Tag Archives: penile curvature

I continued jelqing for months even though my penile curvature was getting worse and now I might have Peyronie's disease

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

Dr. Herazy,   Firstly, I would like to thank you and this community for even being here to help those who suffer with penile curvature.  Finding information online regarding Peyronie's disease has been very tricky and even an anxious affair due to the condition's unnecessarily embarrassing nature. Anyway, a little background: I am a 23-year-old male who has had a healthy sex life for the last seven years. While dating my previous girlfriend, we had some bouts with sexual difficulty, mostly on her end due to numerous urinary tract infections and her mental condition; she has been on anti-anxiety and antidepressants for some years now. This made her very self-conscious during sex and, admittedly, other factors like privacy created tension. I have never experienced this before and thought something was wrong with me, and for some stupid reason, I wondered if my penis was somehow inadequate. So, I looked into enhancement options and discovered the murky world of jelqing and stretching.

I followed the exercise regiment very closely, with my workouts beginning in February of 2012 and ending at the end of October of 2012. I made sure to warm up every time with a hot wrap and never pushed myself too far, or so I thought. I discovered that my penis grew in length and girth, going from about 5.5 inches erect to 6.5 inches; flaccid, my penis has always been about one inch, no joke. Now, it is usually two but often three inches in length when totally flaccid. My ex at the time noticed it and was shocked I managed to change the size and shape of my penis. I was taking L-Arginine, L-Lysine, and Zinc on my workout days, including Pygeum Africanum, Lecithin, Flaxseed Oil, Fish Oil, Super B Complex, and a solid Multivitamin. But during the last week of October, after we had broken up, I think I went too hard and stretched too far, feeling an uneasy sensation in my penis. It's important to note that I had noticed the progression of a curve for months preceding this but with no pain. It is also important to note that I have always had a slight curve to the left, as several photos taken years ago prove.

Anyway, after this weird feeling from stretching, I finished my workout and decided to take some days off. But the pain got worse and I noticed a small bruise/discoloration and what appeared to be a reddish stretch mark running about two inches on my penis. So, I scheduled an appointment to see a urologist. I saw him and he said I essentially “sprained” something or caused a microtear near the glans of my penis. He told me to abstain from sexual activity for six to eight weeks. He didn't feel any plaque and said that he couldn't diagnosis Peyronie's because there wasn't significant curvature or plaque. While I didn't exactly abstain as much as I should have, I did mostly stop masturbating for weeks on end.

The pain is now completely gone but the discoloration and stretch mark (maybe inflamed vein) are still there, though they seem to have faded a bit. I am now living in Chicago and have scheduled an appointment with Dr. Levine for March 1st. I need some kind of closure on this; I need to know if I have to start treatment or maybe I just have a congenital curvature. The curve hasn't increased since my injury and, as stated above, I noticed the enhanced penile curvature while flaccid months before my injury. While erect, there's not much of a difference between the way my penis looks now and a few years ago when I was sixteen. The only difference is the discoloration/bruise, stretch mark/inflamed vein, and a bigger, more curved flaccid penis.

I am currently taking a Multivitamin, L-Arginine, CoQ-10, Acetyl L-Carnitine, and Vitamin E. I also was using Bio-Oil and Cocoa Butter, but have cut back significantly; I liked how smooth it made my unit feel. I have continued sexual activity with no pain and no loss of erectile function. Based on what you all know and what I have told you, can you point me in the right direction? Can you give me advice? My current girlfriend and ex have been very supportive through all of this, including my brother, best friend, and mother. I just want some kind of pointers and opinions; it can be quite suffocating with everyone telling you “you're going to be fine” or “you're overreacting.” This is a serious condition and I am not sure where to turn. Dr. Levine has me scheduled for an ultrasound the morning of our appointment so he can check it out before meeting with me. I seriously hope there is no scar tissue or, if there is, it is something I can deal with. I have grown fond of my curved flaccid penis and don't mind it; life is too short to dwell and panic about these things as long as I can have a functional sex life. Please. And thanks in advance for reading my story and any opinions. It means a lot!

Greetings,

Thank you for your detailed report and  insightful commentary concerning your experience with jelqing and penis stretching.

