Peyronie's Disease in Men: A Look at Penile Dysfunction with Dr. Ajaydeep Sidhu

Medically Reviewed by Ajaydeep Sidhu, MD

When it comes to slapstick comedy, a hit to the groin tops the list for ways to elicit humor from an audience. 

The fact is, injury to the penis, in particular, can lead to ongoing issues. Peyronie's disease is one such outcome. It is an abnormal curvature of the penis due to scar tissue that builds up in plaque.

In honor of Men's Health Month, Ajaydeep Sidhu, MD, a WakeMed urologist specialty trained in the treatment of Peyronie's disease, is here to explain the risk factors, symptoms and treatment options.

What are the risk factors for Peyronie's disease?

Oftentimes, Peyronie's disease is spontaneous, and we can't find an obvious ideology or cause, but it can be related to trauma to the penis, such as a hit or kick. 

Here are additional risk factors:

• Penile injections for erectile dysfunction
• Sexual injury
• Family history
• Connective tissue diseases
• Dupuytrens contracture, an abnormal thickening of the skin, in the palms and hands

What are the symptoms?

The most obvious symptom is curvature of the penis during erection. There are other, more subtle symptoms as well:

• Pain during erection, and, at times, at rest (often resolves within six months to a year of symptom onset)
• Shortening of the penis with erection and when flaccid
• A lump or a bump felt during self-examination.

How common is Peyronie's disease?

Fortunately, the rate of Peyronie's disease is pretty low. Up to 10 percent of adult men will face it. Most are over the age of 30 — though very young men and boys can experience this issue.

What are the treatment options?

With Peyronie's disease, we divide patients into more active disease versus more stable disease states. Active disease occurs when more plaque is building up. During that time, men may have pain and notice changes in curvature. Whereas, we consider stable disease when men are pain-free, and the curvature is not changing.

We can treat it when it's active with certain medicines that help with blood flow to the penis that help stabilize the plaque. 

Some stretching exercises can help also. 

Ultimately, we wait until it is stabilized before we consider irreversible treatment options. These would include injections of a medicine called collagenase to break up the plaque and help improve the curvature. 

Other options involve surgeries to straighten out the penis or cut out the plague, called penile plication. Penile plication is an outpatient surgery that takes about 45 to 90 minutes. For the latter, once the condition has stabilized within six months to a year-and-a-half of symptom onset, we explore what would be best for each patient. 

How long does it take to recover from surgery?

There is standard post-surgical pain following surgery. Within a week or two, men are mostly back to regular activities and within about a month, they're back to sexual activity. 

I specialize in Peyronie's disease and in performing injections — among other treatment options. I am happy to see patients with Peyronie's disease. For those who are not in my area, I encourage them to visit peyroniesdisease.com to find an appropriate specialist. There are many options to treat this condition. No man should suffer in silence. A specially-trained urologist can help. 

Want to learn more from Dr. Sidhu on this Men's Health topic? 

Don’t let erectile dysfunction (ED) and urinary incontinence stop you from living your best life. Regardless of the cause, your urologist can work with you to ensure you get the treatment you need to help you get back to a lifestyle you enjoy.

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About Ajaydeep Sidhu, MD

Dr. Ajaydeep Sidhu is a urologist with clinical interests in the management of enlarged prostate, urethral reconstruction, complex pelvic reconstruction, erectile dysfunction, Peyronie's disease, male and female incontinence and voiding dysfunction, and pelvic organ prolapse. He joins WakeMed Urology after completing residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL and fellowship in Pelvic Reconstruction and Voiding Dysfunction from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. 

He has authored numerous abstracts and articles published in peer-reviewed journals including The Journal of Urology, The Journal of Endourology, Urology, Advances in Urology and The Journal of Sexual Medicine. He believes in treating the whole patient with respect and compassion while upholding a commitment to providing the best care. 

In his free time, Dr. Sidhu enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, skiing, golfing (poorly) and finding new restaurants.

About WakeMed Urology

WakeMed Urology offers an outstanding team of urologists and urology surgeons who offer the most advanced urological services at locations throughout Raleigh, North Raleigh, Cary, and Garner, NC.