Peyronie's Disease: Symptoms | Diagnosis

Peyronie’s disease

Peyronie’s disease is a disorder that causes the penis to bend or lose length or girth due to scar tissue. It can cause pain and prohibit a guy from having intercourse in some circumstances. There are surgical and nonsurgical therapies available, and it has no negative effects on the rest of the body. Peyronie’s disease is a non-cancerous condition that has no effect on fertility.

Peyronie’s disease is a chronic infection that seldom goes away on its own. The condition of most men with Peyronie’s disease will either stay the same or worsen. Early therapy, shortly after the ailment arises, may prevent it from worsening or even improve symptoms. Treatment may help relieve uncomfortable symptoms including discomfort, curvature, and penile shortening, even if you’ve had the disease for a long period.

How does the penis work?

The penis’ major functions are to transport urine and sperm out of the body. Inside the penis are three tubes. The urethra is one of them. It is hollow and transports pee from the bladder to the outside via the penis. The corpora cavernosa refers to the other two tubes. These are spongy, soft tubes that fill with blood during an erection to stiffen the penis. The tunica albuginea is a strong fibrous sheath that wraps around the three tubes.

The rigidity of the penis makes it difficult to shove into a woman’s vagina during intercourse. The urethra then serves as a conduit for carrying sperm into the vaginal canal. The form and size of the penis are affected by Peyronie’s disease, but not urination or ejaculation.

Peyronie’s disease and penile curvature, what is the difference?

Peyronie’s disease is one kind of adult-onset penile curvature. Congenital curvature, often known as chordee, is a condition in which certain men are born with penile curvature. Scar tissue is not the reason, and the condition does not alter with time. It may not be visible until a guy reaches puberty and begins to have more frequent erections.

How common is Peyronie’s disease?

Peyronie’s disease affects around 6% to 10% of males between the ages of 40 and 70, according to experts. It’s been seen in other epochs, although it’s not as prevalent. There’s a hypothesis that the true figure is greater since some men refuse to discuss the condition with their doctor and others aren’t worried enough to seek medical help. If you’re worried about your sexual health, don’t be.

Symptoms

Plaques of Peyronie’s disease form primarily on the top (or dorsal) side of the penis (70 percent of the time). When the tunica albuginea stiffens, the plaques make it less flexible, which might cause the penis to bend upwards. The bend will be downward or sideways when plaques grow on the bottom or side of the penis. Some males have several plaques, which can result in complicated curves.

Plaques that wrap all the way around the penis have been seen to occur on occasion. The majority of the time, these plaques do not induce curvature, but they might restrict the shaft of the penis like the neck of a bottle. It’s also known as “waisting” or “bottle-necking.” In severe situations, the plaque can accumulate calcium and harden into a bone-like structure. Men may discover that their penis has shrunk or become shorter.

Peyronie’s disease can also manifest itself in the following ways:

lumps in the penis that are twisted or curved
erections that hurt
erections that aren’t too hard
having sex issues due to a crooked or bent penis

Stages of Peyronie’s

Acute Phase – generally lasts 5 to 7 months, although in exceptional situations, it can last up to 18 months. Plaques form in the penis, the bending/curving of the penis worsens, and you may experience discomfort as your penis hardens at this period.

Chronic Phase – the plaque stops developing and the penis no longer bends during the chronic phase. If you had erection discomfort during the acute period, it should have subsided by now.

Other Factors

Peyronie’s disease does not affect all males who have minor penile injuries. As a result, most experts believe Peyronie’s disease plaques arise for hereditary or environmental reasons. Men with specific connective tissue illnesses (such as Dupuytren’s contractures or tympanosclerosis) and men with a close relative who has Peyronie’s disease are at a higher risk. Certain health conditions, such as excessive blood sugar, cigarette use, or previous pelvic trauma, might impede wound healing and contribute to the development of Peyronie’s disease.

Causes

The exact etiology of Peyronie’s disease is unknown, however several variables appear to be involved. Peyronie’s disease is considered to be caused by recurrent injuries to the penis. The penis, for example, might be injured during intercourse, physical activity, or an accident. The majority of the time, however, no specific penile trauma is mentioned.

Scar tissue grows in an unorganized manner during the healing process following a penile injury. This might result in a visible nodule or the development of curvature. A spongelike tube (corpus cavernosum) on either side of the penis contains numerous small blood veins. The tunica albuginea (TOO-nih-kuh al-BYOO-JIN-e-uh) is a sheath of elastic tissue that surrounds each corpora cavernosa and expands during an erection.

How is Peyronie’s disease diagnosed?

Your healthcare practitioner will inquire about any events that occurred before the onset of symptoms, such as an injury. They will feel the hardened tissue produced by the illness, however they may need to examine your penis when it is erect in some cases. If necessary, an injection will be given to make your penis erect for the examination.An ultrasound may be recommended by your doctor. The ultrasound will show you where the plaque is located, check for calcium accumulation, and show you how your penile blood flows. This test might help your doctor figure out which treatment choices you could be a good candidate for.

When to see a doctor

If you detect signs or symptoms of Peyronie’s disease, see your doctor as soon as possible. Early therapy provides you the best chance of improving or preventing the disease from worsening. If the discomfort, curvature, length, or other abnormalities affect you or your spouse, you should visit a doctor if you’ve had the issue for a while.

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