According to the American Urological Association, about 6 out of 100 men experience Peyronie’s Disease. Though the condition can also be found in some younger men in their 30s, the most affected men are those between the ages of 40 and 70.
To professionals in urological medicine and other related specialties, Peyronie’s disease is common knowledge, and there are effective treatments for it. Unfortunately, many men with this disease are too embarrassed and would rather suffer in silence than seek help. Thankfully, there are several affordable and simple treatments for Peyronie’s disease.
The earlier you seek medical help, the better it is for your general wellbeing. This article gives you all you need to know about the disorder and explains how to access shockwave therapy for Peyronie’s disease.
What is Peyronie’s Disease?
Peyronie’s disease is a disorder in which segments of scar tissue known as plaques build up under the penis. The effects of the plaques can lead to a bent or indented penis during erections, and thereby cause unsatisfactory sexual performance or lack of fulfillment.
Mainly, the penis performs two major roles – carrying the urine out of the body and dispensing semen. To perform these crucial roles, there are 3 tubes inside the penis. One of them is called the urethra, and the other two are known as the corpora cavernosa.
To achieve an erection hard enough to push through the vaginal area, the three tubes will need to be wrapped together by a very hard fibrous sheath known as the tunica albuginea. Peyronie’s disease usually affects the flexibility of the tunica albuginea and makes the penis bend in an abnormal way whenever it stiffens. The hardened scar tissue may affect sexual performance in any of the following ways:
- It may weaken the muscles in the penis and thereby cause difficulties in achieving erections
- It may affect blood flow to the penis, which might impair erections
- Sometimes, an erection might be achieved but due to impaired blood flow, the blood might leave the penis too quickly, and result in loss of erection
- 75% of men with Peyronie’s disease are stressed and depressed – a psychological condition which can lead to erectile dysfunction
- Depending on how severe the situation is, Peyronie’s disease could completely prevent some men from having sex
What Are the Symptoms of Peyronie’s Disease?
Peyronie’s disease affects men differently. In some cases, the plaque forms on the dorsal or the bottom side of the penis. In some cases, however, it may form all the way around the penis. Depending on how the plaque forms, the symptoms may be any of the following:
- A significant bend in the penis may be noticed. The bend may be upward, downward, or sideways. Sometimes, the erect penis may have a complex curve or be indented with a narrow band around like a bottleneck.
- You may feel scar tissue under your penis
- It can lead to a shorter penis
- It may cause discomfort or pain during erection and sometimes even without an erection
What Are the Stages of Peyronie’s Disease?
A proper diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease usually reveals its stages in the body. Each step has its associated symptoms and will also determine the type, prescription, and timing of treatment to be given by a medical care provider. The disease can broadly be split into two stages: the acute phase and the chronic phase. Each of these stages could come with various sexual problems, including erectile dysfunction.
Acute Phase
The acute or active phase is the early stage of Peyronie’s disease and is typically associated with pain during erection. 35% to 45% of patients experience pain during this stage, which usually occurs within the first 12 months of having the disease in over 90% of patients.
During this stage, there may be a change in penile curvature just as the plaque form gets worse. An objective self-assessment of the penile curvature can be done through a photograph of a natural erection or by using a vacuum-assisted erection test.
Chronic Phase
The chronic phase is the latter stage of Peyronie’s disease. At this stage, the plaque has stopped growing, bending, or curving. It is generally believed that stability of the curvature for at least 3 months should be regarded as the chronic stage. In most patients, the pain experienced during erection will also have stopped by this time.
How is Peyronie’s Disease Diagnosed?
Having the above symptoms might not be sufficient evidence of Peyronie’s disease, so your healthcare provider will need to carry out a physical exam to be certain. There are different recommended diagnosis methods for Peyronie’s disease. The hard plaque may reveal whether there’s stiffness of the penis.
A drug may also be injected into the penis to be sure of the level of the penile curvature, and the pictures of the study may be taken. Also, your doctor might use sound waves to obtain a clear picture of the condition. This dynamic ultrasound will also check for calcium and reveal the state of the blood flow.
What are Peyronie’s Disease Treatment Options?
