Conservative Treatments for Penis Curvature & Pain
March 31, 2021
Maybe you’ve seen one of the numerous TV commercials where the narrator uses an oddly shaped or curved vegetable, such as a cucumber or carrot, as a visual aid to bring attention to a long-ignored and rarely mentioned men’s health issue. Even critics of the ads run by pharmaceutical companies seem to agree that penile curvature and the pain it can cause shouldn’t be a seldom discussed medical condition. Initially diagnosed over three hundred years ago, the disease is named for the founder of the French Royal Academy of Surgery, Francois de la Peyronie.
Best known for his role in distinguishing the skills of early surgeons from the company of barbers, a trade for which he too was certified, Peyronie was the first medical professional to fully describe the disease in 1743. With little understanding as to the underlying cause of the discomfort, the French surgeon noted that a rosary bead of scar tissue lying under the skin caused an upward curvature of the patient’s penis during an erection.
Ad Campaigns Bring Attention to Men’s Sexual Health
Although most men are not concerned about crooked vegetables, Endo Pharmaceutical’s advertising does deliver important messages. First, guys come in all shapes and sizes, and more importantly, the pain caused by penile curvature is an addressable medical problem. Historically, men have been reluctant to openly discuss important health issues with their medical provider and sexual performance issues like erectile dysfunction or a curved penis tend to top the list of sensitive topics.
For the most part, public acknowledgement of the sexual health issue has been absent, even though thousands of men suffer in pain from plaque buildup. The inelastic scarring shortens the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa leading to penile deformity during sexual arousal. Urologists have diagnosed cases in a wide age range of men from their late teens to their early eighties, but conditions are most often seen in men between 40 to 60 years of age. Curvature also can occur in multiple directions, but plaque is most often located on the dorsal (upper) or ventral (lower) sides.
Peyronie’s Disease Linked to Penile Injury
As plaque pulls on surrounding tissues, it can make an erection painful and may make sexual intercourse difficult or impossible. Some researchers believe Peyronie’s disease likely develops after an injury that caused bleeding inside the penis. Damage following passionate sexual intercourse may be the most common culprit, but sports injuries and other accidents can lead to tissue damage, as well. The severity of the condition is diagnosed by a physical examination of the patient’s flaccid penis.
In most cases, the buildup of plaque can be palpated, but your physician may ask that you bring in pictures taken during an erection. When scar tissue exists on both sides, it can cause the penis to become shorter in length and plaque that encompasses the penis can result in an hourglass shape. Doctors still do not fully understand how or why scar tissue and lumps form in some men but not others. Moreover, just because there is penile curvature, does not mean you have Peyronie’s disease and anyone who has had penile curvature their entire life; probably doesn’t.
Genetic Predisposition for Peyronie’s Disease
Medical researchers do believe Peyronie’s disease may be related to Dupytren’s Contractions, in which fibrosis causes an unnatural curvature of the fingers. It also has been noted that a genetic factor may exist among male family members and men who suffer from autoimmune disorders may be more susceptible. In addition, men with chronic health conditions like diabetes are several times more likely to suffer with painful penile curvature during an erection.
Unfortunately, because of the intimate nature of the problem and rumors about the physical examination, many men fail to speak up and never receive prompt treatment for the condition. This is unfortunate. While Peyronie’s disease only affects a small portion of the male population, men who have it often complain about a decreased quality of life. It is not uncommon to suffer from moderate to severe depression and anxiety, so it is important for you and your sexual partner to learn as much as you can about the disease.
Discover Your Peyronie’s Treatment Options
Even though there is no cure for Peyronie's disease, symptoms like pain can be treated and penis length lost due to plaque formations can be restored. Also on a positive note, according to the American Urological Association, cells taken from penile plaques may behave abnormally and even form tumors, but there has never been a human case of Peyronie’s disease that turned into cancer.
For over a decade, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials have been published by the National Institute of Health in an attempt to determine the true efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in treating painful penile curvature. Consistently, results suggest the use of non-invasive shockwave therapy may be beneficial in the management of Peyronie's disease for refractory penile pain and plaque size reduction, especially when performed in earlier stages of development. Both the mean plaque size and mean degree of penile curvature were significantly higher in the placebo group when compared with ESWT values.
Your sexual health is important to maintaining a quality life that you deserve. If your erections are painful or sex has become difficult and less rewarding due to the bend, it is time to speak with a healthcare professional. Although it may seem a bit awkward to initiate a conversation about your penis health, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns and fears. Dr. Earl Eye specializes in men’s health and can recommend the alternative treatment protocols based on your specific sexual health issues from painful penile curvature and erectile dysfunction to loss of penile length due to Peyronie’s disease.
Contact GAINSWave Jacksonville to learn more about our conservative treatments for penile curvature and pain.
