Peyronie's disease is a severe curvature of the erect penis. It's named after an Italian physician to King Louis XIV of France. This physician was the first to note the disorder back in the 1700s. While it is somewhat common, it is not often mentioned. A minor bend in the erect penis is perfectly normal, as few penises are straight as an arrow. In some cases of Peyronie's, however, the penis can bend severely left, right, up or down, or even back on itself, making intercourse impossible.

Peyronie's disease is characterized by a replacement of the elastic tissue of the tunica albuginea by scar tissue. Normally, with erection the elastic tissue of the penis expands and elongates symmetrically, resulting in a straight erection. Because the plaque is not elastic, but rather hard, it will not stretch with erection.

The disease starts as a small bump or constriction on the shaft of the penis below the skin, which expands to form a flat deposit that can be sometimes as large as a silver dollar. This plaque invades and replaces the elastic covering of the penis with inflexible material. When a man with Peyronie's has an erection, the plaque does not expand, so the penis curves.

Impotence, defined as the inability to maintain a hard enough erection to have intercourse, is uncommon in Peyronie's disease. Yet it frequently affects the erection mechanism in a less serious way. Scientific studies have shown that at some point in time, up to 40% of men with Peyronie's disease have experienced some degree of erectile dysfunction.

Usually, this consists of a reduction in maximum hardness. It is usually a temporary effect, and rarely causes enough softening to preclude normal intercourse. When associated with severe bending however, it can be a problem. Persistent difficulty with erectile rigidity can usually be treated medically

The cause for the erectile dysfunction of Peyronie's disease is thought to be "venous leakage." In other words, the blood that should normally be trapped within the taut confines of the tunica albuginea is leaking slowly out. By locally hardening the tunica, plaques may prevent the exit veins from pinching off in the normal fashion.

Medically backed available treatment of Peyronie's disease includes:

Drug treatment - a controversial area, as only limited evidence of the effectiveness of drug treatments exists. The aim is to reduce pain, lump size and the eventual deformity.

Studies in the UK and Germany have shown that extracorporeal (outside the body) shockwaves directed at Peyronie's plaques can reduce penile deformity in established, stable disease. This technique is still under investigation and is not yet widely available, nor widely recommended by medical doctors.

Surgery, the only medical treatment offered as a ?sure cure? in Peyronie's disease is not even remotely appealing to most men, because of serious drawbacks and side-effects. Post-surgical interviews indicate that men are usually unhappy because of unsatisfactory results and limited capacity to return to previous levels of sexual activity.

As none of the above mentioned methods really works, you may as well try preventative medicine as a correction for Peyronie's disease. Instead of waiting a year or more before beginning the treatment of Peyronie's disease, you may as well start a balanced program comprised of exercises - it is vital to maintain good blood flow and lymphatic drainage to improve tissue health and repair; vitamins that promote tissue healing ? E, C etc.