Is your penis curved or painful? This could be Peyronie's Disease!

You may have noticed a change in your penis, perhaps a slight bend, or pain during erection. These things can cause you a lot of anxiety and even embarrassment. So, today we are going to talk about a condition called 'Peyronie's Disease', which can cause symptoms like these. Don't be afraid, the most important thing is to be well-informed about this.

What exactly is Peyronie's Disease?

Simply put, Peyronie's disease is a condition where scar tissue, or more accurately, a ``plaque'', forms inside your penis. This scar tissue can cause the penis to bend to one side, become curved, or become shorter or shorter when it is erect. Sometimes you can feel this scar tissue through the skin. Or you may feel pain in a specific spot on the penis, especially when the scar tissue is first forming. Now imagine that when your penis is erect, it can bend up, down, or to the side, depending on where the scar tissue is. Some men may not have this bend, but instead have an ``hourglass'' shape, as if it were stuck in the middle of their penis. But remember one thing. Most men's penises are not completely straight when they are erect. It's normal to have a small crease, and it could be something you were born with. However, not all of them are Peyronie's disease.

What are the stages of this disease?

There are two main stages of Peyronie's disease: the acute stage and the chronic stage.

• Acute Peyronie's disease: This stage usually lasts from six to twelve months. During this time, scar tissue begins to form under the skin of the penis. This can cause the penis to bend and change shape. The penis may feel painful whether it is erect or flaccid.
• Chronic Peyronie's disease: At this stage, the scar tissue no longer grows. This means that the curvature of the penis does not increase. Most of the time, the pain subsides at this stage, but in some people, especially when the penis is erect, the pain may persist. Sexual dysfunction , also known as erectile dysfunction (ED), can occur at this stage.

How common is Peyronie's disease?

According to medical experts, between 6% and 10% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 have Peyronie's disease. Although it can occur at any age, it is less common in other age groups. However, the number of people with this disease is much higher than these statistics indicate. This is because many people are too embarrassed to talk about it, and they don't even talk to a doctor.If you have any concerns about your sexual health, it's best to talk to a doctor about it.

What are the symptoms of Peyronie's disease?

The main symptom is a bending or curving of the penis. You may also feel the scar tissue under the skin. Other symptoms include:

• Decrease in penis length.
• The penis may lose its shape, sometimes appearing as if it is compressed in the middle, giving it an hourglass shape.
• Feeling like there are lumps on the penis.
• Pain when the penis becomes erect.
• Weaknesses in vitality, that is, not being fully alive.
• Difficulty having sex for you or your partner.
• Pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).

Peyronie's disease symptoms can appear suddenly or develop gradually over time. The pain usually subsides over time. However, the curvature of the penis can cause complications. If your penis is more than 30 degrees curved (like the hands of an analog clock pointing to 1:00), it can make sex painful or impossible.

Is Peyronie's disease painful?

Yes, Peyronie's disease can be painful. Most of the time, the pain is in the acute phase, as mentioned above. But sometimes, the pain can persist into the chronic phase. The severity of this pain varies from person to person.

What does the penis of someone with Peyronie's disease look like?

In most cases, scar tissue forms on the top of the penis. When the penis is erect, it curves upward. On the underside, the scar tissue curves downward, and on the side, it curves to the side. Sometimes, scar tissue forms on both the top and bottom of the penis. This causes the penis to become "stuck" and shortened. Other times, scar tissue forms all around the penis. This causes the penis to become narrower, like the mouth of a bottle or the middle of an hourglass. About a third of people with Peyronie's disease have calcium deposits in this scar tissue. This can make the penis feel like bone.

What causes Peyronie's disease?

The exact cause of Peyronie's disease is not yet clear. Some researchers believe that this scar tissue is caused by an injury to the erect penis—often an abnormal bend during sex—but about 80% of people with Peyronie's disease don't remember anything that happened before these changes started. It's also possible that these changes are caused by minor injuries that occur during normal sexual intercourse that we don't notice . People with Peyronie's disease may be at an increased risk of developing excessive scar tissue in response to these minor injuries. Not everyone who has an injury to their penis will develop Peyronie's disease. So it may be related to genetics or environmental factors.

