WHEN I GET an erection, my penis is bent. The bend begins in the middle of the shaft. It doesn’t hurt me; neither does stop me from having sex. But I would admit, it looks weird. I have never heard of anyone having anything like this. Is this rare or what?
– A
Dear A,
Most penises bend to one side or the other, rather than protruding straight out from a man’s body.
Generally, if there is no pain during sex and your erection does not cause discomfort of any kind, then the bend is nothing to worry about.
That said, you should know about one per cent of men develop something called Peyronie’s Disease where their penis bends, due to formation of plaque or a hard lump in one of the shaft muscles.
Why this forms in some men and not others is unclear. It usually develops in the side of the penis in the layers which contain erectile tissue. It usually starts as localized inflammation and develops to become a hardened scar.
Symptoms may be mild or severe, develop slowly or appear quickly, almost overnight. When it is severe, the hardened plaque gradually reduces flexibility of the penis and causes pain, forcing it to bend or curve during erection.
With time, the pain often decreases but the bend may remain a problem, which in some cases can disrupt a couple’s love life. Mild cases may resolve without any permanent curve or much pain, however.
If the plaque is on the top of the shaft, it causes the penis to bend upwards; on the underside, it bends downward. If it develops on both the top and the bottom, this leads to shortening of the shaft.
On one side or the other, it leads to a bend in the direction of the side on which it has formed. The degree of bend may be minor or severe.
It is more common in middle-aged men but can occur in younger and older men, too. About one-third of all men with Peyronie’s disease also have fibrosis or hardening of elastic cells in other areas of the body, commonly the hand or foot.
For example, something called Dupuytren’s contracture of the hand. Sometimes these conditions run in families.
If you get pain – especially during intercourse – seek out your doctor for assistance.
– MADAME SOLUTIONS
