Is there a non-surgical treatment available?
The basics of Peyronie’s Disease
Peyronie’s Disease or PF has a rich story. This was named after the surgeon to King Louis VX of France, Francois de la Peyronie who first noted and described this condition in 1743. But based on records and resources, as early as 1687 the condition was already noted. The disease involves the hardening of the tissues (fibrosis) in the penis. This was initially classified as a form of impotence, now referred as Erectile Dysfunction.
How prevalent is PD?
Estimates suggest that the prevalence of the disease range from less than 1 percent to 23 percent. It is also said that for every 100 men, one person will develop the disease. But all these estimates are still debatable and open to interpretation since many men don’t actually recognize some of the symptoms, and sometimes when the symptoms are mild they don’t contact and consult with the doctor. Only when proper education and monitoring can one infer the real numbers and data behind PD.
A penis extender can help treat peyronies disease
Men at risk
There are three major risk factors that come to play and influence this disease:
Age: Most literature on the disease suggests that this may happen to men aged between 45-60 years old, but this can also happen to any male of any age.
Race: The disease is more common in white men with Northern European ancestry. This is uncommon for the African-American men and rare for Asian men.
Family History: Men with a family history of this disease will likely develop it as well.
The main causes of Peyronie’s Disease
Health practitioners are still not yet convinced about the exact cause of the disease though it is thought that some factors come into play including trauma, genetics or auto-immune factors and combination of these factors.
Trauma or injury: It is often suggested that after a trauma, a plaque of Peyronie’s Disease will develop. For example, the disease may develop after hitting or bending that may cause localize bleeding inside the penis. The disease also happens when there’s an injury to the penis like a motor accident, pelvic or urologic surgery or a sporting event. Trauma and injury may happen unwittingly during a sexual intercourse when the penis is bent or pushed against the partner’s pelvic bone.
Heredity: Genetics has a role in the development of the disease. If one member of the family develops PD, it’s likely that a family member will also be at risk.
Auto-immunity: There will be times when the body cells that are tasked to protect the body against virus and bacteria will break down, and when this happen there will be changes to many parts of the body including the penis. Keep in mind that the disease is not contagious and will not cause transmittable disease.
How Peyronie’s Disease develop in men at risk?
The common sign for the disease is the development or formation of a lump or scar tissue on the lining of the erectile tissue that holds the blood in the penis during sexual action. When the scar tissue forms, the normal stretching capabilities of the organ will be affected and will have an effect on the shape and size of the penis on erection.
How can you tell if you have the disease?
There are some signs and symptoms that you should take note. Look out for the small swelling or inflammation that will turn into a lump on the lower or upper side of your penis. The lump may appear overnight or may develop over a long time. The swelling may be associated with pain and reduced flexibility. There are some cases it will create a bend or shorten or create an hour-glass effect in the organ when it’s erect. Having and maintaining an erection will be hard as well. The penis will also become rigid in the area near the scar and flaccid past that area.
Diagnosis of Peyronie’s Disease
The disease is diagnosed trough physical examination. When the penis is limp, the plaque can be felt. But when one needs to determine the severity of the problem or deformity, a full evaluation may be recommended. To fully appreciate the severity of the situation, an erection may be required and this can be done through self-stimulation or by injecting a medicine into the penis. Some patients may feel uneasy doing this while in the office and if this happens, one can simply take a Polaroid picture at home. Also, the examination will also require the use of ultrasound scan for the organ.
Are there complications to be expected from the disease?
Complication will happen when the penis gets bent or bumped and the lining to the shaft is damaged. When this happens, the small blood vessels can burst and the blood flow will be affected. The disease can also lead to Erectile Dysfunction and other complications.
Erectile Dysfunction is the failure to achieve and sustain an erection that is firm enough that can help complete an intercourse.
There are other complications to take note as well. The lumps that are formed are non-cancerous and benign, thus this is not life threatening. But the problem will be evident during sexual intercourse where pain can sometimes impact and affect sex life and by extension can also lead to distress, lower self-esteem and anxiety.
Treatment options for Peyronie’s Disease
Most of the time, men only seek medical attention when the pain associated with Peyronie’s Disease becomes too painful to bear, or when there’s difficulty having an intercourse or when there’s deformity of the penis. There are a number of treatment options when it comes to this disease. Men living with PD can opt for surgical or non-surgical options including the use of devices or stretcher, medicines or injections.
Surgery as a treatment option: Surgery is usually recommended for men if the curvature of the penis and the pain lasts for more than 12 months. This is also the option for men if the pain affects sexual activities. Though surgery is known to bring good results, it should be kept in mind that there are some complications that can happen. Surgery is carefully planned as well since there are some effects of PD like shortening of penis cannot be corrected by surgery. For this reason, surgery is usually recommended for a small number of patients with penis curvature that is so severe that it impacts sexual activities. The common approach right now is to wait for at least a year before correcting the disease through surgery.
Non-surgical option to PD treatment: Aside from the usual complications involved, many doctors and patients are also taking a second look at surgery because of the high cost. For this reason, alternative medical therapies are also tried. Some of the common alternative treatment and therapies include the use of Vitamin E in tablet or cream form and potassium aminobenzoate which is a chemical that is part of the Vitamin B group which helps in breaking down hard and fibrous skin. Other medications and therapies used include colchines and tamoxifen, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, radiation therapy, interferons and external penis stretchers.
Can one use the external penis stretcher in order to address penile curvature?
The current development in the field of treating OD is the use of external penis stretcher. And the way researches and studies are shaping up; it seems that the use of external penis stretcher will work. There’s one study that was presented in the 2nd European Congress of Andrology (September 2002) that tested the efficacy of mechanical penile stretching or PS to address penile deformity during erection. The study was done in Italy on ten patients that were affected with Peyronie’s Disease with pain for at least 3 months and with penile deformity during erection. At the course of the study, measurements were made before and after daily home penile stretching application which is made for at least four hours per day and the procedure lasted for 3-6 months. After the set time frame for the application, it was found out that the curvature of the penis was reduced and decreased after 3 months. Another noteworthy finding is that the treatment went well with no severe complication or drop out. The study underscored the promise of penile stretchers for selected patients with penile curvature and not affected by Erectile Dysfunction.
Thanks to this groundbreaking study and subsequent observations, it is now accepted that the use of penile stretchers is an effective non-surgical solution for the treatment of PD in men and curvature of penis in men. The concept and principle behind the use of the penile stretchers is similar to the practice of many people and tribes found around the world when they elongate, stretch and enlarge some parts of the body like necks and ears. But perhaps the bigger advantage of the use of penile stretchers is that there are no side effects to worry about, and does not cost that much compared to surgery.
Peyronie’s Disease is common and treatable and this can be managed if one is properly informed and educated about its risk factors, treatment options and causes. Though surgery will provide good results, still this treatment option is known for complications and high costs. Contrast this with the use of penis stretching devices where men are given control on how the treatment will proceed. The use of these products is anchored on the concept of traction as this helps reduce the curvature of the penis and at the same time help lengthens the penis without worrying about the scars.
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