Posts Tagged ‘curved penis’

Curved Penis and Peyronie’s Disease

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Peyronies bent penis is focus of problem

While the primary interest of Peyronie’s disease treatment is the internal scar tissue or fibrous  plaque material that causes the distortion or curved penis to develop, it is not the primary interest of the man who has PD.  For him, the most important aspect of Peyronie’s disease is the curved penis that plagues him.  For this reason Peyronies is also known as the “bent nail disease.”

Peyronie’s disease causes a curved penis when the fibrous tissue of the Peyronie scar or plaque pulls unevenly or causes incomplete filling within the erect penis.  This can vary in degree or severity from man to man.  For this reason the curved penis does not indicate the severity of the Peyronies problem or success of Peyronies disease treatment.  The true success of Peyronies treatment is based on the change that occurs in the Peyronies plaque or scar.  Once the fibrous scar changes, eventual improvement in the curved penis can be expected in time.

The internal tissue of the healthy penis is flexible and expandable.  This normal tissue is able to allow for a normal erection to develop when blood is trapped inside the organ.

In Peyronie’s disease some of the tissue is not healthy or flexible and elastic.  Specifically, the deep tissue known as the tunica albuginea is not elastic because it replaced by dense and inelastic fibrous tissue that is called a scar or plaque.   As an erection develops the elastic tissue of the tunica albuginea must stretch and expand evenly on both sides, left and fright, and top and bottom, of the penis.  If this cannot happen because an area of the penis is no longer flexible and expandable, then a curved penis results.

Peyronie’s disease usually begins with a small nodule or bump that is found on the top or sides of the penis, just immediately below the surface.  A few weeks to several months to a year later, a small fibrous nodule can expand into a larger irregular scar of variable size, shape, density and surface quality.  These scars can be as long as the penis.  Some appear like a collar to go around the shaft.   Some are one large mass, while others appear to be like small isolated islands of fibrous tissue in many areas.   Scars can be so soft or small, with edges so tapered and vague that no scar can be found.  In a case of Peyronie’s disease when no scar or plaque can be found, it is still assumed to exist when a curved penis develops during erection. .

Normally curved penis

Most men have a straight erection, but some are born with a penis that curves or bends (usually upward).   Just as fingers on the hand or a nose can display a natural bend, or arms can be of different length on the same person, the penis can be bent without the presence of Peyronies.  Typically, the normally curved penis follows a more gradual and arched design, more like a banana.  In Peyronie’s disease the curved penis is more localized and abrupt, like an angulated bend.

When the two primary chambers (corpora cavernosa) of the penis are a different diameter or length, the penis will bend when erect.   The penis will appear straight when flaccid, and on erection it will bend.

This slight penile distortion will not be associated with pain, there will be no trauma in the history, and it will not appear suddenly as does the curved penis of Peyronie’s disease.

Curved penis affects sexual intercourse

It is estimated that 75-90% of Peyronie’s disease couples will sooner or later experience a sexual intercourse problem, in regard to either pain or difficult penetration – or both.   The curved penis of is the primary reason sexual penetration is compromised, and it is also the reason for the pain that can be experienced by either – or both – partner. This is especially so in those cases in which the distortion is so severe it is described as “cork screw” or “cane handle.”

Incomplete filling of the penis with blood during erection can also happen in Peyronies.  This results in an area of the penis, either small or large, that is soft and unable to sustain the rigors of intercourse.  A soft area within an otherwise firm erection presents a weakness and vulnerability of the normally turgid erection.  A weak area of erection can suddenly collapse or buckle during intercourse, causing additional injury to the penile tissue.  This can cause pain, inflammation and additional fibrous infiltration.

It is a rare Peyronies couple that does not deal with some level of sexual difficulty related to penile distortion and reduced firmness of the erection.  The many physical, emotional and social issues of Peyronie’s disease are complex.  For this reason the reader is referred to “Peyronie’s Disease and Sex” for more information about this complicated area of life with a curved penis.

Treatment of the curved penis

It is important to remember that any penile distortion that develops in Peyronie’s disease is not the primary problem of this condition.   A curved penis that appears one night is difficult to ignore, but is only a symptom of the real problem of Peyronie’s disease – the scar. Without the Peyronies scar there would be no curved penis.

