Can Peyronie's Disease Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Peyronie’s Disease has been associated with Erectile Dysfunction either due to the plaques causing the erect penis to “bend” whilst attempting penetration or simply due to lack of firmness in area affected by the plaques.

Curvature due to Peyronie’s Disease is most noticeable when the penis is erect, although it can also be observed when the penis is limp.

The name “Peyronie’s Disease” is misleading, as the condition is not strictly speaking a disease, being neither the result of an infection nor can it be passed to another person. Peyronie’s affects approximately 3% of the male population and seems most prevalent between the ages of 50 and 60, although developing the condition at an earlier age is not impossible.

What is Impotence? - Causes and Treatments

In the last few years, causes such as stress and pollution as well as lifestyles that have a huge impact on the body in a harmful way have caused an increase in the number of men who suffer from impotence and erectile dysfunction in its many forms. This is made even more serious by the high standards of beauty and sex that are demanded by modern society.

There are a number of different causes for impotence and these are both physical and psychological in nature. There are inherited factors as well as genetic disorders that can cause impotence, and these can sometimes be worsened by the medication that is prescribed for them. There are also other causes such as long-term use of nicotine.

Cause and History of the Peyronie's Disease

Francois Gigot de la Peyronie

One thing is for certain, and that is that Peyronie’s disease is a very old condition, that dates back hundreds of years, and has perhaps afflicted men since the earliest days of life on the planet. Just like other erectile dysfunctions, shame and a male culture that is associates masculinity with a powerful and effective penis mean that the condition is not normally discussed openly and as well as keeping it from the world at large, many men would also deny to themselves that there is a problem.

Francois Gigot de la Peyronie is the doctor most commonly associated with this condition, and it has been named after him for the work he carried out on penis curvature as one of the founders of the Royal Academy for Surgery in France. Although Peyronie described the disease some 250 years ago, it had been known about for much longer, Cesare Aranzi of Italy mentions the condition in his writings of 1587.

What do You Know About Your Penis Anatomy?

Despite its simple appearance, the penis is one of the most complex parts of the human body. Most people believe that because they understand the two main functions of the penis, they know everything about its structure too. The fact is, however, that there are actually plenty of things that very few people know about the penis – with this in mind, we are providing a comprehensive general guide to the penis.

In essence, there are two parts making up the human penis: The shaft and the glans, which is also known as the head.

The shaft is not a muscle, it is actually made up of three columns of tissue that form its shape. The two that make up the top of the penis are called the corpora cavernosa, and the one underneath them is known as the corpus spongiosis. During an erection, the blood vessels supplying the penis dilate and allow more blood to reach the penis. The three corpora are filled up with blood, and stiffer tissues that surround the corpus cavernosal constrict the veins that would normally allow blood to drain from the penis. This combination of actions and procedures cause the penis to become stiff. Unlike many other mammals that have a bone in the penis to support the erection, in humans, it is just these three areas of tissue and the pressure of the blood within them that keep the penis stiff.

Using a Penis Pump for Peyronie's Disease

Penis Pumps

Peyronie’s disease leads to pain and in a few males with a most unfortunate case of the bent male organ, a lot of discomforts, that’s why; there is a true amount of treatments to seize the consequences of this condition. The objectives of the remedies are to relieve discomfort and arrest the progression of the condition, strengthen the male organ (if the deformity will be drastic and the curvature will be unpleasant), and the remedy of impotence problems.

Penis pumps are one of the numerous options available on the market to attempt to improve this situation and to use it as part of another therapy plan. Vacuum pressure erection/constriction device (male organ pump) is primarily utilized by men to greatly help them accomplish an erection, that's, men with erectile dysfunction. These devices contain a cylinder with a manual or motorized pump is positioned over the male organ to produce a suction motion. The reason is to develop a vacuum around the male organ to enhance blood circulation. When used for the proper condition successfully, the total result is really a larger, engorged penis.

Symptoms of Peyronie’s Disease

Penile pain during erection because of Peyronie's Disease

Peyronie’s Disease is a rare form of penile condition, which causes progressive penile deformity and leads to erectile dysfunction. This is due to the growth and accumulation of fibrous plaques in the tunica albuginea surrounding the corpora cavernosa following a trauma or an injury inside the soft tissues of the penis which caused an internal localized bleeding. Overtime, these fibrous plaques can either prevent someone from achieving erection or can cause painful erection. It is therefore best to diagnose the presence of the disease and seek treatment as early as possible.

