Q. I have an embarrassing question. What are your suggestions regarding penile fracture?
I admit to being too wild and crazy one night. I bent a fully erect penis about 90 degrees. It was very painful and turned purple, black and blue. It no longer hurts but has a tendency to veer to the left.
Urination and ejaculation work painlessly. Should I look into surgery or will the tissue repair itself?
A. From your description it seems as if you are suffering from Peyronie’s disease. A penile “fracture” that occurs during overly vigorous intercourse is actually a tear in the tissue. This leads to bruising which can cause scar tissue. During an erection, this fibrous area cannot expand normally which leads to the kind of curvature you have observed.
Physicians frequently recommend prompt surgical repair to reduce painful symptoms and prevent complications such as erectile dysfunction. Although Peyronie’s disease sometimes disappears all by itself, you should consult a urological surgeon for an assessment. For more details you may wish to search our Web site for Peyronie’s (www.peoplespharmacy.com).
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.org.
© 2007 King Features Syndicate, Inc.