Peyronies Disease Treatment

There are over 10,000 medical conditions affecting the human race, so it is no wonder that your local doctor doesn’t have an in-depth knowledge of all of them. In fact, there are over 200 different cancers. There are many conditions that simply do not get any coverage in the media. But one condition that is gaining more coverage than before is a men’s only condition called Peyronie’s Disease. When we hear the sound Peyronie’s we all tend to think of the famous Italian beer: Peroni. But in actual fact Peyronie’s Disease couldn’t be further away from the light hearted pleasure of sipping a cool beer on a warm summers day. It is a highly embarrassing condition affecting the male genitalia, which causes intense problems having sex, which for some men and their partners becomes impossible to achieve.

First identified back in the 1500’s and outlined in the works of the famous anatomist, Gabriel Fallopius and by strange coincidence another Italian, he was renowned for his pioneering work in reproductive organs. He was followed by a 16th century Dutch Physician, named Andreas Vesalius, who wrote one of the most authoritative works of human anatomy De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem (On the Fabric of the Human Body).

It wasn’t until the 1743, when a surgeon who worked for King Louis XV of France shared his findings of the disease to the wider medical community. After this the condition became known as Peyronie’s Disease, which is an unfortunate name as it is not a disease at all, it is not contagious and cannot be spread, it is a medical condition. The condition is caused by a fibrous plaque developing in the penis. This plaque is benign (non-cancerous). It can significantly restrict blood flow on the affected side of the penis, causing it to bend when erect.

The most common illustration of Peyronie’s Disease is of a man with an upward curve. But this is by no means the only way that Peyronie’s Disease can manifest itself. The Peyronie’s deformity can be upwards, downwards, to the left, to the right or even a double curve. The curve can start at the base, at the middle or even just below the glands of the penis. More unusual shapes include the appearance of an hourglass, a severe indentation or a corkscrew. Peyronie’s Disease can be mild and have no impact on a man’s ability to have sex or it can be extreme and in some cases a bend of 180 degrees occurs.

The curvature or bend is not the only symptom: Men can experience a sharp pain in the early stages of the condition, erectile dysfunction can set in and most suffer from a shrinkage of the penis and a loss of sensitivity. It is distressing for many men and a high proportion of those affected suffer from depression. Unlike most medical conditions, men feel they cannot discuss this condition with friends or family.

Treatments vary according to where you are in the world and the accepted medical practice in that particular country. The most established medical procedures are invasive surgery, with the three most popular forms being Nesbitt Technique, Penile Implants and surgical grafting. With Nesbitt Technique, the procedure shortens the longer side of the penis, so when erect, it is the same size as the shorter side with the Peyronie’s plaque. It is the most common procedure but can lead to significant shortening and loss of sensitivity. Some men report a penis shortening of up to 5cm. So, unless a man is well endowed, this is a significant change to their manhood. The Nesbitt procedure is normally only undertaken at least eighteen months to two years after Peyronie’s Disease is first identified. This is considered sufficient time for the Peyronie’s plaque to mature and it is thought that at this stage there will be no more changes. Whereas this is the case in most patients, there is no guarantee that Peyronie’s Disease will not reoccur.

The second surgical procedure is penile implants. A penile prosthesis is surgically implanted within the penis. It consists of two hollow tubes running up the insides of the penis, a pump fitted next to the testicles and a reservoir fitted behind the man’s abdomen. Once fitted a man is able to manually pump liquid from the reservoir up the tubes in the penis, creating a manual erection. Whilst penile implants straightens the penis and a man is able to have sex, he will lose the ability to have a natural erection, lose sensitivity and lose penile length. The final operation is surgical grafting, this is only normally offered to men with very strong erections as it has an extremely high risk of causing erectile dysfunction. With this procedure the fibrous plaque is cut out from the penis and skin grafted onto the affected side.

But in many parts of the world, new less invasive treatments are emerging, especially in Europe which is emerging as a leading light in this area. There is a general move away from surgery to less invasive, less risky procedures. In fact, the European Association of Urology’s new guidelines for Peyronie’s Disease includes focused shockwave therapy, vacuum pumps and PDE5 inhibitors (Tadalafil, etc).

London is the pioneering centre for Peyronie’s Disease and there are a number of private clinics in the world famous medical areas of Knightsbridge and Harley Street. But not all providers are the same. Some provide the basics as recommended by the European Urology Association and others have invested heavily in ground-breaking techniques. One such clinic is MansMatters, part of Shockwave Clinics Ltd, based in an exclusive shopping and medical street in Knightsbridge, a mere 3 minutes’ walk from the iconic Harrods department store. They treat visitors from all over the world. Their Peyronie’s protocol is the most advanced, non-invasive medical treatment on the market and includes high energy focused shockwave therapy, electromagnetic transduction therapy, NanoVi Exo as well as specialist tests, antifibrotic supplements, medication, lifestyle advice and the use of traction devices and pumps.

If you suffer from Peyronie’s Disease or any of the above symptoms, our advice is that you should do something about it and seek medical help. It is extremely rare that Peyronie’s Disease resolves itself and it is much better to seek help at an early stage, rather than suffer a lifetime in silence.