Overview

What is Peyronie’s Disease?

Peyronie’s disease is a condition in which scar tissue in the penis causes it to droop, curve, or lose length or girth. As scar tissue forms, patients may be able to feel the plaque scar tissue through the skin or experience pain in a specific area of the penis.

Depending on the placement of the scar, the penis may bend upwards, downwards, or to the side during an erection. Some individuals with this disorder may not have a curvature but may have an indentation or an hourglass shape.

Peyronie’s disease has acute and chronic stages of development.

• Acute phase: The acute period often lasts anywhere from six months to a year. Scar tissue builds subcutaneously throughout this time, affecting the penis’s shape as it does so. Pain might occur whether your penis is erect or relaxed.
• Chronic phase: In this stage, the scar has ceased developing, and the penile curvature is stable. However, patients may still feel discomfort while having an erection, struggle with erectile dysfunction (ED), or a loss of or difficulty regaining an erection in the penis.

Symptoms of Peyronie’s Disease?

The penis will usually curve upwards when it erects because the scar grows at the top. If the scar is on the bottom, the penis will droop, while a scar on the side will cause it to sag to one side. The penis may become dented or shorter if the scar envelopes both the top and bottom of the shaft. The penis may become abnormally small, resembling the top of a bottle or the middle of an hourglass, if the scar wraps completely around it.

Additional indications that you may have Peyronie’s disease include:

• Irregular or crooked penis.
• Penis lumps.
• Painful erections.
• Soft erections.

What Causes Peyronie’s Disease?

The specific cause of Peyronie’s illness is unknown by medical professionals. Many scientists think the fibrous plaque develops in response to trauma (such as a blow or a bend) that leads to internal bleeding in the penis. The wound or trauma may go unnoticed.

Men with autoimmune diseases are at risk for developing Peyronie’s disease because their immune systems can mistakenly target penile cells as a foreign invaders. As a result, the penis may become inflamed.

How is Peyronie’s Disease Diagnosed

Peyronie’s disease may be detectable during a simple physical examination by your doctor. The hard plaques are usually visible whether or not the penis is erect. If your doctor is concerned about the shape of your penis, they may inject a medication to stiffen it and then take photographs to analyse.

Dynamic ultrasonography, which employs sound waves to create an internal image, can be used to determine the location of plaque, screen for calcium buildup, and demonstrate blood flow in the penis.

Peyronie’s Disease Treatment

There may be no need for treatment if mild penile curvature causes no discomfort or dysfunction during intercourse. Peyronie’s disease may improve on its own in some people.

• Medication

Your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory drugs to lessen swelling and bending. Among them are aminobenzoate potassium, vitamin E, colchicine, and pentoxifylline.

• Injections

Treatment options may include intralesional injections recommended by your doctor. Injections of verapamil, interferon, steroids, collagenase, or a combination of these, are administered directly into the scar tissue in an effort to reduce pain. These have the potential to break down scar tissue, making way for the growth of new tissue. These injections are given at three-month periods.

• Surgery

Patients who experience pain when trying to get or keep an erection may benefit from surgical intervention. Penis prosthesis implantation is one of several surgical methods used to treat Peyronie’s disease. The prosthesis is utilised to strengthen and support the penis and to increase erection duration.

Scar tissue in the penis can also be surgically removed. Your doctor will go through all of your surgery options with you and help you choose the right one.

FAQ

Is Peyronie’s Disease dangerous?

Peyronie’s disease is not a fatal condition and does not cause any other serious health problems. However, if untreated, it can cause erectile dysfunction, making it difficult to get or keep an erection.

Is Peyronie’s disease painful?

Having Peyronie’s disease can cause a lot of discomforts. This happens most frequently in the initial stages of the illness. The pain associated with erections, however, may persist into the chronic stage.

Is Peyronie’s disease contagious?

No. Peyronie’s is not contagious and can’t be spread via skin-to-skin contact.