Setting it straight: Men sometimes reluctant to discuss treatable Peyronie’s disease with their doctor
The condition, which causes pain and abnormal bending of the penis, can also cause anxiety and feelings of shame
Men’s sexual health isn’t the taboo topic it once was. And as men have become more comfortable talking about sexual dysfunction issues with their doctors, they’re also realizing they can and should comfortably discuss Peyronie’s disease (PD). This affliction of the penis is relatively common. What’s more, many men may not realize it can be successfully treated.
PD results from fibrous scar tissue (also known as plaque) that develops within the penis that can cause abnormal bending, narrowing, or shortening.
The penis can curve upward, downward or to one side. In some cases, especially early on, the disease leads to pain, either while flaccid or during an erection. Not surprisingly, the condition can also contribute to significant anxiety, depression and other psychological distress.
Named after French physician Francois de la Peyronie, the disease may affect up to nine per cent of men of all ages, from teenagers to those in their later years. The cause isn’t known, though a prevailing theory relates to trauma to the penile shaft.
Many men might be under the impression that surgery to straighten the penis is their only option, a procedure that has significant risks and may not resolve the problem. In fact, there are several treatments.
Vancouver’s Dr. Neil Pollock is a leading treatment provider for Peyronie’s disease. With a special interest in men’s sexual health, the founder of Pollock Clinics has developed a comprehensive treatment program for the condition. He pored over scientific research from the last several decades and honed in on therapies that had strong evidence to support their efficacy. While each therapy may have a certain amount of effectiveness on their own in treating the disease, Pollock combines them into a multimodal approach to optimize results.
“All of the protocols we use have clinical studies behind them,” says Pollock. “We’ve looked at all the treatments that have been scientifically shown to help make a difference and put them all together in our Peyronie’s treatment program.
“The treatments are all minimally invasive and have very low complications and few side effects,” he says. “As no cases are alike, every person’s therapy is individualized to deliver what could work best for that person.”
Among the range of treatments used for PD is shockwave therapy. While the method is often successfully employed for erectile dysfunction (ED), Pollock Clinics has specialized low-intensity acoustic shockwave equipment that helps break down the fibrous tissues that can cause curvature of the penis. A 2016 study published in the medical journal Translational Andrology and Urology found that this minimally invasive therapy appears to be safe, is associated with a high level of patient satisfaction and acceptance, and has moderate efficacy in improving penile curvature and pain.
Prescription medication in the form of a topical gel is another treatment option. A study published in International Society for Sexual Medicine in 2006 found that Verapamil topical gel eliminated pain, decreased curvature and improved quality of erections in a small sample size of men with PD.
PRP, which stands for platelet rich plasma, is a completely natural treatment in which injections of a concentration of a patient’s own platelets are used for healing and restoration. Commonly having been used in sports medicine for years, the therapy is intended to rejuvenate penile tissue and support the elimination of fibrous tissues. A 2017 study from Sexual Health Issues found that PRP improved penile deformation.
Curvature related to PD can also be corrected with a special traction therapy device provided through Pollock Clinics, which is far simpler than it might sound. The first instrument of its kind was developed by a urologist for people with PD to help break down plaque and reduce penile bending. More recently, researchers at the Mayo Clinic have created a device that results in statistically significant improvements in penile length and curvature when used for 30 to 90 minutes daily for three months, with no significant side effects.
Men with Peyronie’s disease also benefit from a vacuum erection device, also known as a penis pump, that stretches and straightens the penile tissue while enhancing blood flow into the penis, improving circulation and sensitivity.
Some men may only require one or two therapies used in tandem, while others may require a more intensive multimodal approach. “We can treat more aggressively when we need to,” Pollock says. “It’s not a cookie-cutter treatment. It’s a comprehensive, customized sexual health program to treat Peyronie’s disease.”
The team at Pollock Clinics helps patients with care and support. Everything is handled confidentially and respectfully, with Pollock Clinics aiming to evoke the comfort of a spa with the safety, expertise, and clinical rigour of a specialized medical environment.