Peyronie's disease is a penile disorder that causes the growth of hard fibrosis plaques on one side of the body of the penis, causing an abnormal curvature of the penis to develop, making it harder for erection and intimate contact.
This disease has cures through surgery to remove the fibrosis plaque, however in some cases it may also be possible to use injections directly on the plaques to try to reduce penile alteration, especially if the disease has started in less than 12 months.
Main symptoms
The most common symptoms of Peyronie's disease include:
- Abnormal curvature of the penis;
- Presence of lump in the body of the penis;
- Pain during erection;
- Difficulty in penetration.
Some men may also experience depressive symptoms, such as sadness, irritability and lack of sexual desire, as a result of the changes they have in their sexual organs.
The diagnosis of Peyronie's disease is made by the urologist through the palpation and observation of the sexua organ, radiography or ultrasonography to verify the presence of fibrosis plaque.
What Causes Peyronie's Disease
There is still no specific cause for Peyronie's disease, however it is possible that minor trauma during sexual intercourse or during sports, which lead to the onset of an inflammatory process in the penis, may cause fibrosis plaques to form.
These plaques will accumulate in the penis, causing it to harden and changing its shape.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment of Peyronie's Disease is not always necessary because fibrosis plaques may disappear naturally within a few months or even cause a very slight change that has no impact on a man's life. However, when the disease persists or causes a lot of discomfort, some injections such as Potaba, Colchicine or Betamethasone may help to destroy the fibrosis plaques.
Treatment with vitamin E in the form of ointment or tablets is also recommended when symptoms have arisen for less than 12 months, and helps to break down plaques of fibrosis and decrease the curvature of the penis.
Even in the most serious cases, surgery in Peyronie's Disease is the only option as it allows removing all fibrosis plaques and correcting the curvature of the penis. In this type of surgery a shortening of 1 to 2 cm of the penis is common.
Learn about different techniques to treat this disease.
