Peyronie’s disease affects men of all ages across the world. It is thought to happen in about 4 out of 100 men between the ages of 40 and 70. It is rare in young men but has been seen in men in their 30s. Peyronie’s Disease is a benign condition, caused by scar tissue forming in the penis. The scar tissue can be caused by different traumas ranging from vigorous sex, a low tackle on the rugby field or conditions like diabetes. These can cause fibrous plaque to build up in blood vessels and penile tissue. This plaque build-up then restricts that side of the penis from expanding when the penis becomes erect. This scar tissue can result in a bent, rather than straight, erection. For most men with Peyronie’s disease, they can still have sex, however, in some it can cause discomfort, erectile dysfunction or difficulty with sex.

Peyronie’s disease is often split into 2 stages: the acute phase and the chronic phase. During both phases, the bent/curved penis may cause problems with sex. Patients also may have erectile dysfunction.

Acute Phase: The acute phase usually lasts for 5 to 7 months but can last up to 18 months in rare cases. During this time, the plaques form in the penis, the bending/curving of the penis gets worse and patients may feel pain when the penis gets hard.

Chronic Phase: The chronic phase is when the plaque stops growing and the penis doesn’t bend any further. If there was pain with erection during the acute phase, it often will have ended by this

There are many different treatments for Peyronie’s disease, however, some are more successful than others. Vacuum pump therapy (SomaCorrect) is a very good initial treatment which is successful in some cases. Surgical procedures such as plication and incision & grafting can also be used to correct the curvature in the penis.

For men who experience pain with Peyronie’s disease, the best treatment is painkillers but a course of low-intensity shock waves can reduce the pain. This can be used alongside other therapies to ensure that symptoms associated with Peyronie’s are reduced.

Please contact us if you wish to have a consultation with one of our doctors and find out which treatment would help you get the best result for Peyronie’s disease.

This article is intended to inform and give insight but not treat, diagnose or replace the advice of a doctor. Always seek medical advice with any questions regarding a medical condition.