|  | Conditions Treatments | Medical Conditions

Peyronie's Disease & Perineal Pain

Peyronie's disease is a condition in which a man's penis becomes filled with abnormal scar tissue. The condition causes a number of characteristic reproductive and sexual dysfunction symptoms, however perineal pain is not normally associated with Peyronie's disease. Perineal pain is a symptom that can occur frequently with other male reproductive system disorders.

  1. Peyronie's Disease

    • Peyronie's disease occurs when small masses, or plaques, of abnormal scar tissue build up within the erectile tissue that lines the shaft of the penis. When a man becomes sexually excited, blood infuses the erectile tissue causing the penis to become erect. When the tissue is filled with Peyronie's disease plaques, blood flow can be blocked to certain parts of the penis, resulting in pain and a variety of symptoms.

    Symptoms

    • The majority of Peyronie's disease symptoms are evident only when the penis is erect. The penis may be bent sharply to one side or downward and may have portions along the shaft that are significantly narrower than the rest. The penis may also be rigid up to a point, then unengorged with blood for the remainder of the organ. An affected man can experience pain while having an erection, during intercourse and/or during orgasm. It can also become difficult for sufferers to achieve an erection.

    Perineal Pain

    • Perineal pain in men is pain located between the anus and the scrotum. Peyronie's disease is not characterized by this type of pain: the discomfort associated with that medical condition occurs almost exclusively in the penis. However, perineal pain is a common symptom of other male reproductive system disorders, including prostate cancer, prostatitis (swelling and inflammation of the prostate) or an enlarged prostate.

    Causes

    • The exact cause of Peyronie's disease is not known, however the condition is thought to be connected to a previous tissue trauma that occurred to the penis. This can be trauma that resulted from an accident or sports injury, surgery or extremely vigorous sexual activity. These episodes of trauma do not necessarily need to be extreme, but can be the accumulated effects of minor episodes over a period of time.

    Treatment

    • Unless the problems related to the condition are extreme, mild cases of Peyronie's disease are normally left untreated. If the pain or sexual problems are intensely uncomfortable, there are three routes available for treatment: oral medications, drugs that can be injected directly into the tissues of the penis, or surgery.

Medical Conditions - Related Articles