What is Peyronie’s Disease?
Peyronie’s occurs when a fibrous scar tissue develops on the penis causing curved and painful erections. Penises vary in shape, size and curvature. An erection that is bent, but neither painful nor uncomfortable during sexual intercourse, need not be a cause of concern.
Peyronie’s is more common than generally imagined. Between 3% and 9% of adult males suffer from the condition (the percentage depends of the degree of curvature). It is most common in males over 50 years.
In case of Peyronie’s disease a significant bend or pain is experienced. In such cases, having sex becomes difficult or painful. The condition can lead to erectile dysfunction. For some men, Peyronie’s disease causes sexual problems that disrupt a couple’s physical and emotional relationship, and lead to lowered self-esteem in the man.
Sometimes Peyronie’s disease becomes less pronounced on its own, but this is rare. In most men the condition stabilizes or worsens. Early treatment soon after the condition develops will help in keeping it from getting worse and solve the issue for the longterm. Even if you have had the condition for some time, Peyronie’s treatment may help improve troublesome symptoms like pain, penile shortening and curvature.
What are the Symptoms of Peyronie’s Disease?
The signs and symptoms of Peyronie’s syndrome – or “disease” as it is sometimes termed – can occur suddenly or might develop gradually over time. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Scar Tissue: Also called as plaque, the scar tissue can be felt under the skin of the penis as flat lumps or a hard tissue band. In more severe cases there is calcification which shows up in ultrasounds as opaque.
- Noticeable bend to the penis: You may notice your penis curving upward or downward or to one side.
- Problems in Erection: Peyronie’s disease may cause erectile problems such as getting or maintaining an erection may become difficult. Often men report erectile dysfunction before the development of Peyronie’s disease symptoms.
- Shortening of the penis. The sufferer may notice your penis becoming short.
- Peyronie’s can be associated with penile pain, with or without an erection.
Some other symptoms and signs include narrowing of penis, indentations or an hour-glass like appearance. The curvature and penile shortening conditions may eventually worsen. However, at some point, the condition stabilizes.
What are the Causes of Peyronie’s?
The exact cause for Peyronie’s disease isn’t always known. A few possible causes include:
- Injury to the Penis: This might be due to sports injuries or jamming the tip of the penis against the partners body during rough sex. Not all minor injuries lead to Peyronie’s disease but there are certain factors that contribute to poor wound healing and scar tissue build up leading to the condition.
- Hereditary: If family members have Peyronie’s disease, the risk of getting the condition increases.
- Connective tissue disorders: Men with certain connective tissue disorders have higher risk of developing Peyronie’s disease.
- Age Factor: Peyronie’s disease can occur in men of any age, but the prevalence of the condition increases with age, especially for men in their 50s and 60s.
- Other factors include certain health conditions, smoking and some types of prostate surgery might be linked to Peyronie’s disease.
Peyronie’s can be treated Surgically
Traditionally, severe Peyronie’s has been treated using surgery to remove the plaque. As with virtually all surgical interventions there are potential risks and where possible should be avoided.
Also a common adverse effect of surgery is it results in a shortening of the penis.
A treatments that is less invasive is SONICWAVE and traction.
Nutritional products and drugs have, unfortunately, not proven effective although vitamin E ointment is recommended as an adjunctive treatment with SONICWAVE. See more about nutritionals and drugs here.
Peyronie’s Treatment with SONICWAVE
When the penis is bent sex can be painful and sometimes impossible. SONICWAVE treatment can soften the damage and along with traction devices help straighten the penis.
If you are noticing any of the above symptoms then book a consultation at a FullMast Men’s Health Clinic. We at FullMast have advanced, non-invasive SONICWAVE protocols that can treat Peyronie’s.