What is Peyronie (Penile Curvature)? Symptoms and Treatment

Penile curvature is a disorder that rarely resolves on its own. In many cases, the disease follows a progressive course. Early diagnosis and treatment is very important for Peyronie’s disease, as it is for every disease. One should be aware as early intervention can both control the complaints and prevent the progression of the disease. You can follow the rest of the article for other topics you are curious about about penis curvature.

What is Penis Curvature?

Penis crookedness or curvature can be defined as an abnormal curvature of the penis that becomes especially evident during erection. Individuals with this disorder, which is among the rare causes of erectile dysfunction, defined as erectile dysfunction, may experience various problems in establishing the hardness that will initiate or maintain sexual intercourse. The development of scar tissues called fibrous plaques constitutes the basic development mechanism of this disease. Since penis characteristics are individual, small curvatures in some individuals’ penises may be considered normal. However, if the curvature is accompanied by complaints such as pain or erection problems, care should be taken as the underlying condition may be penile curvature caused by Peyronie’s disease.

What are the symptoms of penis curvature?

Although Peyronie’s symptoms generally consist of physical complaints, it is recommended to be careful about the psychological symptoms that may occur due to the disease disrupting individuals’ sexual lives. The most basic symptom of penile curvature, defined as Peyronie’s disease, is, as the name of the disease suggests, changes in the structure of the penis. Curvature in the penis is caused by plaque or scar tissue in the penis structure called tunica albuginea. For these reasons, the hardened penis tissue loses its flexibility and may cause the penis to bend during erection. Plaques may not yet be present in individuals with active disease, so care should be taken that these individuals may not yet develop curvature complaints.

Another symptom that occurs with penis curvature is pain during erection. This complaint of the disease is not usually seen in the early active stages of the disease, as is the case with curvature. The pain that occurs in the curvature of the penis can be relieved to some extent when the scar tissue becomes stable. While the complaint of painful erection disappears within a few years in some patients, some individuals may have a constant erection pain throughout life. In addition to the complaint of pain during erection, it is also observed that some individuals with penile curvature cannot achieve an erection. Severe curvature of the penis can make sexual intercourse almost impossible. Wound or plaque development that occurs unilaterally in the inner tissue of the penis may also occur bilaterally in some individuals with Peyronie’s disease. The most obvious complaint detected in bilateral involvement is the shortening of penis size.

What Causes Penis Curvature?

The main mechanism underlying the development of penis curvature has not been fully elucidated yet. While damage to small blood vessels is considered a very effective factor in the occurrence of the disease, it is thought that this situation may be caused by sexual intercourse, sports competition, trauma or various other factors. There are 2 tube-like sponge tissues called corpus cavernosum in the penis. This tissue receives blood with sexual stimulation and swells, providing erection. It is filled with blood thanks to the dense blood vessels inside it. The structure in which the corpus cavernosum sits is the elastic connective tissue called tunica albuginea. During the erection of the penis, stretching and stretching occurs in this part. Damage and loss of elasticity of this tissue may be effective in the development of penis curvature.

Scar tissue formed in the internal tissues of the penis through various mechanisms causes an increased risk of developing Peyronie’s disease. Detection of Peyronie’s disease in cases where the penis cannot stretch and harden properly; It is thought that the scar tissue formed in these people may have a retracting and bending effect on the penis. Not everyone who experiences penis trauma develops Peyronie’s disease. In most individuals, scar tissue formed after trauma disappears after the healing process. In individuals with Peyronie’s disease, scar tissue remains fixed in the penis, causing various complaints, especially deformity. There are various factors that affect wound healing. The most important of these situations can be summarized as follows:

• The presence of this disease in the patient’s family or close relatives is considered to be associated with an increased risk of developing Peyronie’s disease.
• Individuals with connective tissue diseases are at risk for developing Peyronie’s disease.
• Increasing age increases the risk of developing scar tissue during the post-traumatic healing process.

In addition to all these features, some Peyronie’s cases may occur without any underlying history of trauma. The most important step to take for these cases and other cases of penis curvature, which are thought to be caused by autoimmune events, is to get support from specialist physicians as soon as possible after noticing an abnormality in the shape of the penis.

Does Penis Curvature Go Away On Its Own?

Penis curvature can rarely go away on its own. The course of penile curvature caused by Peyronie’s disease usually only progresses from bad to worse. Controlling the complaints and abnormalities in the appearance of the penis is only possible with early diagnosis and treatment.

How is Penis Curvature Treatment?

In the treatment approach to penis curvature, factors such as the degree of curvature in the penis and the patient’s complaints are taken into consideration. If there is no worsening of the patient’s curvature over time and there are no complaints that may negatively affect the person’s sexual life, physicians may choose to follow the patient and observe him/her regularly. In cases where complaints are evident, practices such as medication, use of various medical devices and lifestyle changes may be used.

Medications used within the scope of Peyronie’s treatment can be in the form of tablets that the patient can use orally or can be administered as an injection into the penis. Treatment administered in the form of penile injection is a treatment intervention that continues for several months. In addition to penile injection and drug therapy, in some cases, various applications such as electrical therapy, shock wave therapy, traction therapy or the use of vacuum devices can be used. It is very important for all of these patients to end harmful habits such as alcohol and tobacco use or to start implementing various lifestyle changes such as regular exercise.

In cases where all these attempts fail, doctors may consider performing a surgical intervention known as penis curvature surgery. During surgical intervention, interventions such as shortening or lengthening the penis can be performed, taking into account the characteristics of the patient and the course of the disease. In some advanced stage cases, if there is no response despite all treatment methods, a penile prosthesis can be placed in the patient. Penile curvature is a disorder that can have both physical and psychological consequences. For this reason, if you notice any abnormality regarding the shape of the penis, it is recommended that you contact health institutions and get support from specialist physicians.