Here are the symptoms of Peyronie’s Disease:

• Hard area in the penis. The primary symptom of Peyronie’s Disease is the formation of scar tissues referred herein as fibrous plaques. This could be felt as a hard area under the skin. Normally, this hard area is found at the upper side but could also occur at the bottom or side.

• Curved or deformed penis. During erection, this hardened area of the penis (or the location of the fibrous plaques) shortens, thereby causing the penis to bend. The direction at which the penis is bent is determined by the location of the hardened area. If it is at the upper part of the penis, the penis bends upward. If it is at the bottom or at the side, it bends towards the bottom or towards the particular side at which the plaque is located, consequently. The presence of more than one hardened area causes complex curvature of the penis. 

• Penile pain. Pain in the penis occurs during inflammation. However, it can also occur during penetration as the fibrous plaque and the curvature of the penis makes penile penetration difficult. 

• Erectile dysfunction. The disease could either cause flaccidity of the tip of the penis (or the end), or it could make achieving erection difficult. It is estimated that 41-55% of patients with the disease experience erectile dysfunction. 

Although the above indicated symptoms could, by themselves, determine the presence of the disease, there are also other tests, which could further verify their presence. The best way is to consult your doctor as soon as possible in order to decide for the best possible course of treatment before everything turns awry.

The Limiting Erectile Dysfunction Cause by Peyronie’s Disease

Erectile Dysfunction

The exact cause of Peyronie’s disease, which is prevalent among males between 40 and 60 years old, still eludes experts. Although at the initial stages, the disease manifests as a curvature of the penis due to the presence of a hard area (fibrous plaques), the disease could progress from painful erection to having soft penis or the difficulty to achieve erection (erectile dysfunction). 

Although a person with erectile dysfunction could still achieve erection, due to the growth of the fibrous plaques, there are areas, like the end of the penis, which remain soft. This makes coitus difficult because there is no fullness of the penis at all. ED is often referred to as impotence. 

Unlike any other forms of ED, that which is caused by Peyronie’s disease cannot often be solved by medications such as sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil because achieving an erection is prevented by a permanent defect in the tissues inside the penis. 

The best way to treat this kind of ED is to treat Peyronie’s disease itself. Treatments include medication, therapy and surgery.

The Crooked Illness That Is Peyronie’s Disease

Normal penis vs Peyronies disease

Peyronie’s Disease (also known as induration penis plastica or chronic inflammation of the tunica albuginea) is a disorder that causes the penis to curve or be deformed. The deformation of the penile shaft is caused by the growth and accumulation of fibrous plaques in the tissues that surround the corpora cavernosa (the pair of sponge-like regions inside that penis that is filled with blood and is responsible for erection) called tunica albuginea. 

The exact cause of the formation or growth of these fibrous plaques is still unclear; however, experts suspect that it is caused by injury or trauma inside the penis which causes localized bleeding. Another cause of Peyronie’s Disease would be genetic or a combination of both. 

Peyronie’s Disease, which is estimated to affect 5% of the male population, causes a progressive penile deformity. Overtime, this may cause soft penis due to the inability of the venous cavities to be engorged with blood, which leads to an increasing degree of erectile dysfunction. 

Although the disease is common among ages between 40 and 60 years old, there has been reports of cases with males as young as 18 and as old as 80. Existing treatments involve medications, physical therapy and surgery. These treatments, however, does not guarantee full recovery from the disease.

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Tissue Grafts - Treatments of Peyronie’s Disease

Peyronie's disease surgery has more than one answer if the patient is unwilling to accept the loss of penis length that always accompanies the Nesbit.

The procedure entails a total physical removal of the lump of plaque that has developed on the penis and straightening the penis in order to bring it back to the original shape. Doctors and medical examiners tend to advise patients to go accept this approach in cases featuring large plaques or severely bent penises. The surgeon removes the affected part of the Tunica Albuginea and replaces the plaque with a graft material of some type. 

There are several types of grafts that can be used to make up for lost tissue. The first type is autograft tissue, which is tissue taken from the patient’s own body during surgery. This is done mostly to minimize the immunologic response to the graft and to make sure that the body does not reject it.