This is the reason I advise men who are undergoing Peyronies treatment to focus on the size, shape, density and surface qualities of the scar or plaque to determine if their Alternative Medicine treatment is being effective.  The curvature can improve or worsen as the scar is reduced.

A small scar can cause a large bend, just as a large scar can cause no bend at all if it is balanced and symmetrical.   For this reason a curved penis can worsen as the scar is being reduced or eliminated.   Estimating progress or success of a PD therapy plan is difficult .  A man can have many more scars than he is aware of, and they can be larger than can be detected since they are often difficult to locate and often overlap.

If only one scar is present the curvature problems are direct and easy to understand, although  this is unusual.   However, if multiple scars are present the internal pulling and twisting they cause can be very complicated.   Several scars can interact on many  planes of internal penile tissue.   Any reduction in one or more scar will alter the internal tension and pulling of the tissues, resulting in an altered curvature.  There is no guarantee the curvature will change for the better initially – sometimes it can look worse as the scars become smaller.  This is why I advise to focus all attention to the size, shape, density and surface qualities of the scar while treatment of the Peyronies problem continues.  Realize the curved penis is just a reflection of what is going on with the scar9s) below the surface.

Do not be discouraged by the curved penis of Peyronie’s disease.  Instead, stay focused on your plan for effective Peyronies treatment.  Learn more about Peyronie’s disease treatment.

If it is not Peyronie’s disease, what is it?

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Peyronie’s disease treatment to be successful must be directed to the correct condition.

While I spend a good part of my day communicating with men about Peyronie’s disease treatment, I also am asked frequent questions by men who are unsure if they even have Peyronies.

One of the common vexing questions is, “If that lump or bump on my bent penis is not Peyronies disease, what else could it be?”

The truth of the matter is that it is difficult to answer this question because it often just opens up a large door of possibilities since many conditions can cause a penile lump.  This, of course, starts many questions about a curved penis.  To prevent the eruption of a long list of questions from this one particular question, I will not go into much discussion about the various problems and conditions that can be mistaken for Peyronie’s disease.

The real value of this kind of list of possible conditions that can cause,  contribute, or be associated with or confused with a bump or lump on the penis is one of simple recognition.  If you already recognize you have one or two health problems that you personally have been dealing with or one or two health problems that are present within your family history, then seeing it mentioned in this list will alert you to the possible connection between these two your penile problem and this other problem.

This list is not meant to be an education about any of these problems, just a way to offer possibilities other than Peyronie’s disease.

Conditions that sometimes can contribute to, cause, or be associated with  lumps and bumps within the penis, but not Peyronie’s disease, are:

  1. Congenital curvature of the penis – you were just born that way
  2. Penile dorsal vein thrombosis
  3. Local trauma
  4. Acute penile fracture
  5. Alcohol Abuse
  6. Diabetes Mellitus
  7. Tertiary Syphilis – a structure known as a Gumma, that develops late in the progression of this sexually transmitted disease
  8. Scleroderma
  9. Gouty tophi or nodules – important if you have a history of gout, or that you notice your penis nodules get worse during a bad episode of gout

10. Metastasis of cancer to the penis – very rare

11. Chordee with or without hypospadias

12. Ventral curvature secondary to urethral instrumentation

It is important that Peyronie’s treatment is directed toward the correct problem.  If you are unsure about the cause of your lump, bump or penis curvature it is important that you have your physician examine you for a competent medical examination.  After that, review the PDI website to learn as much as you can about the Alternative Medicine treatment of Peyronie’s disease.

Peyronie’s Disease Treatment with Neprinol

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Peyronies treatment – Neprinol for Peyronie

Neprinol is a very well researched systemic enzyme therapy that is used for Peyronie’s disease treatment. Since the curved penis that is so common in Peyronies is such a common problem with no effective medical treatment, Neprinol is a much needed Alternative Medicine tool against this problem. Neprinol works to break down and eliminate the offending Peyronie’s disease fibrous plaque material that causes the bent penis for which Peyronies is so well known. Neprinol contains a high concentration of nattokinase, serrapeptase, bromelain and Coenzyme Q, and related co-enzyme factors. Confusion exists about Neprinol because it is actually a high potency combination of several different systemic enzymes, rather than just a single enzyme like so many other products.

