What is Peyronie's disease ('bent' penis)?

This is strong and painful bending of the male sexual organ which is usually caused by awkward injuries to the penis and has extremely unpleasant consequences – in particularly in sexual intercourse. Read more about it in the article.

The sex problems of men are much more hidden in comparison to the problems of women, which is not as much a result of signs and consequences as it is a result of the beliefs of the male sex that it is virtually impossible for them to come down with any kind of disease related to their sexual organ.

Owing to that, they are also reluctant to seek advice and suitable professional help. However, the problems still exist and they affect the carrier of a disease as well as the partner, the relationship and ultimately the quality of (sex) life too.

Let us therefore look at one of the sexually transmitted diseases of men which can turn sex life sour. I am speaking about Peyronie's disease.

What is Peyronie's disease and what causes it?

Peyronie's disease is unpleasant and undesired bending and angulation of the erect penis due to which men cannot have sexual intercourse. Within the tissue (tunica albuginea) surrounding the main erectile bodies (corpora cavernosa) plaques or hard lump form, which are largely caused by slight injuries of the tissue. These injuries are usually a result of unwanted events during erection, sexual intercourse, or putting the penis back into trousers, when it is still in the state of erection. The injured tissue is not capable of accumulating blood and it therefore cannot expand, which causes bending of the penis.

What are the signs of Peyronie's disease?

The early signs of the disease are painful erections, and sometimes pain appears before bending. It often happens to men that they go to sleep with a healthy penis in the evening and the next morning the sexual organ bends and angulates so much in erection that they are unable to have sexual intercourse.

How serious can the disease be?

In erection, the penis can be as bend as a corkscrew – this is the worst phase. Sometimes the bending is hardly noticeable and it gives no major cause for concern because it has no effect on the man’s ability to have sexual intercourse.

How is Peyronie's disease treated?

The pain and bending caused by the disease in a mild form heal without treatment within two to three months. However, the bending of the penis is largely treated by injections into the plaques. Vitamin E tablets and cream, prescribed by a physician, are also effective treatments. In some cases, the affected tissue is removed surgically, which can lead to certain complications: for instance, men can develop erectile dysfunction due to the operation. In rare cases, insertion of a prosthesis is required. Otherwise, it is a routine procedure for most patients after which the patient can leave the same day, and his sexual organ start functioning normally within 6 to 8 weeks.

 
In any case, it is recommended that in all stages of the disease you see your personal physician to refer you to urologist who will help successfully heal the inconvenient disease with expert knowledge. Peyronie's disease is contracted by 2 per cent of men.