In many posts I have written about the dangers of forced penis stretching: for example please see I think I have Peyronie’s disease from jelqing. What should I do?  Too many men take a cavalier attitude about remodeling their penis to Adonis proportions.  The websites that sell the books and tapes attempt to support the idea that all problems of low self-esteem and difficulty with female relationships will simply disappear with a sausage-like member tucked in below the belt.  Life is perfect for men who have an unusually large penis.  They do not discuss the many problems and tragedies that occur with these strategies of forced stretching.  The jelqing websites try to create the idea that the penis can be squeezed and molded like a slab of clay can be tugged and strangled into an exaggerated size to please a lady or gratify a weak ego.  When penis tissue is taken forcefully and repeatedly beyond a certain point of limitation it will suddenly fail.

At this point you can only be certain that you have a bruise or micro-tear of the external tissue of the shaft.  You might be one of the luckiest guys in the world to only have a superficial injury, and not a deeper problem in the shaft at the level of the tunica albuginea; if it turns out that you have injured the tunica you are perhaps a step closer to having a case of Peyronie's disease.  Even so, with injury to the tunica and an early case of Peyronies to deal with, about half of these cases repair or reverse on their own without outside intervention – spontaneous recovery is the medical term for self healing. This is mentioned so that you can appreciate the gravity of what you have done and the position you are in at the moment.  

When you wrote that you “…  never pushed myself too far, or so I thought,”  you made a critical point about jelqing that gets to the heart of the craziness about this brutal practice. Did you ever watch a movie in which the bomb squad is called for help to defuse or take apart a complicated explosive device?  The tension and drama of those scenes where the bomb wires are being cut is based on the person never knowing if he is cutting the correct wire or in the correct sequence until it is too late.  The trick of taking apart the bomb is that you can be doing it correctly when everything is going well, until the moment you make a mistake and the bomb and you blow up.  Jelqing is not much different.  You can think you are doing it correctly and safely, until you make a mistake and injure your penis to cause a problem like Peyronie's disease.  Who knows how far to go until after you have gone too far?  Who knows how hard to squeeze and stretch, until after you have squeezed and stretched too much?  Everything can go well until after everything does badly, when the whole jelqing idea blows up in your face.

Based upon what you have written, I suspect that you have injured yourself enough to have caused Peyronie's disease.  I am lead to this conclusion by your statement, “… I had noticed the progression of a curve for months preceding this but with no pain. “  By this you say that for months your penis was becoming curved and yet you continued to jelq for months.   Since I have not examined you I can only speculate, although you will learn in time if I am correct or not.  I further suspect that you do not have at this time a curved penis when erect only because your condition is still too early and you are in the stage where the plaque has not yet formed the telltale Peyronie's scar that is far more capable of causing penile curvature.  Further based upon what you have written, “While I didn't exactly abstain as much as I should have, I did mostly stop masturbating for weeks on end, ” even when the doctor told you to abstain from sexual activity you did not.  Not only did you not stop having intercourse, you only reduced masturbating. You need to read a bit about the subject of hedonism.   

If you do not develop Peyronie's disease as a result of your immaturity and lack of self-respect, and I hope you do not, it will be a miracle.  Please try to use this experience as a way to learn something not only to learn about the dangers of jelqing and Peyronie's disease, but more so to learn about yourself and what aspects of your personality are in need of growth and maturity.

If it does turn out that you have an incipient case of Peyronie's disease, please consider that there is much you can do to assist your body to heal and repair the problem.  If half of the men who develop Peyronie's disease eventually heal it on their own without assistance and their penile curvature goes away on its own, there is the possibility you can assist your recovery over Peyronie's disease  by using information found on the PDI website.

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Good luck to you, sir.

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Where can I find a multi-tube VED to treat Peryronies disease?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

I have been diagnosed with Peyronies disease. It came on very quickly.

I work as a consultant. I am 62 years old. Until recently I enjoyed a very energetic sex life. I began to notice around May of last year pain when I acquired an erection.  My penis remained straight despite the pain. I was able to ejaculate and erection was not a problem.

I was on a job. My wife visited me mid October last year.  Then she went home. I had two more weeks until the job ended. I decided to wait until I returned to California and give my penis a chance to heal.  During first sex after two week layoff my penis was bent to the left. I was stunned.  I can feel the hard areas along the left side of my penis. My urologist suggested vacuum therapy.

I bought a device with a large tube that still permits my penis to bend.  I am an engineer.  To me this is just teaching my penis to continue bending. Now I learn there is multi-tube device and suggested therapy.

Where is this mythical multi-tube device ?

Thanks,

John K.

Greetings John K,

I do not endorse the idea if using a vacuum erection device (VED).   You can read this information in Peyronie's disease treatment with vacuum pump (VED).  

