Peyronie's disease is caused by scar tissue in the penis, which makes the penis curve during an erection. This curving may cause pain and make sexual intercourse difficult or impossible.
Peyronie's disease usually affects people who are 50 and older. It usually doesn't get better on its own. If you choose to get treatment, your options may include medicines or surgery.
At first, the most common symptoms are painful erections and a curve in your penis. Later on, the pain may get better or go away completely. But the curve in the penis may remain.
The curve is most easily seen during an erection. It may be so severe that intercourse is not possible. You may not be able to keep an erection.
Sometimes the disease gets better on its own. If it doesn't get better on its own, you may need treatment if you have painful erections or the disease gets in the way of your sex life.
Symptoms of Peyronie's disease may develop slowly or suddenly. Common symptoms include:
Peyronie's disease is usually diagnosed using a medical history and physical exam. Your doctor will ask you questions about when you first noticed your symptoms and whether the symptoms were gradual or sudden. This will help determine which stage of Peyronie's disease you are experiencing.
Because symptoms of Peyronie's disease are usually most noticeable when the penis is erect, your doctor will likely ask that you use your cell phone to take a photo of your erect penis. Or your doctor may inject a drug into your penis to make it erect. This will help your doctor see where the curve is and how severe it is. Other tests that may be ordered include:
Although the exact cause of Peyronie's disease is unknown, some experts think the scarring may be caused by minor injuries to the penis during sexual intercourse. Peyronie's disease is not caused by cancer and does not increase the risk of cancer. It is not caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Peyronie's disease is an abnormal curvature of the penis caused by scar tissue in the lining of the penis. Because the scar tissue prevents straightening of the penis, the curvature is most obvious during an erection. The curvature may cause pain for the person or their partner, or it may be so severe that it prevents penetration during intercourse.
Peyronie's disease usually affects people who are 50 and older.
Peyronie's disease is usually divided into two stages:
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