Peyronie’s Disease: Signs and Treatments

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Peyronie’s disease is a noncancerous, connective tissue condition that results from fibrous scar tissue called plaques that develop on the penis. It can cause curvatures in the penis, along with painful erections and the inability to perform during sexual intercourse. It’s a stressful condition for most men who have it, with 75 percent reporting feeling stressed and depressed because of it.

This disease typically affects men from ages 30 to 80 years old and is thought to happen from improper healing after a minor injury occurs during sexual intercourse or sports. Cases seem to be on the rise in recent years, though it’s possible that more cases are simply being diagnosed due to an increase in men seeing their doctors for medication for erectile disfunction.

It is important to recognize signs and symptoms of Peyronie’s disease in order to get treatment as soon as possible as it only goes away on its own in 13 percent of cases. Search online and read on for more information.

Signs and Symptoms

The most common sign is a significant bend or curve in the penis. Being able to feel the scar tissue or lumps under the skin of the penis is another common sign of the disease. Having erection problems or having difficulty staying erect, along with shortening of the penis and even pain are also signs and symptoms of Peyronie’s disease.

Treatment Options

Treatment for Peyronie’s Disease varies depending on how long you’ve had symptoms for. There are two phases of this disease.

  1. The acute phase, which usually lasts about six months, is when the plaque forms and the penis becomes inflamed and begins to bend.
  2. The chronic phase is when symptoms haven’t changed for three months. The symptoms are stable and there is no longer pain.

The acute phase is typically treated with ibuprofen to help manage pain and oral drugs, including:

Injections directly into the plaque are another common treatment. Typical injections include:

There are also surgery options once the patient is in the chronic phase and the disease is severe. This becomes an option once a patient’s symptoms have plateaued for about a year. These methods include:

Peyronie’s disease is a serious disease that should have doctors’ care and attention. The first phase can be incredibly painful for the patient and remedies can be done to help soothe or relax the condition.

Talk To Your Doctor

You should always see a doctor if you notice something different in your body, especially in your genitalia. Make sure you do monthly physical exams to account for any new changes that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Your doctor will be able to do a physical exam, testing, and be able to give you some answers. While having a slightly curved penis is normal, it is something to get checked out if it becomes significantly bent, and you experience pain, whether erect or flaccid.