What is Peyronie's Disease?
Peyronie’s disease is a noncancerous condition when a fibrous scar tissue develops on the penis causing curved and painful erections. Penises vary in shape and size, hence not all curved erections are necessarily a cause of concern. But in the case of Peyronie’s disease, a significant bend or pain is noticed in some men. This can cause having sex become difficult or painful. It can also lead to erectile dysfunction. For several men, Peyronie’s disease becomes a reason for stress and anxiety. Penile shortening is also another common concern in some men.
Peyronie’s disease rarely goes away on its own. However, in most men with Peyronie’s disease, the condition may remain as it is or worsen. Early treatment soon after the condition develops will help in keeping it from getting worse and solving the issue in the long term. Even if you have had the condition for some time, Peyronie’s treatment may help improve troublesome symptoms like pain, penile shortening, curvature and erectile dysfunction.
How Does the Penis Normally Work?
The major roles of the penis are to carry urine and sperm out of the body. There are 3 tubes inside the penis. One is called the corpus spongiosum which is located in the lower part of the penis and covers the urethra. Urethra is hollow and carries urine from the bladder through the penis to the outside. The other 2 tubes are called the corpora cavernosa. These are soft, spongy tubes that fill with blood to make the penis stiff during an erection. The 3 tubes are wrapped together by a very tough fibrous sheath called the tunica albuginea. During sex, the stiffness of the penis makes it hard enough for sex. Then the urethra acts as a channel to carry semen into the vagina.
What are the symptoms of Peyronie’s disease?
Peyronie’s disease plaques mostly (70% of the time) form on the top (or dorsal side) of the penis. The plaques make the tunica albuginea less flexible and may cause the penis to bend upwards when it stiffens. When plaques form on the bottom or side of the penis, the bend will be downward or sideways. Some men have more than one plaque, which may cause complex curves.
Sometimes plaques go all the way around the penis. These plaques most often do not cause curving but may cause the shaft of the penis to narrow like the neck of a bottle or an hourglass deformity. In bad cases, the plaque may collect calcium and become very hard, almost like a bone. Men may also notice their penis has shrunk or got shorter.
Other signs that Peyronie’s patients may have are:
- bent/curved penis
- lumps in the penis
- painful erections
- soft erections
- having trouble with sex because of a bent/curved penis or not getting a hard erection
Peyronie’s disease can make your quality of life worse. Over 75 out of 100 men with Peyronie’s disease are stressed and depressed because of it.
What are the Causes of Peyronie’s
The exact cause of Peyronie’s disease isn’t always known, but a few possible causes include:
Injury to the Penis: Peyronie’s disease is likely caused by minor injury to the penis. This type of damage is most often caused by vigorous sex (such as bending the penis during penetration or pressure from a partner’s pubic bone), though it can also be caused by sports or other accidents. Injury to the tunica albuginea may result in scar tissue forming in fibrosis. This scar tissue then forms the plaque of Peyronie’s disease. Peyronie’s disease is the result of a problem in the way the body heals wounds.
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 a higher risk of developing Peyronie’s disease.
Age: 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 that might be linked to Peyronie’s disease.
How Common is Peyronie's Disease?
Peyronie’s disease is thought to happen in about 4 out of 100 men between the ages of 40 and 70. It is rare in young men but has been seen in men in their 30s. The number of cases may be higher than the estimates because many men may be embarrassed and choose not to see their healthcare provider.
Interestingly, more Peyronie’s disease cases have been noted in recent years. This may be because new drugs for erectile dysfunction (ED) have come to market and healthcare providers may notice Peyronie’s disease in men seeking help for ED. For this reason, the number of Peyronie’s disease cases reported may keep growing.
What are the stages of Peyronie’s disease?
Peyronie’s disease is often split into 2 stages: the acute phase and the chronic phase. During both phases, the bent/curved penis may cause problems with sex. The patient may also have ED.
Acute Phase: The acute phase usually lasts for 5 to 7 months but can last up to 18 months in rare cases. During this time, the plaques form in the penis, the bending/curving of the penis gets worse and the patient may feel pain when his penis gets hard.
Chronic Phase: The scar has stopped growing in this phase, so the curvature in the penis doesn’t get worse. The pain will usually be gone by this time, but sometimes it can continue, especially with erections. Also, erectile dysfunction (ED) or problems getting or keeping the erection may develop.
Other Factors
Not all men who suffer mild trauma to the penis get Peyronie’s disease. For this reason, most researchers believe there must be genetic or environmental reasons for Peyronie’s disease. Men with certain connective tissue disorders and men who have a close family member with Peyronie’s disease have a greater risk of getting it. Certain health issues, such as high blood sugar, tobacco use, or past pelvic trauma, may also lead to wound healing problems and may help cause Peyronie’s disease.
Diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease
A physical exam is often sufficient to diagnose Peyronie’s disease. Rarely, do other conditions cause similar symptoms and need to be ruled out.
Tests to diagnose Peyronie’s disease and understand exactly what’s causing your symptoms might include the following:
- Physical exam.The doctor will feel (palpate) the penis when it’s not erected, to identify the location and amount of scar tissue. He or she might also measure the length of the penis. If the condition continues to worsen, this initial measurement helps determine whether the penis has shortened.
The doctor might also ask the patient to bring in photos of the erected penis taken at home. This can determine the degree of curvature, location of scar tissue, or other details that might help identify the best treatment approach.
- Other tests.The doctor might order an ultrasound or other tests to examine the penis when it’s erected. Before testing, the patient will likely receive an injection directly into the penis that causes erection.
Ultrasound is the most commonly used test for penis abnormalities. Ultrasound tests use ultrasound waves to produce images of soft tissues. These tests can show the presence of scar tissue, blood flow to the penis, and any other abnormalities.
Peyronie’s Treatment with SHOCKWAVES
When the penis is bent, sex can be painful and sometimes impossible. SHOCKWAVE treatment can soften the damage and help straighten the penis. Best results are achieved when Shockwave Therapy is combined with other physical procedures and devices. Usually both Radial and Focused Shockwaves are used to treat Peyronie’s disease.
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