Over the years I have encountered too many men who had negative experiences after using the VED, either causing injury that resulted in Peyronie's disease or they noted that the device simply made the penis larger than usual for a few minutes but did not help the actual problem of PD.  The fundamental issue of Peyronie's disease is not the penile curvature weak or erections of Peyronie's disease that get your attention.  The real problem of PD that causes all the other nasty problems that you are experiencing is due to the existence of the Peyronie's scar inside the shaft of the penis.  Using a VED will not get rid of the Peyronie's scar; it will only stretch the tissue temporarily.

As an engineer I am sure you are familiar with the concept of trying to apply traction to a material that has rigid and less rigid areas; the traction force will be absorbed by the less rigid areas and will not allow the more rigid area to be stretched by the traction force.  This is the fallacy of the VED concept to treat Peyronie's disease, as well as the mechanical penis stretcher or extender devices.   This idea was discussed in some depth in a post I wrote called My Peyronie’s disease started after I tried to straighten my curved penis with a penis stretcher, should I use another one?  I would appreciate a comment or two from you concerning the engineering and physics principles that are discussed in this post. 

As far as where you can get a double-walled VED device, I can only suggest that you speak to a urologist who advocates the VED idea. The problem with the double-walled VED is that while it does not allow for the lateral bending of the distorted PD penis (which is good), it also does not allow for the expansion or stretching of the tissue (which is not good on one hand since this is supposed to be how this device is purported to help PD, but is good because it is less likely to injure the penis while it is being used). 

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Overall, it is my opinion the VED is not an effective therapy for Peyronie's disease. Note, that it is not only my idea that the VED is not a great Peyronie's therapy; many urologists are against their use for the same reasons I cite.   Having said that, you will note that makers of the VED and those MDs who advocate the penis pump product for PD will point to a few positive published research reports for the VED.  My answer to those positive VED research reports is the same concerning the thousands of positive research reports for hundreds of new drugs that come out annually.  These hundreds of new drugs, because of the positive research behind them, receive FDA approval each year .  And each year hundreds of them are taken off the market in a year or two after they are proven worthless or injure hundreds of people in the short time they are used.  TRH

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My husband has a curved penis, is this normal?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

 Bent penis usually means Peyronie’s disease later in life

A curved penis can be normal for some men, or it can indicate the presence of a problem for other men.  Just because the penis is curved does not necessarily mean there is a problem.

For the most part, the fact that penile curvature exists at all in a man does not indicate a true abnormality or reason for concern; an abnormality is more so suggested if there is a change in the appearance and structure of the penis if it was previously straighter than it is now and only later became curved.

If a diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease has already been made to explain the bent penis you are asking about, you should consider using Alternative Medicine treatment to assist and support the body’s natural ability to heal and repair the Peyronie’s plaque that causes the curved penis and the various signs and symptoms that are a result.  Click here to find a good place to start learning about non-surgical and non-drug Peyronie’s treatment.

When did the bent penis begin?

Usually the answer to the question, “When did the curved or bent penis begin?” will usually indicate if there is an actual problem to justify concern.

If your husband’s penis has been curved since childhood, or for as long as he can remember, then there is a very good chance that he has a normal variation of the shape of his penis.  This is called a normal penis curvature and is often simply due to a variation of the size of the internal chambers that make up the body of the penis.   In a congenital curve of the penis there is usually no pain associated with erection or intercourse.

Also, in regard to when the penis curvature occurred, it is not uncommon for Peyronie’s disease to develop after certain medical procedures or treatments:

  1. Use of Viagra, Cialis or Levitra (PDE5 inhibitor drugs) that have been known to cause damage to the internal tissue of the penis when an exaggerated or excessive erection occurs.  For some men this can happen after just one use of these drugs, or for other men after multiple uses that previously did not cause any unusual reaction.
  2. Use of beta-blocker heart medications that are used for chest pain and arrhythmia to name a few.  There are many beta-blockers used, but a few of the more popular are Lopressor LA, Sectral and Tenormin
  3. Use of some cholesterol lowering drugs (statin drug group) that have a long list of known side effects, but recently have been expanded to include Peyronie’s disease.  There are statin drugs in this category, but a few of the more popular are Crestor, Lipitor, Lisinopril and Lovastatin
  4. Having been catheterized as part of surgical procedure, especially when done while under anesthesia while in a hospital setting.  Many times greater force is used to pass the catheter tube through the urethra due to time constraints and urgency, resulting trauma to the penile tissue.

