It’s estimated that up to 10 % of men worldwide have Peyronie’s Disease. The number could actually be higher than that since some men are too embarrassed to see their doctor about this curvature of the penis.
Men are also afraid of being seen by their partners, as they feel ashamed and humiliated. Although penile curvature is a natural condition, this is not considered normal and can affect male self-esteem, cause psychological problems and even result in sexual dysfunctions.
What is Peyronie’s Disease?
Although most men and even some healthcare experts often use this name “Peyronie’s Disease” in the same way as penile curvature, this is not the same. Peyronie’s disease can actually lead to the curvature of a male penis, but the condition assumes some bigger problems and issues in male genitalia.
The disease occurs because of the development of fibrous scar tissue inside the penis. This leads to a curved or misshapen penis when erect. While it’s true that penises are shaped differently and that a slightly curved erection is no cause for any real concern, but with Peyronie’s Disease, the curvature is such that erections are painful. Penis curvature makes sex difficult or even causes erectile dysfunction.
Even though different people’s penises are curved in different ways, most experts agree that penises without curvature appear wider and longer than those with curvature. Most men have a slight degree of curvature, but it can vary greatly.
Peyronie’s Disease Facts
For example, only 10-15% of men have absolutely straight penises. Around 65% of men may have a very slight degree of curvature during erection that is unlikely to cause physical discomfort but is known to be a reason of psychological problems. As we mentioned earlier, even slightly curved penis looks smaller than one without curvature. And finally, up to 5% of men are proven to suffer from Peyronie’s Disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Peyronie’s Disease was first recognized in the 1950s. Initially, it was reported that Peyronie’s disease was due to too much testosterone, that caused erections that were too strong. However, after several more years of study, doctors realized that Peyronie’s disease is due to the formation of scar tissues.
For the men, Peyronie’s Disease is not a cosmetic problem, but an actual medical issue with significant consequences.
This disease sometimes goes away on its own, however, for most cases, it tends to either become stable or it can become worse. If the curve is severe enough, it might require surgical intervention. In other cases, medical treatment may help improve the condition.
Watch Video about Peyronie’s Disease
Common Symptoms of Peyronie’s Disease
Symptoms of Peyronie’s can occur in a few days or gradually. The most common symptoms are:
- Unexplained pain in the penis, even without an erection
- A significant bend to the penis. Some bend down towards the floor, others take on an hourglass look, or it could bend to one side.
- The penis looks shorter due to the curvature
- Problems maintaining an erection
- You feel flat lumps of hard tissue (which is scar tissue) under the skin
This scar tissue is made up of plaque, but not the kind that clogs your arteries. This plaque is benign. It is not a tumor, nor is it cancerous.
The most common areas for this type of scar tissue to form is the top or the bottom of the penis, however, it can also grow on the sides.
According to the American Society for Men’s Health, these scars are usually small and cannot be easily located until they start to cause pain or become infected. It is also possible that these scars start swelling during erection thus preventing erection and causing sexual dysfunctions.
This and other complications can result in the patient losing the ability to have sex.
Common Causes of Peyronie’s Disease
Unfortunately, doctors don’t fully understand how or why this disease develops; however, doctors believe the following are Partial Causes:
- It appears that Peyronie’s Disease occurs after repeated injury to the penis, such as from sports activities, accidents, or rough sex. This doesn’t seem to have happened to everyone, however.
- While the penis is healing, scar tissue begins to form in a disorganized way, which can lead to a nodule which men can feel under the skin.
- Peyronie’s Disease does not allow the sponge-like chambers to stretch as they fill with blood, causing the penis to bend.
- Some men find that, even though they don’t recall being injured, Peyronie’s Disease simply starts slowly for no apparent reason. Scientists are unsure if there is a genetic trait or type of health condition that would cause this.
Researchers do seem to think that there is a hereditary factor for some men.
If your father or brother has this disease, you have a higher risk of developing it also. This disease also seems to affect men over the age of 55, however, men of any age can and have developed Peyronie’s Disease.
Since the disease sometimes reverses itself, some researchers believe that this is a type of autoimmune disease. This would mean that the body doesn’t recognize parts of the penis as normal parts of the body and tries to protect it by creating these layers of scar tissue.
This could explain why men often get the Peyronie’s Disease without visible cause like injury or damage. Men who have Peyronie’s Disease should consider the possibility of having autoimmune disease in other parts of the body and be sure to seek the advice and medical treatment, if necessary.
Medical Treatment
If treatment is needed, doctors often start with a mild approach and try vitamins and penis exercises. More serious and aggressive forms of treatment include hormonal injections and even surgery. However, thanks to recent advances in the treatment of Peyronie’s Disease, there are now new ways to straighten a male penis without risks and consequences associated with surgery or hormonal therapies.
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience pain in your penis.
Diagnosis is based on a complete review of the patient’s medical history, including blood pressure, certain hormonal imbalances, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Although genetic testing may prove helpful in determining risk factors and minimizing treatment, this cannot be done by testing alone.
It is also important to recognize the real reasons why a man could get a bent penis and try to prevent it in the future. There are several factors that can increase a chance of getting a penis curvature, and each of these should be treated and addressed in a well – planned and systematic manner.
Penile Straightening Surgery
There are surgical procedures to treat penile curvature in men. These can be done under local or general anesthesia. These techniques have been described and evaluated by the American Urological Association. This type of surgery involves reduction of penis length. The amount of penile reduction depends on the surgery performed, the clinical findings, and the patient’s condition. After that, penile restoration involves the creation of a new, a more anatomically correct, shape of the penis.
A growing number of men decide to resort to penile straightening surgery each year. Although t is still considered an effective way of straightening a penis, there have been questions about its safety and effectiveness, particularly after being linked to sexual problems. According to numerous findings and statistics, only 24% of men are completely happy with the results of the surgery.
The risks associated with this type of surgery are extremely high, starting from the erection problems and pains during erection, and going up to complete loss of erection, male infertility and complete inability to have an intercourse. Also, the complications associated with penile restoration include loss of sensitivity in penis nerve tissues, inflammation of the penis glands, scarring and skin damage.
However, there are other forms of Peyronie’s Disease treatment. You can learn them using the link below.
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