Is this a contagious disease?

No, Peyronie's disease is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and it is not contagious.

Who is most affected by this disease?

Anyone with a penis can develop Peyronie's disease. However, the risk of developing the disease is higher if you have the following risk factors:

• Age: The risk of developing Peyronie's disease increases as you get older. It affects between 10% and 15% of people between the ages of 40 and 70.
• Genetic influences: If someone in your family, for example a father or brother, has the disease, you are more likely to develop it too.
• Connective tissue disorders: People with conditions such as Dupuytren's contracture (tightening of the muscles that bend the fingers), plantar fasciitis ( pain in the soles of the feet ), and scleroderma (thickening of the skin) are at increased risk of developing Peyronie's disease.
• Erectile Dysfunction (ED): Men with ED caused by diabetes are four to five times more likely to develop Peyronie's disease.
• Prostate cancer : Surgery for prostate cancer increases the risk of developing Peyronie's disease.
• Autoimmune diseases: If you have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, you are more likely to develop Peyronie's disease.

What are the complications of Peyronie's disease?

Changes in your penis can affect your mental and emotional health. These include:

• Depression.
• Anxiety.
• Body dysmorphic disorder is an excessive preoccupation with one's physical appearance.
• Feelings of shame.
• Low self-esteem.
• Fear of rejection or close relationships.

Can Peyronie's disease cause erectile dysfunction (ED)?

Yes, Peyronie's disease can cause sexual dysfunction. The scar tissue in the penis can prevent enough blood from entering the penis during erection. This can make it difficult to get or maintain an erection long enough for sexual intercourse.

Does this disease make the penis smaller? How much can the length be reduced?

Yes, severe Peyronie's disease can cause a decrease in the length of the penis. The amount of reduction depends on how severe the curvature is. In severe cases, the length of the penis can decrease from 0.5 centimeters (about 50 leaves stacked on top of each other) to 1.5 centimeters (about 150 leaves).

Does Peyronie's disease interfere with sexual intercourse?

It depends on the severity of your Peyronie's disease. Sometimes you can have sex, but it may be uncomfortable or painful for you or your partner. The more the curvature of the penis, the more pain, or the more sexual dysfunction occurs, the more difficult it becomes to have sex.

How is Peyronie's disease diagnosed?

A doctor can diagnose Peyronie's disease. He or she will review your medical history and ask you questions about your symptoms. For example:

• When did you first notice a bend in your penis?
• Has the length decreased? How much has the length decreased?
• Which way does the penis bend?
• Approximately how many degrees of bend is there?
• Is sex difficult or painful?
• Is sex painful for your partner?
• How hard does your penis get when it's erect?
• Do you have erectile dysfunction (ED)?
• Does anyone in your family have Peyronie's disease, Dupuytren's contracture, or another connective tissue disease?
• Do you have other medical conditions, such as diabetes or an autoimmune disease?
• What medicine are you taking?

The doctor will also do a physical exam. He or she will feel your penis for scar tissue. You may also need to have your penis examined while it is still erect. If necessary, he or she may give you a temporary injection of a vasoactive drug.

What are the diagnostic tests?

To help diagnose Peyronie's disease, your doctor may recommend a ``penile duplex Doppler ultrasound'' test. An ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It:

• You can see where the scar tissue is on your penis.
• You can see if calcium has been deposited.
• You can see the blood flowing through your penis.

Ultrasound scans also help doctors decide which treatment is best for you.

How is Peyronie's disease treated?

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for Peyronie's disease. In fact, if your penis has a slight curvature, is not painful, and does not cause difficulty with sexual intercourse, you may not need treatment. Treatment options for Peyronie's disease include:

Traction therapy

These treatments involve using an external device, such as a vacuum stimulator or a traction device (RestoreX®), to gently pull the penis and sometimes bend it in the opposite direction. This helps break up the scar tissue. It also:

• The bend can be reduced.
• The lost length can be regained.
• It can increase vitality.

Most people need to use this traction therapy device for several months to see results. If used properly, it usually does not cause long-term side effects.