If your husband’s penis curvature started recently or sometime after his teen years when it had been previously straight, then this suggests a problem for which he should make an appointment with a urologist for an examination and diagnosis.  The most common cause of a curved penis that appears after it was previously straight, by far, is Peyronie’s disease.  Other less common causes can be:

  1. Trauma to the penis that causes simple swelling
  2. Trauma that causes penile fracture
  3. Penile cancer, although very rare

Diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease and the curved penis 

Typically, in cases of an adult onset curved penis, there are three primary findings that usually have to be met in order to establish a diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease:

1.    Presence of one or more nodules or areas of hardness located under the skin of the shaft.  These localized nodules are not seen on the surface, but a felt by digital examination below the skin; some can be so large that the surface of the skin is elevated from below by the nodule.

2.    Pain, from mild to severe, from occasional to constant, in some area of the penis while erect.  A small percentage of men experience penile pain while flaccid (non-erect), and an even smaller percentage experience pain during both states.

3.    Recent development of curved or bent penis, or some other similar distortion of the penis (bottleneck, hourglass, or indentation). 

A diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease can still be made without one of the above findings, if the other two are dominant and reliable.  Other findings of slightly less frequency and less importance seen during Peyronie’s disease, that are of some value in making a diagnosis  are:

  1. Loss of penis size in terms length and circumference (girth or diameter).
  2. Reduced erectile ability in either the entire shaft or a localized area of it.

The important thing is to not ignore the penile curvature and to do whatever you can to avoid Peyronie’s surgery whenever possible since the side effects can be devastating.

Sex hurts because my husband’s penis is crooked, can we get help?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

Painful sexual intercourse of Peyronie’s disease can often be eliminated or reduced

Painful sexual intercourse when due to medical or psychological causes is medically known as dyspareunia (dis-pair-oo-nee-uh).  While this kind of pain is most often reported exclusively by women, it is also reported amongst men who have a curved penis due to Peyronie’s disease.

Assuming that your husband has a curved penis because of Peyronie’s disease, there are several different ways and areas of their life that a couple can work together to improve, and possibly eliminate, the pain they experience during sexual intercourse. While most people assume that the pain is the direct result of a curved penis, it has been shown it is necessary to consider the effects of the multiple factors that are unique to Peyronie’s disease and capable of affecting sexual function.  To help a situation in which intercourse is painful because of the effects of Peyronie’s disease it is usually necessary to use more than one treatment approach.

Do not make a hasty assumption that the cause of your pain during intercourse is a crooked penis; you might be right, but then again you might be only partially correct.

The topic of pain during intercourse is so common and so important to couples who deal with Peyronie’s disease that the Peyronie’s Disease Institute offers two valuable methods to learn how often eradicate the problem, or at least minimize it greatly.  The first is a special program in which our staff nurse will personally consult with and advise any woman who needs help in a program called “Woman to Woman.”  Women can speak to our nurse to ask questions of any sort that deal Peyronie’s disease, from the anatomy and physiology of sexual intercourse to suggestions for intercourse positions and lubrication options, as well as help dealing with sexual difficulties.  The second is a book written by Dr. Theodore Herazy titled, “Peyronie’s Disease and Sex,” that covers many of the diverse problems faced by couples who find intercourse painful or restricted by a curved penis or erectile dysfunction.

There are many different deformity patterns (bend, curve, indentation, rotation or twisting, hourglass and bottleneck, as well as combinations of these) plus different degrees of those penile distortions and curvatures that can contribute to different levels of pain experienced during intercourse. Even so, a bent penis is usually not the sole reason for painful intercourse for a couple dealing with Peyronie’s disease.  Just like the difficulty of putting a square peg in a round hole, a curved penis will certainly get someone’s attention and be the natural assumption for the cause of painful intercourse.

However, the amount of pain and even the absence of pain during intercourse that is due to a curved penis often presents a  surprisingly inconsistent and unexpected pattern; it is difficult to predict the failure or success of intercourse, or even if pain will or will not occur, based solely on the external appearance of the man’s penis.  It is not possible to say that a couple will experience pain or failure to complete entry for sexual intercourse only based on how much or where the penis is bent or distorted.

Women get help with painful sexual intercourse related to Peyronie's disease

The Peyronie’s Disease Institute nurse has advised and counseled many men and women who had not been able to engage in sexual intercourse because of pain for several years, even though the penile distortion involved sometimes is not great, less than 10 degrees.  Conversely, she has encountered a large number of happy couples, who in spite of having to deal with penile curvature approaching 90 degrees, were still able to engage in satisfying sexual intercourse without pain.