The physical exam result will determine the appropriate treatment options for Peyronie’s. Generally, there are two treatment options for the disease: surgical and non-surgical treatments. The surgical treatments alternatives include penile shortening procedures, penile lengthening procedures, and penile prosthesis. The non-surgical treatments include:
- Oral medication such as vitamin E, potassium para-aminobenzoate (Potaba), tamoxifen, colchicine, acetyl esters of carnitine, Pentoxifylline, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, and coenzyme Q10.
- Intralesional treatment such as clostridial collagenase, steroids, verapamil, and interferon.
- Topical treatments such as topical verapamil, iontophoresis, traction devices, vacuum devices, and Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), which has been found to be one of the most effective and most preferred treatment options for Peyronie’s and other sexual problems.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive and painless solution that has been used for years in treating various conditions such as chronic orthopedic conditions and kidney stones. Shockwave therapy for Peyronie’s diseases and other erectile problems is a non-surgical procedure which makes use of low-intensity impulses to improve blood flow to the penis.
It helps get rid of scar tissue in the penile area and restore natural erectile function. The low-intensity energy triggers “microtrauma” in the penis and helps achieve regeneration of new blood vessels from the older blood vessels. This will allow enough blood needed to have a firm erection for sexual performance.
Clinical Research on How Shockwave Therapy works for Peyronie’s Disease
Over time, the efficacy of shockwave therapy has been established in treating various calcified and non-calcified orthopedic conditions. In recent years, it has been discovered to also be an effective option for erectile problems.
Though it is still in clinical trials, published studies show that this option generates a significant improvement in erectile function after administering it for patients with Peyronie’s disease.
A publication by the US National Library of Medicine documented the histological changes within the Peyronie’s plaque in different electron microscopy studies. The following results were excerpted from Palmerie A et al., one of the studies featured in the publication:
Penile Pain
Penile pain is one of the indications of the active inflammatory phase of Peyronie’s disease. It was reported that men who received shockwave therapy experience an 85% pain reduction in comparison with the 7% reported by another group who received a placebo for the same treatment.
Penile Curvature and Plaque size
The study reported that plaque size was significantly decreased for those who used shockwave therapy. In contrast, the placebo group experienced an increase in plaque. This led to an assumption that shockwave therapy may have a protective effect on Peyronie’s disease progression by stabilizing the deviation and plaque.
Erectile Function
The beneficial effect of shockwave therapy in the improvement of the International Index of Erectile Function – 5 (IIEF) for patients was also reported. It was confirmed that the majority of patients, including those with mild or moderate ED and who those were unable to engage in sexual intercourse before then, reported successful and improved intercourse after undergoing the treatments.
Although more studies are still required to further establish the efficacy of Shockwave Therapy for Peyronie’s disease, the method remains a valid and useful treatment option for the condition and other sexual problems. Already, Shockwave Therapy has earned the recommendation of many medical experts who have administered it.
How Do I Feel After the Treatment?
Typically, shockwave therapy for sexual enhancement requires 6-12 treatment sessions, depending on your situation. Each of these sessions is completed in15 to 20 minutes. It is a safe, simple, and completely painless procedure.
After undergoing the therapy, you will be able to achieve better orgasms, which will lead to enhanced sex life and satisfaction for both you and your partner. As early right after the treatment, you will be able to engage in sexual intercourse.
The biggest advantage of shockwave therapy is that, apart from the mild sensation during the session and an occasional and temporary swelling or redness afterwards, the treatment is painless and has no known lasting side effects.
How ePowerWave Can Help
While problems with erections can be very worrisome, the sooner you seek medical treatment, the better and faster your chances are of regaining your healthy sex life. This is where the team at ePowerWave comes in.
We are a group of dedicated and highly experienced medical experts with a commitment to helping men enhance their sexual experience through the use of the best and latest technologies in the shockwave treatment.
If you have been diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, or you would just like to improve your performance in bed, you can always count on us. You can schedule an appointment with us today simply by filling out this form.
References
https://www.webmd.com/men/peyronies-disease#2
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/peyronies-disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4893523/
https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/how-might-peyronies-disease-cause-erectile-dysfunction/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214388215000430?via%3Dihub
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