience

Wearing a cock ring for masturbation helps improve your experience through both psychological and physical means.

Psychological factors

When some men wear cock rings to masturbate, it gives a special feeling of extra sophistication to the whole masturbation process. They have a sense of doing something fancier than the usual masturbation without a cock ring.  This feeling alone can make your experience more enjoyable.

Physical factors

Just like with the psychological impact, what you see while masturbating can improve your experience. For instance, cock rings make your penis look bigger during masturbation. This sight alone can make a man feel more excited and raise his confidence. Great confidence contributes to healthier erections and can even lead to a more intense orgasm. In addition to this, there is an extra stimulation a cock ring adds to your penis during masturbation that gives a better feeling than when you're just using your hands and lube.

Over time this will help translate into better sex with your partner. What many people experience when they start using cock rings to masturbate is that they want to ejaculate faster as their body is not used to the extra stimulation. With time this will improve as your body get used to it. You can also use the "stop and start" technique also known as edging, where you will stop masturbating when you feel like you are close to ejaculating, then you continue later. This will help improve your experience.

What is the best type of cock ring for masturbation?

The best cock ring for masturbation is one that fits you the best.  Fitment is the most important consideration when choosing a cock ring.  Once you have identified the size should you proceed to materials and functionality.  For any beginner still confused about the right cock ring, know that you can never go wrong with a ring made of silicone. They are very comfortable and are soft to the touch. 

Since people can not really go to a sex toy store and try a new toy on, it is advisable to get adjustable rings with a stretchy material as they are easily worn and the removal is seamless.  With an adjustable cock ring you would not worry so much about getting a perfect fit or if it will be too tight (which might restrict blood circulation). 

Safety measures when masturbating with a cock ring

While masturbating with a cock ring has many benefits, when used incorrectly they can be dangerous.  So, let's take a look at some of these safety measures to learn how to use safety effectively:

1. A cock ring should not be used for longer than thirty minutes at any given time:  Try not to get caught up in the excitement and forget about time. This is why using a stopwatch is advised. With prolonged use, you are risking penile strangulation. Make sure you remove the cock ring before sleeping as nocturnal erections(when you wake up with an erection) come unexpectedly. 
2. Care for your toy always: Clean your cock ring thoroughly after use to avoid any possible bacteria growth. Your satisfaction should not lead to an infection.
3. Use the perfect fit: Use a cock ring that fits you perfectly in size and shape. It should not be too tight or too loose on the base of your penis or around the testicles. When it's too tight, it can restrict blood flow and cause tissue damage. If a ring is too loose, it will lose all of its effectiveness.
4. Shave your pubic hair: Just imagine you trying to remove your cock ring and you pull some hair. Imagine the pain.
5. Use a lubricant: a lubricant helps the process of placing and removing the cock ring to be easy. A lubricant also forestalls friction between the penis and the cock ring. Water-based lube is recommended in small quantities.

Can I use a cock ring and masturbation to help with premature ejaculation?

There has not been any scientific backing to the claim that cock rings help with premature ejaculation. A study showed that cock ring usage was not effective in relieving premature ejaculation as there was no significant change in intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) when a cock ring was worn and when it was not.

While cock rings are not a cure of premature ejaculation by themselves, they can help combined with other techniques like the ones we describe below:

• The "Stop and Start" method or “Edging”  is where you withdraw your penis as you feel you are close to reaching climax. This helps in delaying ejaculation.
• The Distraction method is where you start thinking about something that is not exciting whenever you are close to reaching climax, just to distract you from that sexual excitement and to delay ejaculation.
• Masturbation: this can help you understand your body better. People experiencing premature ejaculation are advised to masturbate an hour before having sex. It can help to reduce tension before sex, which can greatly help people with performance anxiety. It can also help to delay ejaculation because it usually takes longer to reach a second orgasm. 

Penis pump and cock ring masturbation: Step-by-step guide

1. Make sure to read any instructions that came with the penis pump
2. Apply lubricant for a comfortable fitment
3. Insert your penis into the pump tube
4. Make sure the base of the tube is firm to the body, allowing the testicles to remain outside the tube.
5. Plug the release valve(most pumps come with a release valve for fast pressure release. You should get one of those).
6. Start pumping slowly. DO NOT RUSH. 
7. Once fully erect, place the cock ring on the base of that penis to maintain the erection. 
8. Release the valve and remove the penis from the tube.
9. Now, you can give yourself pleasure. Remember when using a cock ring, be conscious of the time. 

For penetrative sex, a penis pump can help you get an erection and maintain it by increasing blood flow to your penis. This effect can last up to 30 minutes and thereby helps in a case of erectile dysfunction.

References 

1. Hosseini, S. R. (2007). Does a constriction ring alter ejaculation latency? BJU International; 100: 619-620. [online] Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17535277/. [accessed 14th Jan 2021]
2. Weinstein, C. S. (2021). Removal of a Steel Ring Causing Penile Strangulation Without the Use of Powered Tools or Sharp Blades. Urology, 148. DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.10.042. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33186579/  [accessed 15th Jan 2021]
3. Serefoglu EC, Saitz TR, Trost L, Hellstrom WJ.(2013) Premature ejaculation: do we have effective therapy?. Transl Androl Urol. 2013;2(1):45-53. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2223-4683.2013.01.02 Available at: https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2223-4683.2013.01.02 [accessed 15th Jan 2021]
4. Martin-tuite P, Shindel AW.(2019) Management Options for Premature Ejaculation and Delayed Ejaculation in Men. Sex Med Rev. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.09.002 Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.09.002 [accessed 15th Jan 2021]
5. Rajkumar RP, Kumaran AK.(2014) The association of anxiety with the subtypes of premature ejaculation: a chart review. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(4). doi:10.4088/PCC.14m01630 Available at: https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.14m01630 [accessed 15th Jan 2021]