Based on these observations, there must be something else going on that explains why one couple will have problems with a small Peyronie’s curve and another couple will not have any apparent problems with a large Peyronie’s curve.

From our experience it is common for other seemingly small and less obvious factors to turn out to be the sole reason for pain during sex, or at least the primary contributor, rather than the more obvious curved penis. Nevertheless, to find a solution for painful intercourse that is part of the Peyronie’s experience it is important to consider all possible factors and not the just obvious.  Unless all the issues that contribute to painful sex are identified and addressed, pain will likely continue to be a problem, often getting worse over time since interpersonal problems tend to escalate.

The most common cause of pain during sexual intercourse is a simple lack of vaginal lubrication that normally is secreted during arousal to make penetration easier and reduce friction and irritation during coitus.  Some common reasons a woman would experience a lack of lubrication are:

Menopause – reduced progesterone and estrogen hormone production after age 50
causes many changes in the ability of the reproductive system to operate in a way that favors reproduction.  Thinning of the vaginal walls, less natural lubricant production and pain during sex are common signs of menopause.

Lack of foreplay – hurried sex does not allow for adequate time for natural secretions to be produced.

Disinterest or emotional issues about sex – a variety of past and current issues can be at play to reduce sexual interest in either partner

Vaginismus – an involuntary spasm or tightness of the muscles surrounding the vagina, especially at the opening, making penetration difficult, painful or impossible. This tightening and subsequent pain while attempting entry can have several possible causes: past sexual trauma or abuse, a history of discomfort with sexual intercourse, and at times no cause can be found. Psychological factors related to Peyronie’s disease are commonly found to be at the heart of vaginismus often develops because of anxiety regarding sexual intercourse, such as remembering the traumatic event that happened during intercourse that caused the Peyronie’s disease injury in the first place, the guilt and anxiety about causing his Peyronie’s disease, the anger about being in a relationship that is marred by a curved penis, the fear another accident might happen making his PD even worse.  Vaginismus treatment involves education and counseling for the couple, behavioral exercises, and vaginal dilation exercises using plastic dilators. This type of therapy should be done under the direction of a sex therapist or other health care provider experienced in this area of sexual dysfunction.

A wide range of emotional issues that are rooted in Peyronie’s disease result in pain during sex because they cause of variable degrees of vaginismus and reduced sexual lubrication:

Anger and frustration about being in a relationship without normal sex

Fear of making his Peyronie’s worse during sex with another accident

Fear that the Peyronie’s disease is contagious – and it is not – and could result in problems for the female partner

Fear that the deformed penis will injure the vagina

Guilt since she was one who caused sex accident

Low expectation to gain entry since penis does not look like it would be able to fit

If you are a woman experiencing pain during intercourse while also dealing with Peyronie’s disease, contact the PDI nurse via to get help identifying and eliminating all issues that might be involved.

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Will this surgery work to correct my Peyronie’s disease?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

I have peyronies a year and a half now with a 45 degree bend when erect.i have consulted my doctor.i have seen a surgeon and I am not satisfied with his straightening method.he just wants to put a slit in it and sew it back.i don't believe this would would work.i need a second opinion.i am on medical card and live in county roscommon in the west region of Ireland. i need a surgeon who is prepared to carry out the full and proper treatment I would be very thankful for your assistance doctor and advice.i am only 39 and this is ruining my relationships and I am depressed. please help me.


Greetings,

Are you sure you heard and understood everything that was told to you about this penis surgery?

I cannot directly comment about what your surgeon explained about the Peyronie's surgery he or she proposed because I was not there to hear the explanation you were given, and you were. However, as I understand penis surgery to correct a penile curvature caused by PD, the typical procedure is much more complex than simply putting a slit in the shaft and closing it up.  

If you are positive you were given this exact explanation, I suggest you contact another urology surgeon who will take your case more seriously for a second opinion.  Using the information that follows I propose that this next time around you be prepared to ask many questions and demand answers.  You should fully understand what is being proposed to you so you can make an intelligent and informed decision.  I also suggest that you spend some time on the Peyronie's Disease Institute website to learn about the possibility of using non-drug and non-surgical treatment to increase your ability to eliminate the Peyronie's plaque naturally.

