Peyronie’s disease is a term used for an abnormal curvature of the penis during erection as a result of fibrous scar tissue within the penis.
Symptoms
You or your doctor may notice an abnormal hardening of the tissue below the skin in one area along the shaft of the penis.
During erection, there may be:
- A bend in the penis, which usually begins at the area where you feel the scar tissue or hardening
- Narrowing of the penis
- Pain
- Problems with penetration or pain during intercourse
- Shortening of the penis
Signs and Tests
The urologist can diagnose curvature of the penis with a physical examination. The hard plaques can be felt with or without an erection.
He/she may use injected medications to cause an erection. Or you may provide your health care provider with pictures of the erect penis for evaluation.
Treatment
At first, you may not need treatment. Some or all of the symptoms may improve over time or may not get worse.
The patient should discuss the options for treatment with the urologist, because of the efficacy of the treatment.
If the nonsurgical treatments are not successful and you are unable to have intercourse because of the curve of the penis, surgery may be done to correct the problem. A penile prosthesis may be the best treatment choice.