These are the basic highlights about Neprinol as it relates to Peyronie’s disease treatment:

1. The nattokinase and serrapeptase in Neprinol are in much higher concentration than in the separate pills containing just nattokinase and serrapeptase. Therefore, a lower dose of Neprinol is needed to reach a higher level of these two enzymes, as when lower concentration enzymes are used separately.

2. Taking Neprinol makes taking separate doses of nattokinase and serrapeptase unnecessary, although some men still take Neprinol plus additional nattokinase and serrapeptase products to diversify the sources and varieties of these enzymes. PDI sells a separate nattokinase product call Nattokinase 1500 and a separate serrapeptase product called Fibrozym. Both of these great products can be used successfully in Peyronies treatment. But, Neprinol has more of these same enzymes in it than these separate enzyme products.

3. Dosage of Neprinol – like most other Peyronies treatment products – is based on ability of that product to make a positive change in the condition of the Peyronies plaque or scar. While the bottle of Neprinol might say to take six capsules daily, the effective dose for each man will be different. After working with PD treatment since 2002 I know that some men respond with a dose of four capsules of Neprinol daily, while others might take 20 for the same results. There is no magic dose of Neprinol. It is something than must be determined by continual trial until a favorable change is noted in the condition of the Peyronies scar material. Safety is always an issue, so it is necessary when anyone is taking more than six Neprinol daily to take a period rest from this therapy, by simply stopping usage for several days every few weeks.

4. A single bottle of Neprinol is comparatively expensive for a few reasons: the bottle is three times larger than the average enzyme product, (Neprinol comes in a bottle of 300 pills, while the separate Nattokinase and separate Fibrozym enzyme products often are sold in bottles of 100) and each Neprinol pill contains a more concentrated dose of nattokinase, serrapeptase, bromelain and coenzyme Q than are found in any other enzyme product. Besides, PDI sells Neprinol through our sister-site, Natural Complementary Medicine Products, for $135 a bottle of 300, the best price on the Internet. Neprinol represents a better value in the long run since you would need to take fewer or them, and the bottle is simply larger so you buy fewer of them. For more information about Neprinol go to http://www.natural-complementary-medicine.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD& ProdID13

5. For a $10 discount we offer for Neprinol, just type in the discount code word “Neprinol” in the appropriate discount offer area, bringing your cost down to $135 for the Neprinol 300 size.

To read more about the use of Neprinol and other systemic enzymes in Peyronie’s disease treatment, go to the Peyronie’s Disease Institute discussion about systemic enzymes at http://peyronies-disease-help.com/treatmentenzymes.html

Because Neprinol is heavily promoted for Peyronies treatment, some men develop the mistaken idea to only use Neprinol in their Peyronies treatment plan. I advise against this. Not because Neprinol is not an effective way to reduce foreign fibrin from the Peyronies plaque and scar material, but because Peyronies disease is such a stubborn problem to treat successfully. PD almost always requires large and complex treatment for a considerable length of time. I rarely hear of cases in which Neprinol does more than reduce penis pain associated with Peyronie’s disease. But when it is combined with other effective forms of Peyronies treatment, the results can be dramatic.

Effectively treating Peyronies is all about doing all that you can to create synergy with multiple therapies designed to increase your ability to heal and repair the Peyronies plaque or scar. It is never as easy as popping a few pills – even as great as Neprinol – and getting the kind of results we all want.

Please send your questions about Neprinol and Peyronie’s disease to “Ask Dr. Herazy…”

Peyronie’s disease treatment: Changes to look for

Sunday, January 25th, 2009

 

This post is about an interesting question I am asked from time to time about Peyronie’s disease treatment.  I thought it might be of interest to you.  The question is asked something like this, “When people finally get some positive changes in their Peyronie’s disease, how does it usually show up?  What usually happens first?  I want to know what I can expect, although I know we are all different.”

 

Well, usually – not always – as a man continues with a sufficiently large and aggressively applied Peyronie’s disease treatment plan from PDI, he will notice at first some small and TEMPORARY changes in the size and density of his scar.  The temporary nature of the change does not last long.  As treatment continues the changes and improvement become permanent.  Usually the scar itself will change before there is a noticeable change in the penis curvature or his ability to develop an erection.  This scar change will take place maybe during months 2-6 of the treatment cycle, although I have worked with men who see changes in the scar after just a few weeks of a PDI plan.  This fast response is the exception and not the rule, so do not plan on that kind of response although it does happen.