Surgeons can also use so called synthetic inert substances, such as Dacron mesh or GORE-TEX instead of living tissue. Unfortunately, these artificial compounds tend to cause more scarring and also fibrosis, which is the formation of excessive connective tissue on the penis. In some cases, the doctors resort to xenografts, which are foreign tissues, of human or animal origin. They are widely available in hospitals, but are also prone to rejection by the body’s immune system.

Another problem plaguing grafts is the fact that, sooner or later, grafts undergo postoperative contraction, causing a shortening of the penis and scarring. Therefore, patients should weigh the pros and cons of grafts thoroughly before applying for surgery.

The last resort of many patients who suffer from severe forms of Peyronie’s disease is a penis implant. Years ago, implants were the first choice of many doctors faced with cases of men who could not achieve a proper erection because of Peyronie’s disease, but the advent of new techniques designed to cure erectile dysfunction has made their use less frequent. However, implants are still recommended to men whom erectile dysfunction drugs cannot help.

Penile implants are plastic cylinders, either solid or inflatable, which are placed inside the Corpora Cavernosa. These cylinders are biocompatible in order to avoid triggering a response of the immune system. The surgeon can either place the implants inside the penis and let them do the work of straightening the organ, or they can try to bend the penis against the plaque in order to increase the implant’s chance of successfully correcting the curvature.

Patients must be aware that surgery is an invasive procedure that is better put off until other approaches have been found ineffective. Premature or inadequate surgery has a high rate of failure or recurrence of the disease. While, it is true that patients who have undergone successful surgery are usually satisfied with the results, it only takes a simple mistake to botch an operation and with surgery there is no going back at all. Try other methods first!

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When To Decide A Surgery Therapy For Peyronie's Disease

Don’t Hurry For Surgery! 

Curvature of penile shaft development may lead one to decide for a surgical procedure. But it’s too early to go for surgery, because surgery is the last option and there are plenty of options available to avail. Do you feel that you will not be able to have normal sex ever? There are two reasons to wait and see the change or reduction in the curvature. First is that the curvature of penile shaft has taken some time to develop curve shape. So wait to get it resolved or reduce with time. Secondly, going through standard protocol is more adequate to get sex life back as before, with reduction in pain during sex, and more straighter penis.

The Standard Treatment Protocols for Peyronie’s Disease 

When you have noticed that your sex life is getting miserably painful and relationship with your partner is somewhat stressed out. It’s the time when you should look for some medical advice. Your doctor will examine and check for the degree of curvature and your complaints. At that stage the advice you will receive may be one or combination of following treatments.

1) Peyronie’s Disease Waiting Period. For spontaneous resolution of plaque which may occur during the period lasting from six months to a year. So it’s the safe period and one should expect for good.

2) Peyronie’s Disease Medical Treatment. During waiting period certain agents may be prescribed. This again depends upon the severity of curvature and complaints. Included are Vitamin E, colchicine, potaba, (PABA), verapamil /collagenase injection intralesionally. The period of treatment again will be from 6 to 12 months.

When Surgery is advised for Peyronie’s Disease? 

When after the stipulated period of medical treatment, your doctor observes no improvement but worsening of your Peyronie’s disease, he may advise a surgical correction procedure as an option. The criteria he would be keeping in mind for your Peyronie’s disease surgery are as follow;

• If the curvature is greater than 60 degrees? 
• Latency period of six months to a year elapsed between disclosure of curvature and surgery. This is to let situation stabilize with some medication given prior. 
• Erectile dysfunction, inability to sustain erection of penis due to curvature and associated severe pain.
• Bottle neck deformity. 
• Hour glass deformity.

What causes Peyronie's disease?

Peyronie's disease (often just called "peyronies") is a male health problem causing the penis to curve or bend, often resulting in erectile dysfunction and impotence. If a curved penis and erection problems brought you to the Internet looking for help, you are probably stressed and discouraged. You want help with the bent penis, the pain, and you want your sex life back. You want honest answers and useful information and you'll find them this blog.

The majority of authorities are of the agreement that Peyronie's disease generally occurs after a trauma or injuries which causes bleeding inside of your penis.  However, when this trauma may clarify acute cases of Peyronie's disease, it will not explain how many cases develop slowly and significantly (repeated cases), or exactly what reasons the disease after no obvious traumatic occurrence or accident.