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Men are born with different penis sizes and shapes. For a subset of the male population, they may even observe that their penis curves a little. It may curve left, right, upward, or downward.
But is this phenomenon something to worry about? Or is it just a normal part of the male anatomy?
In most cases, having a slight penile curvature is normal. In fact, one study found that 20% of men are born with a curved penis.
A majority of these men go on to live healthy, fulfilling sex lives. However, not everyone with a curve in their penis can say the same thing.
According to the aforementioned study, about one-sixth of men with a penile curvature reported having adverse effects. These men face varying forms of discomfort and pain due to the curve in the penis when they have erections.
If you’ve ever wondered what causes and repercussions of a severe form of penile curvature, keep reading to find out the causes, symptoms, and potential cures.
How Much Curve Is Normal?
A penis can curve anywhere from 5 degrees to 30 degrees and not have any ill effects on the body. You don’t have to worry about your penis curve as long as it doesn’t cause pain or discomfort. While not necessary, surgically incising your penis for a more symmetrical look may also be possible with the help of a physician.
However, if the curve reaches 50 to 60 degrees, it can be a cause of medical concern. This condition is known as Peyronie’s disease.
While this can be treated with surgery, it’s important to know that the condition can cause erectile dysfunction and pain during sex. If you’re concerned about your curve, talk to your doctor to learn about other treatment methods for erectile issues.
What is Peyronie’s Disease?
If the curve of the penis bends significantly and causes a great deal of discomfort, you may have Peyronie’s disease.
Peyronie’s disease is a condition where hard fibrous plaque builds up in the penis, causing it to alter the direction of the erection. This usually happens after a man sustains a traumatic injury to the penis, and the penis fails to heal itself properly.
The injury sustained can be caused by a variety of reasons. In most cases, this includes:
- The autoimmune disease attacking the penis
- Injury during vigorous sex that causes bending
- Traumatic injury during sports and contact activities
- Mishaps like car accidents that injure the penis
How Peyronie’s disease is formed: After a penile injury, fibrous scar tissue forms under the penis. These scar tissues are not as flexible as normal erectile tissue. When a man sustains an erection, these scar tissues don’t expand in the same way as the rest of the penis, causing the penis to curve significantly to the side where the scar formed.
Having an erection with Peyronie’s may also be the cause of great pain, especially in the early phases. However, this pain tends to resolve itself at around the 9 to 12-month mark.
Peyronie’s disease affects 4 out of 100 men worldwide, although more people could be suffering from it in silence due to shame and embarrassment.
Other Causes of Peyronie’s Disease
Injury to the penis isn’t the only catalyst of Peyronie’s disease. Some other causes of a slightly curved penis include:
- Age: Elderly men have more frail penises that are susceptible to bending more easily. This makes them more at risk of sustaining injuries.
- Genetics: Men with a poor genetic makeup can result in problems during the healing process of the penis after injury, resulting in Peyronie’s disease.
- Congenital penile curvature: In rare cases, boys can have “chordee”, where there’s a significant curvature in the penis even without the presence of scar tissue. This is a relatively rare condition, affecting only about 0.6% of the male population.
- Connective tissue disorders: If you or members of your family line have Dupuytren’s disease, plantar fasciitis, or scleroderma, you may be at higher risk of getting Peyronie’s disease.
If you’re at risk of developing a severe penis curvature or have painful erections, contact a erectile health doctor immediately to address your concern.
Stages of Peyronie’s Disease
Peyronie’s disease is treatable, and the sooner you get it treated, the better your outcome will be. If you leave Peyronie’s disease untreated for too long, damage can spread and cause more problems to your sexual function, such as erectile dysfunction.
There are two stages of Peyronie’s disease: acute and chronic.
- Acute phase: Lasting for about 6 to 12 months, the penile scar starts to form during this stage. Intense pain in the erect penis is usually felt here.
- Chronic phase: The pain subsides or becomes milder as the scar stops growing, but you develop erectile dysfunction in the process.
Treatment Options for Peyronie’s Disease
In some cases, Peyronie’s disease can go away on its own. But it’s always ideal to discuss with a doctor about your condition before writing it off.
Here are some of the most commonly prescribed treatment options for men suffering from Peyronie’s disease:
- Surgery: Physicians may prescribe shortening the opposite side of the scarring, lengthening the affected side, or using penile implants to stabilize the curvature.
- Traction therapy: A device is used to stretch the penis to the opposite side of the curvature, helping to restore lost length caused by Peyronie’s disease.
- Acoustic wave therapy: This therapy, also known as RestoreWave therapy, uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate blood flow to the penis, helping to restore erectile function caused by Peyronie’s disease.
Making positive lifestyle changes can also reduce the risk of developing worse symptoms following a Peyronie’s disease diagnosis. This includes:
- Eating a healthier, nutrient-rich diet
- Regularly exercising 2 times a week
- Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs
- Sipping the right amount of water
- Taking supplements like coenzyme Q10.
With proper medical management techniques to reduce the severity of this disease, having pain-free sexual intercourse can be achievable.
Contact a Leading Men’s Wellness Clinic for an Erectile Dysfunction Treatment Plan
A penile curvature of fewer than 30 degrees is not something to worry about. However, if your curve is greater than this, you may have a condition called Peyronie’s disease.
In such cases, talking with an ED specialist is advisable to prevent your condition from worsening.
Contact the team at Priority Men’s Medical Center in Atlanta now to schedule an appointment to have a consultation with an experienced and specially trained medical staff. We are Atlanta’s leading men’s clinic providing ED therapy, PE therapy, Acoustic Wave therapy, hormone therapy, and much more.
