Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesCardiovascular HealthLifestyle Risk FactorsFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Peyronie’s Disease GuideHow Peyronie’s Disease Is Diagnosed

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Common Causes

Cardiovascular Health

Lifestyle Risk Factors

Frequently Asked Questions

Next in Peyronie’s Disease Guide

Peyronie’s diseaseis the result of inflammation and scarring in the erectile tissues of the penis, which leads to an abnormalcurvature of the penis. Scarring causes areas of the penis to become less flexible. During an erection, the penis curves towards the area that can’t stretch. Depending on the location of the scarring, the penis may also lose length.

Peyronie’s disease is first and foremost a wound-healing disorder. Its symptoms are the result of fibrous plaques, or scars, forming in the tunica albuginea. The tunica albuginea is the tissue that surrounds the erectile bodies of the penis.

Possible Risk Factors for Peyronie’s Disease, illustration of a couple in bed

Peyronie’s disease is thought to occur in between 0.5% and 20% of men, depending on the population. It can happen in men of any age, but it is more common in older men.

The condition is usually the result of injury to the penis. This injury can be severe and acute, for example, because of trauma during sex or surgery on the penis or genital tract.

More often, the injuries that lead to Peyronie’s are small, or even unnoticeable. Most, if not all, men experience some microtrauma during penetrative intercourse. However, only some men develop Peyronie’s disease. This is likely because Peyronie’s disease occurs in men where healing is impaired.

Erectile dysfunction is often a consequence of Peyronie’s disease, but it may also be a cause.

Having sex with a penis that is not fully erect may predispose the penis to microtrauma. This may also explain why the incidence of Peyronie’s disease increases with age. As people have more difficulty getting a firm erection, they experience more sub-acute injuries they need to heal.

Numerous risk factors have been connected with Peyronie’s, but the research is limited.The condition may be more common in individuals suffering from one or more of the following health problems:

People with diabetes-associated ED are four to five times more likely to have Peyronie’s compared to the general population.

Genetics, low testosterone, autoimmune conditions, and connective tissue diseases may also make a person more susceptible to Peyronie’s disease.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes are all associated with both cardiovascular health and Peyronie’s disease. So is the use of certain cardiovascular drugs, such as beta-blockers. This is thought to be because the particular vasculature of the penis, and damage to those blood vessels, is critical to the formation of plaques and scars. There is also some evidence that oxidative stress plays a role in Peyronie’s disease as well as heart disease.

In addition to potentially playing a direct role in causing Peyronie’s disease, cardiovascular disease also contributes significantly to one of its symptoms.

At least one research study has demonstrated that clogged or damaged blood flow in the penis is the primary cause of erectile dysfunction in men with Peyronie’s.

Scarring compounded with poor blood flow contributes to the symptoms of Peyronie’s. Improved blood flow is thought to help healing. This is why Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs may be useful for Peyronie’s patients.

There are a number of lifestyle risk factors for Peyronie’s disease. Basically, these can be divided into two groups. The first group are risk factors that affect healing. These include:

The other group of risk factors are those that affect the likelihood of penile trauma. These include:

Erectile Dysfunction

Summary

To a great extent, Peyronie’s disease is not a condition you can avoid. You can maintain a healthy body, but inflammation and penile injury are not necessarily things you can control.

If you are experiencing pain during erection, or noticing a new curve to your penis, talk to your healthcare provider. If it is Peyronie’s disease, sometimes early treatment can help.

