A slight curve in the penis when it is erect is perfectly normal and shouldn’t cause any problems during intercourse or sex. But if the curvature is more severe and causes pain or prevents you from having an erection, then it is something to address with your healthcare provider.
Your healthcare provider will probably recommend treatments like traction therapy and medication to help break down scar tissue. They may also suggest surgery if the condition doesn’t improve.
1. Consult a Doctor
A mild penis curve is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about if it doesn’t cause pain or interfere with sexual intercourse. But significant curvature could be a sign of a medical condition that can negatively impact your sexual health and quality of life.
Penile curvature usually occurs when scar tissue forms inside the tunica albuginea, or the fibrous membrane that surrounds the erectile tissue of the penis. This condition is called Peyronie’s disease. It can affect men of all ages and may be hereditary or caused by injury, such as from vigorous or rough sex or playing sports without the proper protection. It can also occur in people with autoimmune or connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Behcet’s syndrome.
If you’re concerned about the shape of your dick, call your doctor right away. They’ll ask you questions about your symptoms and perform a physical exam. They’ll also order a penile duplex Doppler ultrasound, which uses sound waves to see how blood flows through the penis and may reveal any scar tissue. They might also use a tool called a goniometer, which measures the angle of the curve of an erection.
Your doctor will prescribe oral, topical or injection medications to break down the scar tissue in your penis and improve blood flow. They may also recommend traction therapy, which involves using a traction device to stretch and straighten your penis.
2. Inject Medications
Even if you don’t notice it, your penis probably bends to the left or right and points up or down slightly. This is totally normal, and there’s no need to worry unless your curve becomes so severe that it makes getting an erection painful or having sex difficult.
You may decide to get injections to straighten the curvature of your penis. This treatment is usually quite successful, but there are some risks involved. You should always have a medical professional teach you how to inject yourself with this medication. This will ensure that you are using the correct injection technique, which will minimize bruising and scarring. It is also important to use the right dose of medication, so you should never try to self-inject a higher or lower dosage than what your doctor prescribes.
To prepare for an injection, you should clean the head of your penis with an alcohol wipe. You should also remove the cap from the syringe and check that you have the correct amount of medication in the syringe. You should then select an area on either side of your penis midshaft to perform the injection. It is recommended that you alternate sides each time so you don’t develop scar tissue on one side of your penis.
Most people feel no pain during the injection, but there is a chance that you might have a small bruise at the site of the needle (haematoma). This is common and should heal within a few days.
3. Treat Peyronie’s Disease
While it’s not known what causes Peyronie’s disease, it is likely that the penis gets hurt at some point and then forms scar tissue. The scar tissue doesn’t stretch like the penis would if it were erect, and this results in the penis getting progressively more curved over time.
The doctor may be able to tell if you have this condition by doing a physical exam, examining the hard plaques and taking pictures of the area with dynamic ultrasound. The ultrasound shows how the penis moves and how the blood flows in it.
Treatment options include massage, penile traction and injections of a medication called interferon. These medications help disrupt the production of scar tissue, and they can also reduce pain and swelling.
Traction therapy involves stretching the penis with a self-applied device, and it has been shown to improve penile length, curve and deformity. The device is worn for up to eight hours a day, and it’s usually needed for three to six months before it becomes effective.
The doctor may suggest surgery if the penis’s curvature becomes severe enough to cause pain and prevent sex. This is typically only done after nonsurgical treatments have failed to work. During surgery, the surgeon can remove the hard plaque or insert a tissue graft to fill in holes or gaps. However, surgery can shorten the penis and it takes 6 to 12 months to get full feeling back.
4. Surgery
In some cases, a severe penile curve may require surgery to correct it. During this procedure, your doctor will cut or remove scar tissue to make the sheath of your penis longer. They can also use a variety of surgical methods to straighten your penis. Surgery can be performed with local anesthesia, so you won’t need to stay in the hospital overnight. The operation will take between 2 and 3 hours.
Before the surgery begins, your doctor will numb the area using a local anesthetic. They will then make a small incision in the scrotum to identify the curved section. They’ll place temporary placating sutures as a test to see if making a permanent change will cure your curvature.
If this doesn’t work, they’ll perform plication surgery to shorten the side of your penis that’s unaffected. They’ll either stitch it together or use tiny internal “tuck” stitches to shorten the unaffected side. This will straighten your penis.
A slight curve to the penis is normal, but you should consult a doctor if your curvature causes pain during sex or makes it hard to get an erection. It’s important to get it treated to avoid complications like nerve damage, fibrosis, or urethral damage. Getting it treated early can also prevent the curvature from worsening over time. Penile traction devices can also help with the problem.