The clinical picture of Peyronie’s disease
The main symptom in Peyronie’s disease is the curved penis during the erection. The site of the scar tissue determines the direction of the curvature. If the scar is in the upper (dorsal) surface of the penis, the curve will be downwards. If it is in the lower (ventral) surface, the curve will be upwards. The patient can feel the scar tissue under the skin of the penis as a hard band.
Pain is also a common symptom in Peyronie’s disease. Pain may occur either with erection or in a relaxed state. The pain often resolves over time (usually one or two years).
Many patients with Peyronie’s disease reported erectile dysfunction, which means difficulty in initiating or maintaining the erection. Erectile dysfunction occurs because, in Peyronie’s disease, the penile veins can’t close normally, and this leads to some blood outflow during the erection.
Short penis: Some patients notice reduced penile length with Peyronie’s disease.
All the previous factors (curved penis, penile pain, erectile dysfunction, and short penis) affect the sexual life of the patient. It makes sexual intercourse difficult and sometimes painful. Problems in sexual life have psychological consequences, either for the patient or his sexual partner. These psychological consequences include anxiety and stress because he doubts his sexual abilities and due to the fear of not having a child.
The course of Peyronie’s disease consists of two phases, acute and chronic phases, as follow:
- Acute phase: It takes from 6 to 18 months. During this phase, the scar tissue grows, and the penis curve increases more and more. Also, the pain occurs during this phase due to the scar growth and the associated inflammation.
- Chronic phase: This phase is the stabilization phase. During this phase, the scar tissue growth stops, and the penis curve becomes stable. The pain disappears in this phase.
If you noticed these symptoms, don’t wait and see your doctor. Penile deformity doesn’t resolve spontaneously in most cases, but early diagnosis and treatment provide a better chance to improve the penile condition and prevent worsening.
