Posts Tagged ‘Peyronie’s scar’

Treatment for Peyronie’s Disease with Drugs

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Medical Peyronie’s disease treatment

Medical treatment for Peyronie’s disease is basically limited to simple reduction of pain and hope for some level of sexual function.  Since no known medical treatment of Peyronie’s disease exists, several experimental approaches are used with only half-hearted enthusiasm by the average medical doctor.

Current experimental medical approaches used to treat Peyronie’s disease:

  • COLLAGENASE – Currently being researched as an injection directed into the scar tissue to enzymatically digest and eliminate it.   It is found that repeated injections into the penile tissue can cause Peyronie’s disease, and hence the long term outlook for this method is questionable.
  • POTABA – This is PABA, a B vitamin, with a potassium molecule attached.  PABA is a safe form of Peyronies treatment, but the addition of potassium to the B vitamin requires a large dosage often resulting in severe gastric pain and digestive problems.
  • COLCHICINE – This is a standard gout medication that is used to treat Peyronie’s disease because it is supposed to reduce inflammation and scar formation.  Not many reports of success are evident in the literature, and for this reason this drug is not a very popular Peyronie’s treatment.
  • INTERFERON – A protein that is used because it is thought to disrupt the production and promote the breakdown of collagen.  Of all medications used, this is the least popular Peyronies’ disease treatment.
  • VERAPAMIL – A drug normally used to treat high blood pressure. Can be administered topically in gel form over several months, or is directly injected into the plaque in a series of 8-20 shots into the penile tissue. This drug, in either form, is also less popular than it was when first introduced several years ago due to poor clinical results.
  • STEROIDS – This is the same common drug used for many conditions, basically because of its anti-inflammatory ability.
  • RADIATION – In low dosage thought to reduce pain, and no other benefit to Peyronie’s treatment.   Can lead to other problems of excess radiation.
  • SURGERY – Because the body does spontaneously resolve about 50% of Peyronie’s disease cases without any treatment or medical intervention, surgery should not be considered for at least one or two years following onset of signs and symptoms of the disease.  Peyronies surgery is used only in severe cases, because it is not uncommon for surgery to make Peyronie’s disease worse or lead to complications that are worse than the original problem.

Most men who contact the Peyronie’s Disease Institute have already tried one or more of the above treatments, and are still looking for Peyronie’s help.  The philosophy to treat Peyronie’s disease is simply to treat the man who has the Peyronie’s scar so he is better able to eliminate and correct his own problem – just as happens with the 50% of men who spontaneously heal their own Peyronies scar without any help from anyone.

The basic approach used by the Peyronie’s Disease Institute is to use as many well-researched Alternative Medicine therapies as possible so as to support the natural healing ability of the body.  This can be done with vitamin E and C, acetyl-L-carnitine, PABA, dietary guidance, gentle manual soft tissue stretching of the scar tissue, DMSO, copper peptides, and others.   For more details click Treatment for Peyronie’s Disease and you will see how easy it is to take control of your future.

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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.

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Peyronie’s Treatment and Cialis

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Peyronie’s and Cialis (Tadalafil) and PDE5 inhibitors

Peyronie’s and Cialis are both on the rise – no pun intended, and there is a reason for that.

Cialis it is not a Peyronie’s treatment; Cialis is used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence).   But some MDs use Cialis in Peyronies treatment because they think it will help the patient achieve a stronger erection  since Peyronie’s disease often is associated with erectile dysfunction.   This practice is is coming close scrutiny because Cialis and all the other PDE5 inhibitors like it can actually make Peyronies worse when it causes a very extreme erection that the body is not built to handle.  This can cause damage to delicate tissue and more Peyronie’s scar formation.

Peyronie’s and Cialis Usage

Every man with Peyronie’s should know each package of Cialis contains information warning that men with Peyronie’s disease should use Cialis with great caution because of possible side effects that include damage to the penile tissue that can actually cause Peyronie’s disease if you do not already have it.

MDs write orders for their patients with Peyronies and Cialis is a commonly prescribed drug.   The MD will explain that the Cialis will increase the blood flow to the penis and this is beneficial to Peyronie’s disease.  I think this is nonsense.

An erection is created when blood is TRAPPED inside the penis, causing the spongy tissue to fill up and expand with about 2-3 tablespoons more blood than is normally in the penis.  This additional 2-3 tablespoons of blood become TRAPPED inside the penis, just like when you blow up a balloon and tie a knot at the end of the balloon.  Sure there is more air inside the balloon, but it does not circulate freely – it is stagnant air. And the additional blood also does not circulate freely in the penis.  That is why the penis is darker when it is erect – the blood does not have much oxygen in it, making the tissue darker.  This just goes to show how little many MDs think about what they are doing when they write a prescription.

Cialis is a popular erectile dysfunction drug, but it does not make sense to use it for treatment of Peyronie’s disease. When a man goes to his doctor for his Peyronie’s and Cialis is prescribed, he should understand the reason for the prescription does not make sense.

Cialis and Peyronie’s Connection

While I hate to spoil the fun for those whose sex life is enhanced by Cialis, but over the years I have had a disturbing number of men inform me they now have Peyronies and Cialis use was the cause.  Any of the PDE5 inhibiter drugs (Viagra and Levitra are others) can increase pressure within the penis that  can be greater than normal.  Injury to the tissue can lead to Peyronie’s disease.