Types of drugs

Your doctor may prescribe oral medications or injections into your penis. Doctors usually recommend medications if you have severe Peyronie's disease or if you have not yet decided whether to have surgery. However, these medications rarely cause a penis to become completely erect.Injection medications can be:

• Collagenase injections (Xiaflex®): If your penis is curved more than 30 degrees, your doctor may prescribe these injections to help break down scar tissue. Most people will need two injections per week for eight weeks.
• Interferon injections: Interferon is a protein that reduces inflammation and scarring. It releases an enzyme that helps dissolve scar tissue.
• Verapamil injections (Isoptin®): Verapamil is a medication commonly used to treat high blood pressure. However, studies have shown that it can help reduce penile pain and curvature.

Oral medications can be:

• Tadalafil (`Tadalafil - Cialis®`): Taking tadalafil daily improves blood flow to the penis. This can increase the strength and stability of erections. It may also prevent scar tissue from getting worse.
• Pentoxifylline (`Pentoxifylline - Pentopak®`): This also improves blood flow to the penis.
• L-arginine: This is an amino acid that improves blood circulation.
• Colchicine (Colchicine - Colcrys®): Colchicine is usually given to prevent and treat gout by reducing the amount of uric acid in the body. It can also help reduce swelling in the penis.
• Potassium aminobenzoate (Potaba®): Potaba is a type of vitamin B. It can reduce the size of the scar, but has no effect on the folds.

Important: There are no reliable studies showing that oral medications can reduce penile curvature or the scar tissue associated with Peyronie's disease. However, they may help reduce your symptoms.

Surgery

Doctors only recommend surgery if you have severe Peyronie's disease, meaning that sexual intercourse is difficult or impossible. You should only have surgery in the stable or chronic stage of Peyronie's disease. This means that the scar tissue and curvature have stopped growing, and you have not had any pain for six to twelve months. Surgical options for Peyronie's disease include:

• Shortening the unaffected side of the penis: Your surgeon will either make a small "tuck" stitch on the inside of the penis, or he will cut out a small piece of tissue from the outside of the foreskin and sew the rest of it back together. This shortens the outside of the foreskin to match the inside, straightening the penis. This may be a good option if you can ejaculate well and the length has not decreased too much. However, there are risks of loss of length, loss of sensitivity, and decreased erections.
• Stretching the inner side of the penis:If you have a severe curvature, or if your penis is too short or too tight, your doctor may recommend this type of surgery. The surgeon will cut away the scar tissue, perhaps removing some of it. Then the remaining gap will be filled with a material. You can still have a good erection, but this may be a good option for men who have a severe curvature, a very short penis, or a very tight penis that is too tight to have sex. However, there are risks of decreased sensitivity and reduced erection.
• Penile implant: If you have severe penile curvature due to Peyronie's disease and erectile dysfunction that does not respond to oral medications, making it difficult or impossible for you or your partner to have sex, a penile implant is the best surgical option. In this procedure, a surgeon implants a completely internal, inflatable device into the penis. This allows you to have an erect, strong erection that lasts as long as you want, without medication. When you no longer need an erection, you can simply deflate the implant.

How long does it take to feel better after treatment?

It depends on the severity of your condition and the type of treatment you receive. Your doctor will give you a rough idea of ​​how long it will take for you to feel better after treatment.

Does Peyronie's disease heal on its own?

Some mild cases of Peyronie's disease resolve without treatment. However, severe penile curvature or scar tissue rarely resolves on its own without treatment.

What happens if left untreated?

Your body is unique. The way it responds to Peyronie's disease may be different from others. In mild cases, your symptoms may improve without treatment. In severe cases, your symptoms may stay the same or gradually get worse.

Can Peyronie's disease be prevented?

