It has been estimated that up to 3% of men suffer from some degree of penile curvature, although it is also assumed the curvature is a severe angle or the man in question is in pain, many men are unlikely to report the curvature. There are two main types of penile curvature; Peyronie’s disease and congenital curvature. At first thought, some may say a bent penis is a bent penis but in actual fact these two conditions have their differences, no matter how subtle some of them may be.
Peyronie’s Disease
Peyronie’s disease is a condition in which plaque forms in the tunica albuginea, the membrane which attaches the corpora carvenos (the chambers along the inside of the penis) and the septa (surrounding tissue).
As the plaque forms it creates a kind of scar tissue. Over the years this plaque can become hard and be clearly felt as lumps along the penis of thicker skin. The pressure from this scar tissue can cause the blood vessels in the area to become inhibited in their performance. As the penis relies on these blood vessels to create and sustain an erection, the area where the damaged blood vessels are will not stretch at the same rate as the other side of the penis. It is this uneven amount of stretching that causes the penis to bend towards either the top or bottom of the penis, whichever side the scar tissue is found.
In cases where Peyronie’s disease occurs without any prior warning, a doctor may ask about any blunt trauma to the penis which may have happened recently. It is thought that there may be a link between the two as a hard knock to the area may cause tissue to become damaged, leading to the plaque being formed. However most men who suffer from Peyronie’s claim that the onset of the disease is gradual. Many actually cope with the disease without any problems for years, but in up to 50% of cases, the disease will have gradually worsened until the point where the man is unable to ignore it anymore.
Congenital Curvature
Congenital curvature is apparent from the moment of birth. Around one third of cases correct themselves within the first few months after being born. Many men will suffer from congenital curvature into and throughout adulthood though.
The main difference between Peyronie’s and congenital curvature, aside from the fact that congenital shows from birth as opposed to Peyronie’s which can develop at any time, is that men with congenital curvature will not possess any scar tissue.
Something else to note is that congenital curvature will usually present itself in a downward curve, whereas Peyronie’s is quite often found to cause the penis to curve upwards, back towards the body of the man.
Similarities
Whilst there are distinct differences, there are also similarities between each condition. Both conditions have the ability to cause pain when erection occurs. The stretching of the skin on one side of the penis can be the source of pain in either case, but Peyronie’s can also cause pain from the pressure of the scar tissue. In addition, both conditions may present curvature in the penis which is so extreme, sexual intercourse is either very difficult or plain impossible. Of course sufferers of either disease can be embarrassed about the curvature in their penis and worry about the visual effect it has on their partners.
Peyronie’s Disease Treatment
As mentioned, men with either Peyronie’s disease or congenital curvature may have mild cases and simply not feel the need to seek treatment of any kind. In fact 12%-15% of men with Peyronie’s find that the symptoms of the disease cease on their own over time as the plaque breaks up on its own. Yet for a lot of men, both conditions will progress and they will have to seek treatment in order to restore normality to their sex lives and relationships.
There are many treatments on the market but really, only two are worth mentioning as they are the only two with any real effectiveness on penile curvature.
Surgery
The decision to undergo surgery for penile curvature should not be taken lightly. There are two main types of surgery for the problem.
The first type of surgery sees a gathering of the skin on the opposite side to the plaque build-up or whichever way the penis is curving towards. This method will shorten the penis somewhat and is not recommended for men with smaller penises as it may lead to a different kind of problem.
The second kind of surgery involves cutting into the scar tissue and skin grafts are used to extend the tissue so that it is the same length as that of the opposite side.
Both methods are, at most only around 70% successful and carry many risks. Many men who undergo surgery have new scar tissue that has further negative impact on penile function and some even gain erectile dysfunction due to nerve damage caused during the operation.
Penis Extenders
By far the safest method, the penis extender will apply controlled pressure on the penis, pulling it into position. As the penis is pulled, tears will form. As the tears heal, the penis will elongate. In the case of penile curvature, the shorter side of the penis will be stretched more than the other side due to the angle. So it will grow quicker than the other side and gradually correct the curve. If you choose the penis extender method, be sure to take a look at the Quick Extender Pro Curvature Corrective Edition.