Frequently Asked QuestionsSometimes. For 13 out of every 100 people with Peyronie’s disease, the penis returns to normal withoutmedical intervention. This is most likely to occur when the plaques in thepenisare small and the curvature is mild.Untreated Peyronie’s disease can lead to a number of complications. Although not everyone will have these (or any) complications, the most common are:Erectile dysfunctionInability to have penetrative sexdue to painDepression and anxietyRelationship issuesChallenges fathering a childManually stretching the penismay do more harm than good, but there’s evidence penile traction therapy (PTT) may have positive outcomes for some people with Peyronie’s disease. PTT involves a device that gently straightens a curved penis. In a 2019 study of one such device used twice a day for 20 minutes at a stretch, 94% of men regained an average of 1.6 centimeters in penis length, 77% had an improvement in curvature of around 17 degrees, and 80% of those who weren’t able to have penetrative sex prior to treatment were able to after 12 weeks.Learn MoreExercises for Peyronie’s Disease

Sometimes. For 13 out of every 100 people with Peyronie’s disease, the penis returns to normal withoutmedical intervention. This is most likely to occur when the plaques in thepenisare small and the curvature is mild.

Untreated Peyronie’s disease can lead to a number of complications. Although not everyone will have these (or any) complications, the most common are:Erectile dysfunctionInability to have penetrative sexdue to painDepression and anxietyRelationship issuesChallenges fathering a child

Untreated Peyronie’s disease can lead to a number of complications. Although not everyone will have these (or any) complications, the most common are:

Manually stretching the penismay do more harm than good, but there’s evidence penile traction therapy (PTT) may have positive outcomes for some people with Peyronie’s disease. PTT involves a device that gently straightens a curved penis. In a 2019 study of one such device used twice a day for 20 minutes at a stretch, 94% of men regained an average of 1.6 centimeters in penis length, 77% had an improvement in curvature of around 17 degrees, and 80% of those who weren’t able to have penetrative sex prior to treatment were able to after 12 weeks.Learn MoreExercises for Peyronie’s Disease

Manually stretching the penismay do more harm than good, but there’s evidence penile traction therapy (PTT) may have positive outcomes for some people with Peyronie’s disease. PTT involves a device that gently straightens a curved penis. In a 2019 study of one such device used twice a day for 20 minutes at a stretch, 94% of men regained an average of 1.6 centimeters in penis length, 77% had an improvement in curvature of around 17 degrees, and 80% of those who weren’t able to have penetrative sex prior to treatment were able to after 12 weeks.

Learn MoreExercises for Peyronie’s Disease

How Peyronie’s Disease Is Diagnosed

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Al-thakafi S, Al-hathal N.Peyronie’s disease: a literature review on epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis and work-up.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):280-9. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.04.05Bilgutay AN, Pastuszak AW.Peyronie’s disease: A review of etiology, diagnosis, and management.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2015;7(2):117-131. doi:10.1007/s11930-015-0045-yNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease).Urology Care Foundation.What is Peyronie’s disease?Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M.Outcomes of restorex penile traction therapy in men with peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003Additional ReadingCulha M, Alici B, Acar O, Mutlu N, Gökalp A.The relationship between diabetes mellitus, impotence and veno-occlusive dysfunction in Peyronie’s disease patients.Urol Int. 1998;60(2):101-104. doi:10.1159/000030220Dolmans GH, Werker PM, de Jong IJ, et al.WNT2 locus is involved in genetic susceptibility of Peyronie’s disease.J Sex Med.2012;9(5):1430-1434. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02704.xFerrini MG, Rivera S, Moon J, Vernet D, Rajfer J, Gonzalez-Cadavid NF.The genetic inactivation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) intensifies fibrosis and oxidative stress in the penile corpora cavernosa in type 1 diabetes.J Sex Med. 2010;7(9):3033-3044. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01884.xGonzalez-Cadavid NF, Magee TR, Ferrini M, Qian A, Vernet D, Rajfer J.Gene expression in Peyronie’s disease.Int J Impot Res. 2002;14(5):361-374. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3900873