As you age, your erections may weaken or become harder to maintain. Weak erections are more likely to be accidentally bent and injured during sex. You and your partner can do the following to reduce your risk of such injuries:

• Medications for erectile dysfunction: If sexual dysfunction makes it difficult or impossible to have sex, a doctor may prescribe oral medications such as sildenafil (Viagra®), vardenafil (Levitra®), or tadalafil (Cialis). It's a good idea to start taking ED medications as soon as your erections start to weaken.
• Using lubricants: Lubricants reduce friction during sex, which can help reduce the risk of injury.
• Manual control during insertion: Whether you are changing sexual positions or if your penis slips, you or your partner should carefully insert the penis by hand.
• Be careful when doing positions on top of your partner: There is a higher risk of bending your penis during sexual positions on top of your partner.
• Maintain a straight and steady thrusting motion: Avoid any movements that could bend or twist the penis.

You can develop Peyronie's disease even if you are not sexually active. There is no way to prevent Peyronie's disease if it is caused by genetic factors or an autoimmune disease.

What can you expect if you have Peyronie's disease?

If you have Peyronie's disease, it's important to remember that your symptoms may not be permanent, even without treatment. It also doesn't physically affect other parts of your body, including your ability to have children (fertility). Treatment can reduce or eliminate your symptoms. It's also important to remember that even with treatment, it can take weeks, even months, to see results. However, the sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of recovery. Delaying treatment or waiting for the pain to go away can be very frustrating, especially if you can't have sex.

How do I take care of myself?

If you have Peyronie's disease, these tips may help you:

• Be honest with your partner: Peyronie's disease can affect your relationship with your partner. It's good to talk openly and honestly about your condition and your feelings.
• Talk to a sex therapist: A certified sex therapist can help you deal with the mental and emotional aspects of Peyronie's disease. If Peyronie's disease makes sex difficult or impossible, ask your partner to see a sex therapist with you.
• Talk to a psychiatrist: Peyronie's disease can cause stress, anxiety, depression, and concerns about your body image. A psychiatrist can help treat any conditions that are affecting your overall mental and emotional health.

When should you see a doctor? When should you go to an Emergency Department (ETU) ?

If you notice a curvature in your penis – especially if it increases over time – or if you have any concerns about your sexual health, see a doctor as soon as possible. Go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following symptoms along with Peyronie's:

• Inability to urinate.
• External bleeding.
• An injury to the penis that causes severe pain.

What questions should I ask the doctor?

• How do you know if I have Peyronie's disease?
• What should I do if the curvature increases?
• Will my Peyronie's disease get better on its own, or do I need treatment?
• What treatments do you recommend?
• Do you think I should have surgery? If so, what kind of surgery would you recommend?
• How often do I need to come for tests?
• Should I see a urologist?
• Can you recommend counseling services or support groups for people with Peyronie's disease?
• Can you recommend a sex therapist?

Can Viagra cure Peyronie's disease?

No, Viagra cannot cure Peyronie's disease. However, medications for sexual dysfunction can help reduce the risk of injury, which may also help prevent Peyronie's disease.

What is the difference between Peyronie's disease and normal penile curvature?

Peyronie's disease is a type of penile curvature. Some people are born with a curved penis (congenital penile curvature, or 'chordee'). Usually, congenital penile curvature is not related to scar tissue or injury, and the condition does not change over time. It may only become apparent after you reach puberty and start having frequent erections.

Can Peyronie's disease cause cancer?

No, Peyronie's disease is not cancer, and it does not turn into cancer.

Can this cause infertility?

No, Peyronie's disease will not affect your ability to have a child.

Can you have difficulty urinating?

No, Peyronie's disease will not affect your ability to urinate. If you have Peyronie's disease and are having difficulty urinating, talk to your doctor.

Can there be blood in the urine?

No, blood in the urine (hematuria) is not a symptom of Peyronie's disease.

Is Peyronie's disease fatal?

No, Peyronie's disease is not fatal. It only affects the size and shape of your penis, and does not affect other parts of your body.

Finally, things to remember

Any symptom affecting your penis can be very scary and embarrassing, especially if it affects the size and shape of your penis. You may think that your symptoms will go away on their own, or that you will be fine with just ice. However, these symptoms are your body's way of telling you that something is wrong with you. It is very important to talk to a doctor. He or she can diagnose Peyronie's disease and give you the right treatment. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to talk about it. You are not alone. Peyronie's disease, penile curvature, penile scarring, sexual dysfunction, penile pain, men's health, Peyronie's Disease