Accommodating Sex With A Curved Penis
2014-10-09
Having a slight curvature up or to the side is really quite normal. But if your penis hurts when an erection comes along, you have a problem. You aren’t alone, however. Five to ten percent of men have this condition, known as Peyronie’s disease. This is when scar tissue residing within the penis causes it to bend when it becomes erect. The angle can make intercourse difficult or even painful. The degree in which Peyronie’s disease interferes with your life depends on how much it interferes with intercourse, and if it causes pain. Assistant professor of surgery at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Ryan Berglund told WebMD, “If somebody has a 10-degree curvature, it will have little impact on function. But when you get to 30 degrees or more, that’s when it starts to become significant.” With a big enough angle, penetration may become unmanageable. What’s more, Peyronie’s disease can be painful, according to Drogo Montague, MD. He is the director of the Center for Genitourinary Construction at Cleveland Clinic. Luckily, Montague said, “When healing is complete, pain always goes away.”
Lots of guys who have Peyronie’s disease also suffer some form of erectile dysfunction (ED). Berglund said, “Having Peyronie’s disease doesn’t mean you have ED, and having ED doesn’t mean you have Peyronie’s disease, but very frequently, someone with Peyronie’s disease will have ED.” He elaborated, “A classic example of that would be somebody who can get rigidity closer to the body than the scar, but beyond the scar, they don’t really get the rigidity necessary for [sex].” In this way, Peyronie’s disease is causing ED. Medications such as Viagra can help in certain instances. Although the disorder may be uncomfortable to talk about, there is treatment and a better quality of life, just the other side of a conversation with your doctor. Ian Kerner, PhD a noted sex therapist said, “It’s not unlikely for men with Peyronie’s disease to have a high degree of shame and embarrassment around this.” Communication with your partner however is critical. Kerner says, “Let your partner know what’s going on and what feels good and what doesn’t, and let your partner also have the experience of giving you pleasure, even if it’s in a nontraditional way.” Another tip from Kerner, “maybe focus a little more on the giving of pleasure as opposed to the receiving of pleasure.”