 

The initial and temporary improvement in the Peyronies plaque or scar will not last very long, maybe just a few days or so, and then it will often go back to how it was before – maybe even worse.  I wish I could say why this happens – it just does. Soon a pattern will develop in which there is improvement, regression, improvement, regression, back and forth, etc.  What happens over time is that you will notice that the amount of improvement will be greater than the regression, and the improvement will last longer than the regression.  You will likely see the pattern shifting slowly in favor of improvement – it will last longer and it will be greater than the regression.  Just like the stock market – it goes up and it goes down – but the general trend and pattern is that it slowly comes gets better.  This is how I have seen most every case of Peyronie’s disease improve. 

 

Just as the Peyronie’s plaque changes, a little while later it is common to see a change in the curvature. The initial change in the penis curvature is not always improvement, however.  My curve worsened just after my scar showed some real strong progress for the first time.  I kept in mind that the Peyronies plaque was getting better, so I did not let the change in the curve upset me.  I kept working to reduce the scars I had and in time the curve I had also eventually improved.

 

Peyronie’s plaque and pick-up-sticks

 

Ever play “pick-up-sticks” as a kid?   With the complex interplay of sticks lying across each other, removing one stick makes three or four other sticks shift a bit.  I think the same happens in Peyronie’s disease. 

 

How many plaques or scars do you have?  If more than one, then the dynamics are made even more complicated.  If you have only one scar (kind of unusual) then you have one scar that could be influencing 2-3-4 different planes of connective tissue within the corpora cavernosa of the penis that it is attached to.  It is not difficult to understand that if a part of a scar is changing it could cause alteration of the tensions and angles of pull – as the scar is INCREASING or DECREASING in size – that could cause a change in the curve – to make it INITIALLY better or worse.  So in this sense, an increase in your curve is only seen as a bad thing if you know FOR A FACT that your scar(s) are increasing in size, shape or density. Over time, as the plaque continues to soften and reduce in size, and as the internal pull and tension created by these plaque begins to normalize, the curve should begin to straighten.  Continue monitoring yourself as you work aggressively, and you should see this positive pattern of recovery play out for you.  

 

A worsening of the curve is acceptable if the plaque is improving.  As far as treating your condition and monitoring progress, the condition of the Peyronie’s plaque is far more important to monitor than the curve; plaque changes size, shape and density characteristics, and even seem to move, and so the plaque or scar tissue exerts control over the curve; the curved penis is just a reflection of plaque activity – good or bad.  A smaller plaque can create a larger curve if it is in the wrong place or is pulling or pushing in some strange way. It might make you feel sick to see your curve get worse, but ignore the curve and keep checking the condition of the Peyronie’s disease  plaque.  How do you check your plaque?  Go to my book, “Peyronie’s Disease Handbook” on the PDI website, http://peyronies-disease-help.com/PD-owners-manual.html 

 

Whenever someone sends me an email reporting that he is seeing improvement in his plaque or bent penis, I warn him that it will not initially last very long and that his problem will surely return for a short while.  I can almost guarantee this pattern.  Come to expect it; count on it.  It is just the way it goes, so do not be discouraged or disappointed when it happens.  In a short time, you will see the pattern develop that will tell you that good things are finally happening.  Just stay with it.  

 

How long it takes for the improvement to become permanent is also variable (just like everything about Peyronie’s disease).  Once you get your plan fine-tuned and working well for you, most of the time it takes 6-12 months or more for the progress to level off and become as good as it is going to be.  That does not mean that in 6-12 months or so you will be cured or completely well.  It just means you will be as good as you are going to be, in spite of your best effort.

Peyronie’s disease treatment: changes to look for

Monday, December 1st, 2008

 

This post is about an interesting question I am asked from time to time about Peyronie’s disease treatment.  I thought it might be of interest to you.  The question is asked something like this, “When people finally get some positive changes in their Peyronie’s disease, how does it usually show up?  What usually happens first?  I want to know what I can expect, although I know we are all different.”

 

Well, usually – not always – as a man continues in a sufficiently large and aggressively applied Peyronie’s disease treatment plan from PDI, he will notice at first some small and TEMPORARY changes in the size and density of his scar.  The temporary nature of the change does not last long.  As treatment continues the changes and improvement become permanent.  Usually the scar itself will change before there is a noticeable change in the penis curvature or his ability to develop an erection.  This scar change will take place maybe during months 2-6 of the treatment cycle, although I have worked with men who see changes in the scar after just a few weeks of a PDI plan.  This fast response is the exception and not the rule, so do not plan on that kind of response although it does happen.

