Peyronie’s disease
Peyronie’s disease is where plaques (segments of flat scar tissue) form under the skin of the penis. These plaques can cause the penis to bend or become indented during erections. Peyronie’s Disease can cause pain to both the male patient and his partner, sexual dysfunction, and sometimes dysfunction.
Signs & Symptoms of Peyronie's Disease
Peyronie’s disease is thought to happen in about 6 out of 100 men between the ages of 40 and 70. It’s rare in young men, but has been seen in men in their 30s. 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. Unfortunately, many men with Peyronie’s disease are embarrassed and choose to suffer in silence rather than get help. Common signs that you may have Peyronie’s disease are:
- Bent/curved penis
- Lumps in the penis
- Painful erections
- Soft erections
- Having trouble with sex because of a bent or curved penis
How is Peyronie's Diagnosed
Your doctor may be able to diagnose Peyronie’s disease through a physical exam. The hard plaques can most often be felt whether the penis is stiff or not. To examine how the penis curves, your doctor may inject a drug into your penis to make it stiff. Your doctor may also use penile doppler ultrasound dynamic, which uses sound waves to get a picture of what’s in your body, to see where the plaque is, check for calcium buildup, and show how the blood flows in your penis.
Treatments for Peyronies Disease
In some cases (about 13 out of 100), Peyronie’s disease goes away without being treated. We suggest treating the disease without surgery for the first 12 months after the disease is first diagnosed. Men with small plaques, not much curving of the penis, no pain, and no problems with sex may not need to be treated. If treatment is needed there are many choices including:
- Oral medications
- Penile Injections: Injecting the drug directly into the plaque gives higher doses to the problem than when they are taken orally.
- Microscopic Surgery: Surgery is decided only for men with severe or disabling penile deformities that make sexual encounters difficult and painful.