Peyronie's Disease

The plaque in Peyronie’s disease is benign, or noncancerous. The following are the most common symptoms of Peyronie’s disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

Symptoms may include:

• Plaque on the top of the shaft, which is the most common condition, causes the penis to bend upward.
• Plaque on the underside causes the penis to bend downward.
• In cases where the plaque develops on both top and bottom, indentation and shortening of the penis may occur.
• Pain, bending and emotional distress can prohibit sexual intercourse.
• Painful erections may occur.

The symptoms of Peyronie’s disease may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

A diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease is usually made when men seek medical attention for painful erections and difficulty with intercourse. In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for Peyronie’s disease may include the following:

• Ultrasound examination of the penis: A diagnostic technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the internal organs.
• Color Doppler examination: A type of ultrasound that uses sound waves to measure the flow of blood through a blood vessel; waveforms of the blood flow are shown on the ultrasound screen (to evaluate erectile function, anatomy and blood flow).

Specific treatment for Peyronie’s disease will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health and medical history
• Extent of the disease
• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the disease
• Your opinion or preference

In general, the goal of treatment is to keep the patient with Peyronie’s disease sexually active. Providing education about the disease and its course is often included in the treatment plan. In some cases, treatment is not necessary, as Peyronie’s disease often occurs in a mild form that heals without treatment in 6 to 15 months. Treatment may include:

• Prescribing or continuing palliative methods
• Surgery
• Vitamin E: Small studies have reported improvements with oral vitamin E prescribed by a doctor; however, larger controlled studies have not been completed to establish the effectiveness of this treatment.
• Injections of various chemical agents into the plaques. Injections of various chemical agents into the plaques have been utilized in a small number of patients, and, for this reason, this intervention is considered unproven; unwanted side effects may occur.
• Radiation therapy: With this treatment approach, radiation is aimed at the plaque to reduce pain, but does not affect the plaque itself; unwanted side effects or worsening of the disease may occur.