I am sensitive to what you are asking and I understand your concern about penis surgery.  However, I have no way to know what is the full and proper surgical treatment for your particular problem, and frankly neither do you.  Something as vitally important and final as surgery requires a great deal of trust in the skill and competence of the surgeon in an area that a layperson does not have enough knowledge or skill to judge what needs to be done. Having said that, I think you might be correct to want to talk to another surgeon if only because it is not correct or proper that you were allowed to leave that office without a better understanding of the proposed surgery.  In my opinion, a half-hearted explanation is no explanation, and does not bode well for the kind of surgery that a doctor like that would provide.

There is always the possibility you misunderstood what was explained to you, but it is still the responsibility of the doctor to make sure you do fully understand so you can give informed consent to a surgical procedure.  There is also the possibility the doctor did not want to give you all the (somewhat gruesome) details of the surgery, since it might scare off someone with a squeamish stomach. Another possibility is that the doctor simply did not want to take the time from a busy office schedule to explain what would happen in the proposed surgery.  It has been my observation that many times a surgeon will greatly limit or modify the truth about some aspect of a proposed surgery (risks, chances for recurrence, changes for failure, degree or frequency of complications or side effects) so that the patient is more inclined to accept the idea of the surgery, and agree to have the surgery done.  It is somewhat of a "selling job" that is done.  It is not appropriate, it is not correct, and it is not legal, but it is done.  Perhaps something like this happened in your case.  Whatever was the reason that you thought the doctor was going to "put a slit in it and sew it back," it is the fault of the doctor for that notion and possible misunderstanding to remain.

More than likely, and I could be completely wrong since I was not there, the doctor proposed to do a Nesbit procedure for your curved penis.

For the most men the Nesbit procedure is the most common, easiest and most direct way that a surgeon can address the penile curvature of  Peyronie’s disease. However, it causes shortening of the erect penis by 2.5 to 6 cm (one to two and a half inches), and this is the greatest drawback of it.  The operation is performed under a general anesthetic and takes 40 to 60 minutes.  Men usually go home the day after surgery, or even the same day.

Basically, in the Nesbit operation the main idea is to make an elliptical incision to remove some of the shaft tissue and tunica albuginea from the long side of the bent penis (on the side opposite the inner curve of the bend), in an effort to straighten the curvature.  This tissue removal is responsible for the overall effect of penis shortening when the long side is reduced. The rule of thumb is that for every 25-30 degree of curvature that is present, a loss of approximately 1 to 1.5cm penis (about half to one inch) length at erection will occur.

An incision is made all the way around the shaft, a few millimeters behind the edge of the head (glans) of the penis.  The cut skin of the penis is rolled back down (like rolling or peeling your socks down off your leg), exposing the two corpora cavernosae so the one corpora cavernosa that is opposite the bend and the Peyronie's plaque can be shortened.  This is done by either removing tissue of the corpora with removal using an elliptical incision or simply by drawing it tighter with internal stitches.  After this is done the foreskin usually has to be shortened also so that it matches the new shorter length of the penis.  As in any operation, infection of the incision lines can be a problem and the foreskin, if left behind, sometimes becomes swollen after surgery; for this reason many surgeons will also perform a complete circumcision to prevent this complication. Otherwise direct surgical complications are not common, but occasional to infrequent side effects after surgery of erectile dysfunction, permanent numbness and penile pain can occur.

Hopefully, this explanation of the Nesbit procedure is helpful.  Keep in mind that this is the simplest Peyronie's surgery.  You can see Peyronie's surgery is a lot more complex than what you thought.  TRH

Is it true nothing can be done for penis shrinkage caused by Peyronie’s disease?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

I hurt my penis during sex. At first it had a curve but that went away and instead the penis has shortened drastically.  Sex is no longer achievable and a simple act like urinating into a toilet bowl is a problem because the penis has shrunk so much that I cannot point it at the bowl.  I either have to drop my pants or sit on the toilet and push the penis down to prevent it from urinating at 90 degrees.

I live in South Africa and the urologist has said there is nothing that can be done.  Is this true?

Regards,

Wally

 

Greetings Wally,

The statistics found in medical journals and the internet about penis shrinkage related to Peyronie's disease are variable and of questionable accuracy due to the natural of the problem.  As I remember, the published rate of reduction of Peyronies men who experience penile length and/or girth is said to be 25-50%.  However, based on my conversations and email from men with PD I would put that number easily in excess of 75%.   What you report is not at all uncommon.  It is  a consequence of the excess fibrous tissue build up that causes contraction of the deep soft tissue of the penile shaft, and also can cause distortion, such as a curved penis or an hourglass, bottle neck or dent deformity.

