Sometimes referred to as a vacuum pump or a vacuum constriction device, the penis pump is a treatment for erectile dysfunction that is often overlooked. The more popular approaches – penile injections and surgically placed penile implants – may have side effects, so it is helpful to know that an alternative treatment is waiting in the wings.

A penis pump is relatively simplistic, being a plastic tube that fits over the penis, a hand or battery-powered pump attached to the tube, and a band that fits around the base of the penis once it is erect. That's it! It is non-invasive, almost always effective, there are minimal risks of side effects or complications, and it's easily the least expensive option you will find.

Significantly, a penis pump may actually help you get back in the game on your own, by countering the sexual effects of certain health conditions. A penis pump might help a man with diabetes regain or maintain normal sexual function. A Peyronie's disease sufferer might find that using a penis pump might helps him maintain the length and girth of his penis.

It's not all unicorns and rainbows, however, albeit things can get a little colorful. Side effects of using a penis pump may include petechiae, little red dots caused by subcutaneous bleeding on the penis; and bluish colored skin when the constriction band is in place. Penis pump users may also feel as though their semen is trapped when they ejaculate, or the ejaculation itself might be painful.

And let's face it: the whole magilla can be somewhat awkward, requiring degrees of manual coordination and patience more often associated with building a Gundam model than foreplay.

Oh, and all those ads you've seen in magazines and on the Internet about how penis pumps can be used to increase the size of Mr. Happy? Yeah, it doesn't work. In fact, using a penis pump solely in an attempt to enlarge your penis can injure you.