Our urology team can work with you to create a personalized treatment plan
to manage your condition.
Understanding Peyronie’s disease
Peyronie’s disease is a rare type of erectile dysfunction (ED), or
a condition in which a person has difficulty getting or maintaining an
erection. Peyronie’s disease causes abnormal growth of scar tissue
or plaque on the connective tissue of the penis. This condition can result
in a curve, bend, or narrowing in the penis that can impact erection quality
and cause penile pain or difficulty with sexual activity.
The exact cause of Peyronie’s disease is unknown, but some research
suggests it can be caused by trauma or injury to the penis resulting in
scar tissue buildup. However, many cases occur without traumatic injury,
suggesting that genetic factors may be at play, too.
Treating Peyronie's disease
The best treatment for Peyronie’s disease depends on if the condition
is acute or chronic.
Acute Peyronie's disease
The acute phase of Peyronie’s disease happens early on and may last
a few weeks to a year or more. Common symptoms in the penis include:
Pain
Changes in length
Changes in curvature
Changes in deformity
Treatment for the acute phase usually involves penile traction therapy.
A device is used to stretch the penis for a defined period. The goal is
to prevent losing penis length and decrease curvature.
Other medical and injectable therapies also may help at the acute stage
of Peyronie’s disease.
Chronic Peyronie's disease
With the chronic stage of Peyronie’s disease, symptoms are stable.
There isn’t penis pain or changes in length, curvature, or deformity.
The chronic stage often happens about three to 12 months after initial symptoms.
There are several treatment options for the chronic phase:
Watchful waiting
Injection therapy
Traction therapy
Surgery
Sometimes, it’s helpful to use multiple treatment options. For example,
if you get injection therapy, you may get several injections over the
span of months. During this time, you also might do traction therapy and
take medicine by mouth.
