Peyronie’s Disease 

Are your erections bent out of shape? You may have Peyronie’s disease, or PD. Men with PD have a penile curvature when their penis is erect. It may curve in any direction – up, down or sideways – or even have an indentation that looks like a bottleneck or hourglass. PD can make it difficult or impossible to have sex. The condition can cause anxiety and stress. You may feel embarrassed and self-conscious, but there is no need for those worries in our office. Our Houston urologists can provide compassionate diagnosis and treatment. 

What causes PD? 

Scar tissue, or plaque, underneath the skin of the penis causes the bending. Penile injuries, genetics and other health issues cause the scar tissue to form. The scar tissue is not malignant, or cancerous.  

 PD occurs in two stages. 

• Acute — During this 6-to-12-month period, scar tissue forms. Your penis may feel painful when erect or flaccid. 
• Chronic — After the acute phase, the scar tissue stops growing. At this point, pain often lessens or ends, and the penile curvature usually doesn’t get worse. You may develop erectile dysfunction during the chronic stage. 

A penile curvature is the primary symptom of Peyronie’s disease 

If you have a bend or curve in your erect penis, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have Peyronie’s disease. A curving erect penis is the primary symptom of PD, but there are other signs you should be aware of. 

• Feeling scar tissue under the skin of the penis 
• A loss of length or girth in your penile shaft 
• Feeling lumps in your penis 
• Pain in the penis 
• Pain during erections 
• Softer erections 
• Difficulty having sex 

 If you are having symptoms and difficulties, it’s time to see our Houston urologists. 

Risk factors 

Typically, PD effects men between the ages of 40 and 70, but it can happen at any age. The disease affects about 1 out of 10 men in the United States. There are a few factors that increase your risk of getting Peyronie’s disease. 

• Being between the ages of 40 and 70 
• Having a brother or father with the disease 
• Having ED related to diabetes makes you four or five times as likely to get PD 
• Having a connective tissue disorder, such as scleroderma, Dupuytren’s contracture or plantar fasciitis 
• Having autoimmune diseases, such as lupus  
• Past surgery for prostate cancer 

Our Houston urologists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of PD 

Our urologists have the knowledge and training to help you with your PD. They begin their diagnosis with a physical examination and medical history. They may recommend an ultrasound. There are several treatment options for PD. 

• Traction therapy with a special device to stretch the penis and help break down scar tissue 
• Oral medications and injections 
• Surgery 

You can rely on our urologists for discretion, care and expert diagnosis and treatment of Peyronie’s disease. Contact us for an appointment to improve your quality of life.