When your urologist told you noting can be done for this problem, he/she should have more accurately said there is nothing that medical practice can do to help you.   There is a lot you can do to help yourself.  If about half of the men who develop Peyronie's disease experience a spontaneous remission or self-cure of this problem, then it is obvious that these men are capable of curing their own problem.   PD is cured half of the time without any outside help by the natural healing process of the body.   The PDI concept for treatment of Peyronie's disease is simply to assist or support that same natural healing process by using a combination of vitamins, minerals, herbs and enzymes and other techniques that allow the body to heal better – to increase the odds that you too can care your PD like you should have in the first place.   Your urologist only says there is nothing that can be done to help you, only because he/she does not have a drug to use for that purpose.  "We do it my way, or no way."  What arrogance. 

Probably the best place for you to start looking for information about Peyronie's treatment using Alternative Medicine is from this link from the Peyronie's Disease Institute, "Start Peyronie's treatment."  

Believe me, you would be shocked to learn the number of MDs who contact me from around the world about using Alternative Medicine and the PDI approach to Peyronies treatment when one of them develops PD.    Drugs and surgery are for patients, and when one of them has a bent penis they they suddenly want to be very conservative with what they do.  TRH

Peyronie’s disease caused my divorce and makes me ashamed to get intimate; who can I go to for help?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

I have had Peyronies for two years now. I live in Charlotte NC and being in the middle of the Bible belt have been ashamed and have not sought treatment for this reason.  It has been a major contributor to my recent divorce.  I am now trying to date but again am ashamed to get intimate could you refer me to doctor in Charlotte NC as I am now ready to address this.

Sincerely

Marc

 

Greetings Marc,

Sorry to hear of your Peyronie's disease and how it affected your marriage.

I do not know of anyone in the  Charlotte area in whom I have confidence.   Sorry.   However, there is another issue that is perhaps even greater than your Peyronie's disease, and that is your attitude about yourself and your Peyronie's disease.

Whatever doctor you eventually decide to consult for your health problem, if he is like 99% of those I hear about he will likely rush into the room, do a very brief history and examination, confirm your suspicion of having PD, tell you there is not much he can do and he will suggest that you come back in six months to see if you have gotten bad enough to do Peyronies surgery on you.  Unless you are the world's luckiest guy, he will not actually talk to you in any meaningful way or discuss your personal situation.  That is just how it is in the real world of medical practice these days.

You should get a diagnosis and make sure you know what your problem is exactly.  After that, you should carefully consider your treatment options.   You can use the standard drugs and surgery, or you can use Alternative Medicine to see if you can avoid the medical approach.   One of the things about the inevitable use of Peyronie's surgery is that there is always at least an inch or two lost of length and the possibility of continued penis curvature, possibility of erectile dysfunction as a result of surgery, to say noting of the external scars that are visible from surgery.  All of these can contribute to the shame and embarrassment you feel now.   Do not think that just because you submit to medical care that your days of reduced penile function and altered penile appearance are over; far from it.   Some men's  PD problems are worse after surgery than before it.   This is why PDI suggests more conservative measures that can reduce your penile curvature without risk of surgery and drugs. 

Regardless of what route you decide to take you must improve your self-opinion and how you view life as someone with Peyronies.  This is a huge subject and something that I cannot undertake in a response to the Q/Q section.   I suggest that you get my book "Peyronie's Disease and Sex" because it will help you in all the ways that I mention and it will offer useful advice about getting back into the dating pool again.   TRH   

Doubts he has Peyronie’s disease because he does not have a curved penis

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

Dear Dr. Herazy,

I have done a lot of reading on your website and am really confused, as to whether I am or I am not a patient of PD.

About a fortnight back, I have felt hardening of a vein, about 1-2 inch of it, below the penis skin, near its root.  However, as on date, I have not felt any curvature of Penis, neither in normal penis, nor while erect.  However, I do feel that I have lost Libido and do feel a little pain, at the point of hardened portion.   Moreover, I do feel that I am not able to maintain Erection, once the intercourse starts and unable to continue strokes.

My Urologist have diagnosed me with Peyronie's plaque and have recommended a daily dose of Vitamine-E cap. 400 mg plus Inj. Kenacort 40 mg +Inj.  Hyalase 1 amp (IV) – weekly for 6 wks.

After going through your website, I assume there could be some side effects of IV injections and would request you to suggest some alternate medicines, to address this issue of "Peyronie's Plaque".

