Peyronie’s Disease: Invasive And Non-invasive Treatments
If you’ve been recently diagnosed with Peyronie’s Disease and are looking into treatment options, several things are important to keep in mind. First, if you’re experiencing any pain, the pain will fade on its own. It should come as a relief that you won’t have to rely on pain killers or deal with any pain in the long-term. Second, remember that most men who have been diagnosed with Peyronie’s are able to have perfectly normal sex lives, practicing intercourse like any other man. However, in severe cases, it is true that sexual intercourse can be made difficult due to the curvature of the penis– in this sort of case, you may decide to seek treatment.
There is no accepted general cure for Peyronie’s Disease. Though discovered and defined by French doctor Francois de la Peyronie in 1743, we still do not fully understand this disease or its causes. However, the effects of Peyronie’s Disease are easily diagnosed and definable.
Peyronie’s Disease affects the tough tissue, called the Tunica Albuginea, which surrounds the softer Corpora Cavernosa tissue of the penis. Men who suffer from Peyronie’s will develop scar tissue (otherwise referred to as plaque) in the Tunica Albuginea, which prevents the erect penis from expanding normally, causing the organ to display a curve or bend when erect. As stated, most men function perfectly normally in spite of any penile curvature, but as the angle of the curvature becomes more pronounced, even nearing 90 degrees, intercourse can become much more complicated.
The good news is, there are a variety of treatment options available to correct the problems caused by Peyronie’s. These options range from non-invasive, non-surgical methods, to vitamins, to complete surgery. If you’re interested in learning more about your Peyronie’s treatment options, read on.
Non-Invasive Peyronie’s Treatment
For the patient looking for a gentler, non-invasive cure for Peyronie’s, there are a variety of highly popular options. One promising type of treatment focuses on the use of Collagenase injections, which help to break down the plaque and remove it from the penis. Another injection-method treatment is Verapamil, which is used to prevent any new plaque from building up in the Tunica Albuginea.
Vitamin E is also a popular treatment method, and has been used to treat Peyronie’s since the 1940’s. The skin-healing properties of Vitamin E have long been known, and these properties help some Peyronie’s sufferers to improve their condition. Vitamin E acts by helping the skin to heal, as well as reducing the amount of plaque in the tissue.
Another popular non-invasive method is the use of Potassium aminobenzoate, otherwise known as Potaba. Lately, studies have shown Potaba to have some effect on the symptoms of Peyronie’s– however, it is important to note that the full effect of Potaba remains unknown.
Lastly, we get to the only non-invasive option that doesn’t use injections or vitamins, and can be done in the privacy of your own home: Penis Stretchers. Despite the controversy surrounding these types of “alternative cures,” clinical studies have proven that traction devices straighten the penis with regular use. This is achieved by forcing the tissue of the penis to expand. Because the retraction of penile tissue causes a more pronounced curvature, forcing the tissue to expand can reverse this process.
Another bonus to employing a penis extender as part of your Peyronie’s cure is a potential increase in the size of the penis. As Peyronie’s tends to shorten the size of the flaccid penis, this can sometimes be a much-desired side effect.
Surgical Treatment Options
Though non-invasive cures such as traction devices, etc. have in recent years been proven effective in treating Peyronie’s, surgery is still one of the options most widely recommended by doctors. There are several types of surgeries employed to correct Peyronie’s disease.
One widely used method is the surgical implantation of plastic tubes or cylinders in the soft tissue (Corpora Cavernosa) of the penis. With the penile implant method, the surgeon will either implant the cylinder and allow it to straighten the penis on its own, or he will first straighten the penis against the bend caused by the plaque before implanting the cylinder.
Another popular surgical option is the use of tissue grafts. This procedure is widely recommended by doctors to those patients with a highly pronounced curvature, or a large amount of plaque tissue in the penis. Tissue grafting surgery implies the complete removal of all plaque built up in the penis. The penis is then straightened.
Of all the surgical options available, the most widely used is the Nesbit Procedure. A surgeon performing the Nesbit Procedure will first fill the penis with a sterile solution of physiologic salt in order to create an artificial erection. The surgeon will then gather and clamp the tissue at the outer side of the penile curve, forcing the tissue to straighten the penis.