Can Peyronie’s Disease Lead to Erectile Dysfunction?

Peyronie’s disease has one main characteristic: the formation of a bend in your penis. This deformation can occur upwards (dorsal), downwards (ventral), (lateral) left or right. Some men may also notice a shortening of the penis. The culprit? Thick, non-stretchable scars, called plaques, that form in your penis and cause it to deflect. The origin of the disease is unknown. However, repetitive microvascular injury or trauma to the penis which may occur for example during sexual intercourse, is the most widely accepted hypothesis for its cause.

Can Peyronie’s Disease Lead to Erectile Dysfunction?

Studies show that up to 50%¹ of cases of Peyronie’s disease could be associated with erectile dysfunction. It is important to define whether it pre or post-dates the onset of Peyronie’s disease. There are several possible causes:

• Psychologically, an illness is always hard to manage. Experiencing pain due to the deformity of your penis and during intercourse can lead to a loss of libido, desire and a sense of isolation. During these moments, it is important not to close in on yourself: talk about how you feel, both to your partner and to a health professional (a sexologist, for example).
• Following inflammation or tissue destruction, you may develop fibrosis. This fibrosis causes a decrease in penile vascularisation, blocking the blood in the penis during erection. Erectile difficulties may then be experienced. Deformity, narrowing or shortening of the penis can also complicate your sexual activity.

Thankfully, there are both surgical and non-surgical means exist to combat Peyronie’s disease and restore a fulfilling sex life.

Non-surgical treatment

The extent of the deformation, narrowing or shortening is unique to each person. It is therefore essential to adjust the treatment to suit your personal criteria and needs. Consult your Urologist for advice on the most appropriate treatment.²

– Oral Treatment
– Topical electric current therapy
– Drug injections into the plaque (Verapamil, clostridium collagenase)
– Extracorporeal shock wave treatment
– Mechanical stretching by vacuum pumps or external penis extenders

Surgical treatment

Your specialist can also advise you on effective surgical treatments, to be carried out only when the condition is stable. If you suffer from Peyronie’s disease combined with erectile dysfunction, your specialist may recommend a penile implant. This will regulate your erectile difficulty as well as straightening your penis. The penile implant is a surgical operation and should not be taken lightly: it is essential that you discuss it at length with your specialist and that you give yourself a significant period of reflection.

However, if no erectile difficulty has been diagnosed, the Nesbit operation is just one  of the many operations that could be effective. The scar tissue narrows one side of your penis and causes a curvature. The operation makes it possible to shorten the long side of the organ (not affected by the disease) in order to balance the length of the cavernous bodies and correct the curvature.

However, it is essential to know that this treatment, even if effective, reduces the size of your penis. It is clear that being diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease is not an end in itself. There are many solutions to recovering a healthy sex life.

If you experience discomfort or pain due to the curvature of your penis, consult your doctor as quickly as possible. Have the courage to ask questions, discuss the solutions at length and, above all, do not give up!

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