I am a Govt. servant of 50 yrs, 5.5 Ft. height and about 72 Kg weight.

Anil Jain

Greetings Anil,

I must ask why you are confident what you find is actually a hardened vein, and not a Peyronie's plaque since your urologist has already diagnosed you have Peyronies disease.  Many plaques are long and narrow, like a vein. You can certainly have PD and not have a penile curvature at this time; it might develop in the near or distant future; some men never develop a curved penis because the plaques they have are balanced and do not pull the penis excessively to one side or the other. Reduced libido and reduced sexual performance are common to PD. 

Penile injections sometimes cause Peyronie's disease due to injury to the delicate tunica tissue of the shaft.  Having drug injections to treat Peyronies carries a certain level of risk; many MDs who come to me when they develop their own cases of Peyronies refuse to have drug injections into the penis for this reason.  You should talk to your doctor about this. 

Taking solo treatment of synthetic vitamin E is probably not going to help you.  You must use a combination of various therapies as outlined in the PDI website if you hope to impact your ability to treat your problem successfully.  TRH 

Is this Peyronies disease?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

I have 0 pain, 0 curve in erection and no hourglass look in erection.

However I am 18, and have had ed for 4 years. For as long as I can remember, on the occasion, My flaccid penis has a bit of the hourglass look. Also when it is night time, and I am extremely relaxed, and my flaccid becomes bigger, and almost a semi erect, it occasionally curves to the right which i just started noticing about 6 months ago. Also, after I urinate, occasionally I see my penis begin to curve right.

Again no pain, no bumps, no hourglass or curve in erection

I only see hourglass/curve in flaccid/semi erect.  Is this Peyronies disease?  If so will it get worse?  Can I send pictures to you?

 

Greetings,

Pictures would be of little help to reach a conclusion.

No one can say with any level of certainty based on the information you have provided whether your condition is Peyronie's disease or not.  These things are not diagnosed so casually or easily.   To know for sure what is happening, you must see a urologist and be examined for a formal diagnosis.

Having said that, it is my absolute guess that you do not have Peyronies disease for the following reasons you cite:
1.  Lifelong penile distortion, not recent onset
2.  Distortion when semi-erect or flaccid, not erect
3.  Occasional distortion, not constant or very frequent
4.  No mention of trauma
5.  No mention of familial PD or DC problem
6.  No penile curvature
7.  No pain
8.  No mass or lump, apparently; these can be missed even with PD, but in many cases the scar or plaque is easily found.

Please go to a good urologist and get to the bottom of your problem.   TRH

Is it possible to have a penile curvature without having a Peyronie’s scar?

Posted on by Dr.Herazy

Dr. Herazy,

Is it possible to have an extreme curvature in one or both of the blood-filled columns in the inside of the penis without having a scar? I can't find a scar at all. Also, I only have pain (a slight twinge) in the base of the penis and in the curvature?

 

Greetings,

The only way you could have an extreme penile curvature without having a scar would be to have a congenital curvature (born with a normal curvature) or to develop some other health problem that would cause additional penile symptoms. 

If you have been diagnosed with Peyronie's disease and you have a bent penis you must realize the penile curvature is being caused by something that was not present before you developed PD.  There must be a reason for the distortion, correct?  In your case, the distortion is being caused by extra fibrous buildup that is very difficult to locate.  This is common in Peyronie's disease; I guess that at least half of men with PD have difficulty finding their scar(s).   In fact, it is so common that I wrote a blog post titled, "Can't find Peyronie's plaque or scar."   You could also read another question and answer, "How do I find my Peyronie's scar?" 

It is typical for someone who has been medically diagnosed with PD to still feel uncertain if this diagnosis is accurate and correct.   It is part of a denial response.  If this is true, you must either make up your mind you will either accept the diagnosis or go to another urologist for another opinion to either confirm or deny your Peyronie's disease diagnosis.  I sense that you are beating yourself up with doubts and endless questions.  At some point you must stop fighting the idea you have PD. You need to eventually take that energy you are wasting on endless worry and use it to do something about your problem.  Some men have a difficult time dealing emotionally with severe penile curvature.  If that is true for you, please contact me for a few EFT sessions and I think I can do something to help you in this way, as I have done for so many other men.   

The pain of Peyronie's disease is quite variable in terms of degree and location. Having a slight twinge at the base of the penis, and within the curvature, is consistent with this problem.  But then, having a great amount of pain at the base or toward the top of the penis would also be consistent since the pain of PD is wildly variable. TRH