A curved penis is a rather ordinary condition that affects most men, to one degree or another. It is normal for the penis to never be completely straight during an erection. It can be more or less curved up, down, left or right. In some men (1 to 5%), this curvature is a little more prominent and they notice it more, often wondering if that it's normal.

In some cases, the curvature of the penis increases over the years. It becomes necessary to consult a specialist, because this evolutionary curvature could be caused by what is called the Peyronie's disease.

Penile curvature or Peyronie's disease is characterized by a curvature of the penis. Little known, this affects 3 to 9% of men, usually in their fifties. It is caused due to the development of a fibrous scar tissue within the penis. In the majority of cases, the fibrous plaques are located at the dorsal level of the penis, resulting in an upward curvature. Angulation can range from a few degrees to over 90 degrees.

Symptoms of penile curvature

The symptoms of a curved penis are easy to identify:

• Significant curvature of the penis, in any direction which can be noticed during the first erections
• The curvature is always the same, in the same direction, no visible evolution
• Occasional pains in certain positions during intercourse, but sexual life can still be satisfactory

For Peyronie's disease:

• Curvature - upwards or downwards, which becomes more and more pronounced with time
• Lack of flexibility in the penis
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Pain during erection
• Erectile dysfunction caused as the scarring plate prevents adequate blood flow to the cavernous body)

The course of Peyronie's disease is 12 to 18 months, usually in two phases: a first inflammatory phase with erectile pain and a second phase with chronic deformity of the penis.

Common causes of Penile Curvature

The causes explaining the formation of plaque or or the scarring plate in the penis are varied. It can be micro-traumas that occur during the sex life or an alteration of the vessels that irrigate the penis. It can also occur due to certain diseases such as diabetes.

Treatment for Penile Curvature

A curved penis, even if it makes some sexual positions less comfortable than others, does not require treatment.

For Peyronie's disease:

• This disease evolves over the years and the symptoms often worsen. It is, therefore, necessary to treat it when the first symptoms appear:
• Oral medications can help in disintegrating plaque from scar tissue, but these need to be taken very early, in the first year of onset of symptoms.
• Injection therapy which is given through local anesthesia in the penis. This treatment reduces the symptoms in 2/3 of the cases, without solving the problem in full.
• The scar tissue plate can be removed with surgery. This definitely fixes the problem of curvature, but there may still be erectile dysfunction.
• Penis extension devices, when used regularly, can also reduce the curvature problem.