Peyronie’s disease, as it is known within medical circles, is an extreme curvature of the penis, to the point where sex is very uncomfortable or, in the more severe cases, impossible.
Information gathered from the Male Health Center website reveals that many men will notice a slight bend in their penis, and that a certain degree of curvature of the penis is considered normal. However, in some cases of Peyronie’s Disease the penis may bend severely upwards, downwards, to the right, to the left or even backward on itself, making sexual intercourse impossible.
The Cause
The cause of the disease is largely unknown; however, scientists theorize that it may be caused by some trauma to the penis. The healing process may have been irregular, resulting in the scarring of tissue and the consequent curvature.
Characteristics of the disease.
It is usually possible to identify the disease within the first 9 to 18 months, when patients usually experience severe pain and notice the physical manifestations of the deformity. However, it is unlikely that after this period the penis will continue to bend. In 20% of the cases identified in the United States, the penis goes back to normal without any treatment. However, those who have the disease may notice a difficulty in achieving an erection, which doctors attribute to the reduction of blood flow to the penis due to the curve.
Treatment
The disease is well known within medical circles, and so there are a number of known treatment methods available to patients affected by the disease. The following information received from embarrasingproblems.com, a website run exclusively by doctors, lists some ways in which relief can be achieved.
Cocoa butter cream: Some men with mild Peyronie’s disease say that massaging cocoa butter cream into the curved area is helpful.
Steroid injections: In the past, the most common treatment was steroid injection into the thickening, but this is now less popular.
Vitamin E tablets are sometimes recommended, but there is scanty scientific evidence to show that they help. Do not take more than 250 mg of vitamin E a day, as higher doses may damage your health.
Tamoxifen is a medication that may reduce the thickened area.
Sound waves are a new treatment for Peyronie’s disease. Preliminary research has shown that high energy sound waves reduce pain, and also somewhat decrease the size of the thickened area. More research is needed to see how effective this treatment really is.
Verapamil is a medication that is used to treat blood pressure. Injections of Verapamil into the thickened area may help, but more research is needed.
Surgery to correct the deformity is the most effective treatment. In the usual operation, the surgeon cuts out some tissue from the opposite side to balance out the thickened area. After the operation, the erect penis should be straight, and may be 1–3 cm shorter than before, but many men do not notice any difference. Studies have shown that only 58–88% of men are satisfied with the result of the operation, partly because while it does straighten the penis, it leaves the thickened area in place, so it may still be painful. Also, a few men have difficulty achieving an erection after the operation.
The disease has not been widely reported in Jamaica, although some artistes have used their lyrics to compare a slight curve of the penis to the clip from a rifle (the banana clip).
Though the disease is not life-threatening, it is advisable that men who have concerns about their penis seek the opinion of a professional, so that they may have access to the necessary treatment.
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