Men's health - Penis Curvature: Who is at Risk and What Helps
Statistically, one in ten men over the age of 50 experience this issue in their lives – and most of them suffer in silence. An acquired Penis curvature (medically: Induratio Penis Plastica) is not something men are eager to talk about.
"Many affected individuals go to the doctor only when they have pain, can no longer penetrate, or are psychologically suffering because their penis has bent or shortened and no longer functions properly," says urologist and andrologist Dr. Franklin Kuehhas from Vienna.
The cause of an acquired Penis curvature is a scarring of the fascia sheaths around the two corpora cavernosa. Through these so-called plaques, the penis cannot evenly stiffen during an erection, becoming more or less curved.
Men's Health: When the Erection Doesn't Work Properly, the Penis Can Bend
Triggers for the formation of this scar tissue are microtraumas, or small injuries to the fascia. This usually happens when the penis bends or is forced against the pubic bone of the partner or the partner's pubic bone. It can also occur during masturbation, for example, when the penis is twisted, bent, or mechanically stressed in some way.
"Most affected individuals cannot remember a specific incident of this kind," says Kuehhas. It's more a matter of the accumulation of many small incidents. "The change often occurs gradually."
The risk increases with age. "The erection is not as good then, and the risk of the penis bending is greater," says the urologist. The best prevention is therefore a good erection maintenance. "I recommend patients who notice that their erection is not as good as it used to be to take potency medication. Men should not neglect their sexuality under any circumstances."
It Often Helps Only Surgery
If an acute curvature has already occurred, it is advisable to wait until it becomes chronic. Then, the scar tissue can be removed in surgery. "This should always be performed by a specialist," advises Kuehhas. The surgery is not only surgically challenging but can also be psychologically taxing, especially when the penis must be shortened.
To avoid this, Kuehhas recommends a length-preserving operation. In this procedure, missing body tissue is replaced with artificial material, such as from a cow's heart sac. Conservative methods with penis extenders, vacuum pumps, or vitamin preparations would not bring the desired success, regrets the urologist.
Autopsy studies in dead men show that approximately 20% of men have plaques in the penis fascia. However, not every one of these men had developed a Penis curvature during their lifetime. "A genetic predisposition for fascia weakness increases the risk," says Kuehhas.
Not only the affected men avoid the topic, but his colleagues rarely address it, says Kuehhas. The condition is an orphan of urology.
- Erectile dysfunction and swelling in the body are often associated with men's health issues, and erection problems can be a result.
- Men suffering from erection problems may develop an erection problem called Erectile Dysfunction, which can lead to a swelling body and a bent or curved penis due to scarring of the fascia sheaths.
- Men experiencing erection issues should not neglect their sexual health, and if the problem becomes chronic, surgery might be necessary to remove scar tissue, preventing the need for a length-shortening operation.
