3 Subtle Signs of Prostate Cancer
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Life After Peyronie's Disease
If you’ve been diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease, you’re not alone. About 10% of men ages 40-70 have this painful condition, which develops when scar tissue, or plaque, builds up inside the penis, causing it to bend or curve when erect.
Researchers are still working to identify why some men develop this painful condition. While a specific cause hasn’t been identified, they’ve found some factors can increase your risk of getting Peyronie's disease, including:
- Age (being over 40)
- Personal history of penile trauma
- Family history/genetics
- Personal history of connective tissue disorders
- Personal history of prostate cancer
- Personal history of an autoimmune disorder
- Certain environmental factors
The condition can make it difficult to get and maintain an erection and can make sex a challenge. Seek treatment if you have or suspect you have Peyronie’s disease.
There’s no cure, but our board-certified providers at Urology Associates Medical Group in Burbank, California, create personalized treatment plans to address your symptoms and help you enjoy sex again.
If you’re concerned about life after being diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease, keep reading to learn what you need to know.
Peyronie’s disease does not affect fertility
Are you worried your Peyronie’s disease will prevent you from starting a family? We have good news. Peyronie's disease can make it more challenging to have sexual intercourse, but it does not affect the quality of your sperm.
In this way, Peyronie's disease does not cause infertility or reduce your chances of having a baby. Peyronie's disease also doesn’t affect your ability to ejaculate.
And different treatments exist that have few side effects and low downtime, so you don’t have to put off starting your family.
Peyronie’s can affect your mental health
The most common symptom of Peyronie’s disease is scar tissue you can feel through the skin of the penis. It can form in any location, including winding around the shaft or along the top side.
This plaque is hard and inflexible, often causing the penis to curve dramatically when erect. It can also make the penis get shorter on one side along with other symptoms, including:
- Painful erections
- Pain in the penis
- Difficulty with penetration
- Trouble getting fully erect
- Indentation or other changes in shape
As a result, many men struggle with feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and frustration after being diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease. In fact, recent research shows about 80% of men report psycho-emotional distress related to their Peyronie's disease.
The good news is that with help, you can better manage the emotional side of Peyronie's disease. Options include talking to your provider about medication for depression, scheduling an appointment with a certified sex therapist, or going to couples counseling with your partner.
You can have a fulfilling sex life with Peyronie’s
It’s natural to worry about your sex life when you’re diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease. But our team at Urological Associates Medical Group wants to assure you that most men with Peyronie's disease enjoy a fulfilling sex life.
Some men with Peyronie's disease have no or only minor issues with sex, which can be addressed by changing position or making other small adjustments. For other men, though, the scar tissue can make sex painful or make penetration impossible.
If your Peyronie's disease makes sex more challenging, know that a number of effective treatments exist to address the symptoms of Peyronie's disease and restore your sex life, including:
- Medications to help manage the pain
- Oral or injectable medicines to break up or prevent scar tissue
- Dietary and lifestyle changes
- Prescriptive stretches to break up scar tissue
In cases of severe Peyronie's disease, we may suggest surgical interventions, such as inserting a prosthetic or surgically shortening or elongating one side of your penis to remove the curve.
If you have or suspect you have Peyronie’s disease, the earlier you seek treatment, the better. Get started today by scheduling a consultation at Urological Associates Medical Group in Burbank, California.
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