Bent Penis Problems: A New Treatment for Peyronie’s Disease Shows Promise

Some men find they have a slight lilt or curve to their penis, and it’s completely natural. However, for some men, that bend is more extreme and can be problematic on several levels. It’s actually more common than one might think.

Bent Penis Problems: What Is Peyronie’s Disease?

Peyronie’s disease is a condition in which the penis has a significant, usually 30 percent or greater, bend or curvature. It’s reported that 25 percent of all men are diagnosed with it. While the exact cause of the disease is unknown, researchers and urologists believe that Peyronie’s develops over time as a result of injuries, minor and major, to the penis. Those injuries, often alarmingly called traumas, can cause bleeding, which then leads to the formation of scar tissue; however, this is not always the case.

In most cases, this curvature usually starts slowly and persists as the years pass. As the bend gets more substantial, a man can experience mild to severe pain when urinating, when getting an erection, and when having sex. Some men experience pain just wearing pants. Thankfully, science has provided several options for treatment.

Bent Penis Problems: The Latest Treatment: Xiaflex

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one medication, Xiaflex, to treat Peyronie’s disease. Xiaflex is recommended only for men whose penises have bends of 30 percent or more.

This treatment is administered as a series of injections into the penis, which break down the collagen (scar tissue) that caused the bend. The treatment does not stop with injections alone. Men using Xiaflex will need to complete a six-week physical therapy regimen that works in combination with the injections.

A man will need to stretch the penis while not erect three times per day for 30 seconds each stretch. He also will need to manually straighten the penis for 30 seconds each day when an erection unrelated to sexual activity appears.

Thus far, this treatment has shown the best results for men with Peyronie’s disease.

Bent Penis Problems: A Glance at Other Treatment Options

Some men prefer a different approach to treating Peyronie’s or haven’t received the results they’d like from Xiaflex. For these men, there are other options such as:

1) Surgery – Now, it’s important to note that surgery is only a remedy to a man’s bent penis problem if he has been diagnosed with severe Peyronie’s disease for a year or more. Surgery options range from penile implants to shortening the side opposite the bend or lengthening the side of the bend. Results from these options range, but men should be aware that lengthening surgeries can run a higher risk of erectile dysfunction.

2) Non-surgical Options – If a man is not at all enthusiastic about putting his penis under the knife, he has a few other modalities he can try. A procedure proving popular is something called Iontophoresis. This is where weak electrical current is used to transport special medication through the skin. Men may also want to look into wave therapy, which breaks up scar tissue that is causing Peyronie’s. He can also consider penile traction therapy or suction devices to lengthen the penis.

3) Natural Remedies – Although there aren’t many effective natural remedies that can aid in bent penis problems, there was a promising study from 2001 that showed that L-carnitine is an all-natural and effective option for more minor types of Peyronie’s disease. It even performed better than a popular medication for Peyronie’s, tamoxifen.

L-carnitine can be found in caplet form and in a specially formulated penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which has been clinically proven safe and mild for skin). Nutrient crems like this deliver key amino acids and vitamins directly to the affected area. It is also essential for a man’s penis health and it aids with issues such as nerve damage, cellular activity, and overall penis health and flexibility, which are critical for men who have Peyronie’s disease.

As research persists into finding out what causes Peyronie’s disease and how to treat it, men who are diagnosed with the disorder should stay current on the topic so they cannot only be healthy but also have a fulfilling sexual life.