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Al-thakafi S, Al-hathal N.Peyronie’s disease: a literature review on epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis and work-up.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):280-9. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.04.05Bilgutay AN, Pastuszak AW.Peyronie’s disease: A review of etiology, diagnosis, and management.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2015;7(2):117-131. doi:10.1007/s11930-015-0045-yNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease).Urology Care Foundation.What is Peyronie’s disease?Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M.Outcomes of restorex penile traction therapy in men with peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003Additional ReadingCulha M, Alici B, Acar O, Mutlu N, Gökalp A.The relationship between diabetes mellitus, impotence and veno-occlusive dysfunction in Peyronie’s disease patients.Urol Int. 1998;60(2):101-104. doi:10.1159/000030220Dolmans GH, Werker PM, de Jong IJ, et al.WNT2 locus is involved in genetic susceptibility of Peyronie’s disease.J Sex Med.2012;9(5):1430-1434. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02704.xFerrini MG, Rivera S, Moon J, Vernet D, Rajfer J, Gonzalez-Cadavid NF.The genetic inactivation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) intensifies fibrosis and oxidative stress in the penile corpora cavernosa in type 1 diabetes.J Sex Med. 2010;7(9):3033-3044. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01884.xGonzalez-Cadavid NF, Magee TR, Ferrini M, Qian A, Vernet D, Rajfer J.Gene expression in Peyronie’s disease.Int J Impot Res. 2002;14(5):361-374. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3900873

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Al-thakafi S, Al-hathal N.Peyronie’s disease: a literature review on epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis and work-up.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):280-9. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.04.05Bilgutay AN, Pastuszak AW.Peyronie’s disease: A review of etiology, diagnosis, and management.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2015;7(2):117-131. doi:10.1007/s11930-015-0045-yNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease).Urology Care Foundation.What is Peyronie’s disease?Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M.Outcomes of restorex penile traction therapy in men with peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003

Al-thakafi S, Al-hathal N.Peyronie’s disease: a literature review on epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis and work-up.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):280-9. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.04.05

Bilgutay AN, Pastuszak AW.Peyronie’s disease: A review of etiology, diagnosis, and management.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2015;7(2):117-131. doi:10.1007/s11930-015-0045-y

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease).

Urology Care Foundation.What is Peyronie’s disease?

Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M.Outcomes of restorex penile traction therapy in men with peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003

Culha M, Alici B, Acar O, Mutlu N, Gökalp A.The relationship between diabetes mellitus, impotence and veno-occlusive dysfunction in Peyronie’s disease patients.Urol Int. 1998;60(2):101-104. doi:10.1159/000030220Dolmans GH, Werker PM, de Jong IJ, et al.WNT2 locus is involved in genetic susceptibility of Peyronie’s disease.J Sex Med.2012;9(5):1430-1434. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02704.xFerrini MG, Rivera S, Moon J, Vernet D, Rajfer J, Gonzalez-Cadavid NF.The genetic inactivation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) intensifies fibrosis and oxidative stress in the penile corpora cavernosa in type 1 diabetes.J Sex Med. 2010;7(9):3033-3044. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01884.xGonzalez-Cadavid NF, Magee TR, Ferrini M, Qian A, Vernet D, Rajfer J.Gene expression in Peyronie’s disease.Int J Impot Res. 2002;14(5):361-374. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3900873

Culha M, Alici B, Acar O, Mutlu N, Gökalp A.The relationship between diabetes mellitus, impotence and veno-occlusive dysfunction in Peyronie’s disease patients.Urol Int. 1998;60(2):101-104. doi:10.1159/000030220

Dolmans GH, Werker PM, de Jong IJ, et al.WNT2 locus is involved in genetic susceptibility of Peyronie’s disease.J Sex Med.2012;9(5):1430-1434. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02704.x

Ferrini MG, Rivera S, Moon J, Vernet D, Rajfer J, Gonzalez-Cadavid NF.The genetic inactivation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) intensifies fibrosis and oxidative stress in the penile corpora cavernosa in type 1 diabetes.J Sex Med. 2010;7(9):3033-3044. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01884.x

Gonzalez-Cadavid NF, Magee TR, Ferrini M, Qian A, Vernet D, Rajfer J.Gene expression in Peyronie’s disease.Int J Impot Res. 2002;14(5):361-374. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3900873

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