If it were possible to take a drug that would allow you to lift a truck above your head and keep it there for an hour, should you do it?  That would be an interesting, and very impressive to the ladies, but is that reason enough to subject your body to the potential risk that would be involved?   The fact is that the body is not built to be used that way.  Lifting a great amount of weight causes internal pressure on tissue and organs that were not meant to bear that kind of weight.  Great injury would occur to internal organs, your spine, knees, hips, shoulders, blood vessels, and so on.  The same relationship exists between Peyronies and Cialis, and the rest of these PDE5 inhibitors.

All of this is so unfortunate because there are far safer methods for Peyronie’s disease treatment.

The increased occurrence of Peyronies and Cialis use also increasing is not a coincidence.  There is a reason that more and more men are getting Peyronie’s disease at the same time that more and more men are using Cialis and the other PDE5 inhibitors.

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Peyronie’s treatment

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Since mid-2002, I have been deeply and continually involved in Peyronie’s disease treatment – initially for myself, and then later for other men who have PD. All the details of my successful effort to heal my own case of Peyronie’s disease using Alternative Medicine are revealed in my first book, “Peyronies’ Disease Handbook.”  For more information about the book, go to http://peyronies-disease-help.com/PD-owners-manual.html

The most popular single topic of any email question I receive from around the world concerns Peyronies treatment, naturally.  More than wanting to know about the chemistry or the physiology of Peyronie’s disease, or how to locate the Peyronie’s plaque, or names of doctors in different parts of the world, or anything else about PD, people want to know what must be done to successfully treat this terrible problem.

Many details about Peyronie’s disease treatment are found on the PDI website, in “Peyronies’ Disease Handbook,” and in nearly 100 issues of the Peyronies Disease Institute Newsletter.  Some days I answer more than a dozen emails from men and women who have countless questions about PD treatment.  I offer the best information I possibly can to each person. Yet, no matter how many times I present this information in a variety of formats, there remains one aspect of Peyronies treatment that many people just do not seem to understand.   

Perhaps it is my fault for not stating this treatment information plainly enough, or not presenting it often enough.  Yet, somehow I feel responsible I have not found the best way to present this basic aspect of Peyronie’s disease treatment so everyone will understand this topic as well as I do.   If this is so, if all this is my fault, here is yet another attempt to make this important point about Peyronies treatment perfectly clear. 

Peyronie’s disease treatment critical point

Regardless of how a person attempts to increase their immune response to eliminate the nasty Peyronie’s plaque, it is not as important how you start treatment, as it is how you progress and eventually finish your Peyronies treatment.   There are many ways to rationalize and calculate how you will go about treating your PD problem.  There are many good ways to help your body eliminate the Peyronie’s scar and restore penis health.  That is the reason I have assembled three different size sample treatment plans, go to http://www.natural-complementary-medicine.com/index. asp? PageAction =VIEWCATS &Category=2   I have repeatedly said that these three plans can be increased or decreased in an effort to help your body heal your Peyronies.  

Each day several men begin their Peyronie’s treatment with PDI in a wide variety of formats. Some of these are ultimately successful and some are ultimately unsuccessful, not because of the plan they put together at the beginning of their care, but their ability to modify, organize and apply the necessary changes to their Peyronie’s treatment plan if they do not get the kind of results they are looking for with the plan they start with. 

Peyronie’s treatment is like a football game 

Let’s say that you are a football coach, and you have a big game coming up.  As part of your job, you rationalize and calculate how you will beat the opposing team.  You know the strengths and weaknesses of the men on your own team, and you do the best you can to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the men on the other team.  You keep in mind the weather conditions, the time of day, home team advantages, and countless statistics to eventually develop a winning strategy.  Eventually, you devise a plan to win.  The day of the big game arrives and you put your plan into action.  After a few minutes into the game you see that you have made some mistakes because none of what you planned is happening, because apparently you did not figure things out correctly. 

You can do one of two basic things:

1.      You continue with the plan you started with.  You follow the basic plan that you started with because you tell yourself that your plan made sense to you before, and it should eventually work out.  You tell yourself, you must have patience with your plan.  You remind yourself that if you continue to follow your starting strategy things will sooner or later come together, your plan will begin to work, and you will eventually win.  Besides that, you do not know what else to do, so you struggle forward.

2.      You change your plan after giving it a reasonable time to work.  You eventually keep those parts of your starting strategy that seem to be working, while you change other parts of the plan that are not.  You improvise where you can, make minor and major changes if you are able, and look around for options that you might not ever have considered before.  You try different things until something works.   It is not pretty, it is not what you planned, but you take every advantage you can find during each moment of the game. Besides that, you do not know what else to do because continuing with a loosing plan does not make sense to you.

You see, my PD Warrior, Peyronie’s treatment should not be not static, although some people approach it that way.  Just because you start with one idea, one plan, does not mean you must continue with it if it does not seem to be working after a resonable length of time.   

If you start with one idea, and it seems to be working, fine, continue with it.  But if it is not working, change it.  How?  I don’t know.  But if you let me ask you a few questions and tell me about what you are doing, I know I can offer you some ideas you have never considered.  Sometimes these changes make a small difference in the progression of Peyronies treatment, and sometimes they make a huge difference.     

Now, I hope this little discussion makes a difference in your effort to increase your ability to heal and repair your Peyronie’s disease.

Please comment and ask questions here if there is more that you would like to know about successful Peyronies treatment.  

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