Erectile dysfunction is only one symptom of Peyronie’s disease (PD). Men dealing with this condition can experience reduced intimacy, lower quality of life, and even pain during sex.
Fortunately, Dr. J. Francois Eid is highly trained in Peyronie’s disease and offers many surgical and nonsurgical options to treat it. At Advanced Urological Care, Dr. Eid performs an initial interview focusing on presenting symptoms and possible causes of PD such as genetics, after prostate cancer treatment or penile trauma either through sexual activity or instrumentation.
What is Peyronie’s disease?
Peyronie’s disease occurs when scar tissue (plaque) builds up inside the penis, causing curvature. As well as a bend or indentation in the penis, this condition can also cause painful erections, difficulty with intercourse or result in erectile dysfunction (ED). Peyronie’s can also cause you to experience shortening of the erection.
Experts aren’t certain what causes PD, but some evidence suggests the scar tissue results from inflammation. Certain conditions are associated with PD including diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis of the arteries, prostate cancer treatment and Depuytren’s contracture, a familial inherited condition, and trauma during intercourse. The plaque may not cause problems right away but eventually can become problematic.
Treatment of Peyronie’s disease
If you suffer from Peyronie’s disease, there are different treatment methods to choose from.
Oral medications
One way to treat this problem is through oral medication, such as:
- Potaba
- Vitamin E
- Tamoxifen
- Colchicine
- Carnitine
- Pentoxifylline
- Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors
The drugs’ primary purpose is to inhibit the inflammation, although clinical trials found no evidence to suggest these drugs were any more effective than a placebo.
Non-surgical treatment options
Besides oral medications, there are other non-surgical treatment options such as:
- Electromotive drug administration
- Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
- Topical drug application
- Radiation therapy
- Vacuum therapy
- Penile traction
- Injection of plaque
- Verapamil
- Nicardipine
- Interferon
- Clostridial collagenase
Clostridial collagenase or Xiaflex injections of the plaque is the only FDA approved treatment for PD. You can combine many of these therapies together. Dr. Eid will discuss your options with you.
Surgical treatment options
Whether you choose a surgical or non-surgical treatment likely depends, among other things, on the stage of the disease. If PD is already well advanced, only surgical intervention may help. As this is associated with certain risks, you should only consider surgery if there is no other option. Surgical treatment options include:
- Tunical lengthening
- Tunical shortening
A penile implant is an effective solution and a procedure that Dr. Eid has performed well over 7,000 times. The main advantage of a penile implant is that it corrects some of the curvature or deformity without shortening the length of the penis.
Symptoms of Peyronie’s disease
The sooner you recognize PD, the better the chances of getting effective treatment. That’s why it’s so important that you know how to recognize the symptoms. Since PD causes a curvature of the penis, this is, of course, the first indication. But there are a few more symptoms.
You can recognize the disease by feeling nodular hardened fibrous masses typical of a PD. These lumps made from the scar tissue are usually elongated and located on the top of the penis shaft. In rare cases, however, they can also be on the underside. If there are any nodules, it’s advisable to see Dr. Eid immediately.
It’s not uncommon for PD to cause pain. This is especially the case with masturbation and sex. If you’re experiencing pain, a curved penis, and you can feel fibrous lumps, you may have PD.
Call Dr. Eid today at 212-535-6690, or schedule a virtual visit to talk more about Peyronie’s disease.