Men's Sexual Health

Peyronies is treatable

Peyronies disease affects one percent of men. The disease occurs in the middle age but at times younger and older men also develop it. The disease was first discovered by a French surgeon François de la Peyronies in the year 1743. In those days the problem used to be termed as a form of impotence, now called as erectile dysfunction. However, with the progress of medical science and technology, experts inferred that erectile dysfunction was just only one factor that could be associated with Peyronies.

What is Peyronies?
Peyronies disease affects the sexual health of men. It is not something incurable though, because it is just a matter of time for the one who is suffering from the disease to overcome it. Peyronie's disease, a condition of uncertain cause, is characterized by a plaque, or hard lump, that forms on the penis. The plaque develops on the upper or lower side of the penis in layers containing erectile tissue. It begins as a localized inflammation and can develop into a hardened scar.

Cases of Peyronies disease range from mild to severe. Symptoms may develop slowly or appear overnight. In severe cases, the hardened plaque reduces flexibility, causing pain and forcing the penis to bend or arc during erection. In many cases, the pain decreases over time, but the bend in the penis may remain a problem, making sexual intercourse difficult. The sexual problems that result can disrupt a couple's physical and emotional relationship and lead to lowered self-esteem in the man. In a small percentage of patients with the milder form of the disease, inflammation may resolve without causing significant pain or permanent bending.

The plaque itself is benign, or non-cancerous. A plaque on the top of the shaft (most common) causes the penis to bend upward; a plaque on the underside causes it to bend downward. In some cases, the plaque develops on both top and bottom, leading to indentation and shortening of the penis. At times, pain, bending, and emotional distress prohibit sexual intercourse.

Peyronies treatment
Men suffering from Peyronies seek medical attention only when they face painful erections and difficulty during intercourse. However, doctors treat the disorder empirically because each treatment is carved out differently as the case may vary from mild to severe and also, because the causes may vary from case to case basis. Some patients report improvement with time and are completely cured of Peyronies without any treatment, at all. Medical experts suggest waiting 1 to 2 years or longer before attempting to correct it surgically. During that wait, patients often are willing to undergo treatments whose effectiveness has not been proven.

Treatments can be experimental or surgical

Experimental treatment
1. Vitamin E Therapy: Some researchers give vitamin E orally to men with Peyronie's disease. Such a treatment has often reported improvements but results have been inconclusive nothing could be established so far the effectiveness of vitamin E therapy is concerned.
2. Chemical agents: Researchers have injected chemical agents such as verapamil, collagenase, steroids, calcium channel blockers, and interferon alpha-2b directly into the plaques. These interventions are still considered unproven because studies included small numbers of patients and lacked adequate control groups. Steroids, such as cortisone, have produced unwanted side effects, such as the atrophy or death of healthy tissues. Another intervention involves iontophoresis, the use of a painless current of electricity to deliver verapamil or some other agent under the skin into the plaque.
3. Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays are aimed at the plaque, has also been used. Like some of the chemical treatments, radiation appears to reduce pain, but it has no effect at all on the plaque itself and can cause unwelcome side effects.

Surgical treatment
Peyronie's disease has been treated surgically with some success. The two most common surgical procedures are removal or expansion of the plaque followed by placement of a patch of skin or artificial material, and removal or pinching of tissue from the side of the penis opposite the plaque, which cancels out the bending effect. The first method can involve partial loss of erectile function, especially rigidity. The second method, known as the Nesbit procedure, causes a shortening of the erect penis.

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