 

The initial and temporary improvement in the Peyronies plaque or scar will not last very long, maybe just a few days or so, and then it will often go back to how it was before – maybe even worse.  I wish I could say why this happens – it just does. Soon a pattern will develop in which there is improvement, regression, improvement, regression, back and forth, etc.  What happens over time is that you will notice that the amount of improvement will be greater than the regression, and the improvement will last longer than the regression.  You will likely see the pattern shifting slowly in favor of improvement – it will last longer and it will be greater than the regression.  Just like the stock market – it goes up and it goes down – but the general trend and pattern is that it slowly comes gets better.  This is how I have seen most every case of Peyronie’s disease improve. 

 

Just as the Peyronie’s plaque changes, a little while later it is common to see a change in the curvature. The initial change in the penis curvature is not always improvement, however.  My curve worsened just after my scar showed some real strong progress for the first time.  I kept in mind that the Peyronies plaque was getting better, so I did not let the change in the curve upset me.  I kept working to reduce the scars I had and in time the curve I had also eventually improved.

 

Peyronie’s plaque and pick-up-sticks

 

Ever play “pick-up-sticks” as a kid?   With the complex interplay of sticks lying across each other, removing one stick makes three or four other sticks shift a bit.  I think the same happens in Peyronie’s disease. 

 

How many plaques or scars do you have?  If more than one, then the dynamics are made even more complicated.  If you have only one scar (kind of unusual) then you have one scar that could be influencing 2-3-4 different planes of connective tissue within the corpora cavernosa of the penis that it is attached to.  It is not difficult to understand that if a part of a scar is changing it could cause alteration of the tensions and angles of pull – as the scar is INCREASING or DECREASING in size – that could cause a change in the curve – to make it INITIALLY better or worse.  So in this sense, an increase in your curve is only seen as a bad thing if you know FOR A FACT that your scar(s) are increasing in size, shape or density. Over time, as the plaque continues to soften and reduce in size, and as the internal pull and tension created by these plaque begins to normalize, the curve should begin to straighten.  Continue monitoring yourself as you work aggressively, and you should see this positive pattern of recovery play out for you.  

 

A worsening of the curve is acceptable if the plaque is improving.  As far as treating your condition and monitoring progress, the condition of the Peyronie’s plaque is far more important to monitor than the curve; plaque changes size, shape and density characteristics, and even seem to move, and so the plaque or scar tissue exerts control over the curve; the curved penis is just a reflection of plaque activity – good or bad.  A smaller plaque can create a larger curve if it is in the wrong place or is pulling or pushing in some strange way. It might make you feel sick to see your curve get worse, but ignore the curve and keep checking the condition of the Peyronie’s disease  plaque.  How do you check your plaque?  Go to my book, “Peyronie’s Disease Handbook” on the PDI website, http://peyronies-disease-help.com/PD-owners-manual.html 

 

Whenever someone sends me an email reporting that he is seeing improvement in his plaque or bent penis, I warn him that it will not initially last very long and that his problem will surely return for a short while.  I can almost guarantee this pattern.  Come to expect it; count on it.  It is just the way it goes, so do not be discouraged or disappointed when it happens.  In a short time, you will see the pattern develop that will tell you that good things are finally happening.  Just stay with it.   

 

How long it takes for the improvement to become permanent is also variable (just like everything about Peyronie’s disease).  Once you get your plan fine-tuned and working well for you, most of the time it takes 6-12 months or more for the progress to level off and become as good as it is going to be.  That does not mean that in 6-12 months or so you will be cured or completely well.  It just means you will be as good as you are going to be, in spite of your best effort.   For some men it is complete recovery and full return to normal, and for other men it is a variable percent of improvement. 

 

No one can accurately anticipate or tell what level of improvement will happen even after an intense effort of Peyronie’s disease treatment.  Some of the worse cases make the most recovery, and some of the mildest problems improve the least.  You just have to do your best and do all that you can to regain your life in the best way you can. 

 

If you want to know more about what you might be experiencing right now with your condition, let me know.  Ask a question on the blog, and I will be happy to explain what I can to you.   TRH