Emma Howard: Hello! We're answering questions on sexual health. I'm joined by Dr. Catherine Hood. Hello!
Dr. Catherine Hood: Hello!
Emma Howard: Catherine, I have a got a question here from a man who says, he has recently noticed that his penis is starting to bend slightly to one side when it's erect and it's causing him some discomfort during sex. He wants to know one, what's causing it, and should he go and see his GP about it.
Dr. Catherine Hood: Okay. I think the answer is, yes, you should see your GP, answering the second question first. The first question is it could be a condition called Peyronie's disease. Now with Peyronie's disease, what happens is, under the skin of the penis, a fiber's plug develops in the layers of tissue on the penis.
That means when flaccid, there's no problem, penis looks straight, but when you've got an erection, the penis will start to bend, because there's one side that is a bit thicker than the rest of it. So it doesn't grow at the same rate.
Now, mild cases of Peyronie's are really often nothing to worry about. It will often resolve, there are some treatments your GP can give you that can help. If it gets very severe then it can actually make sex impossible.
Emma Howard: And could you have surgery for something like that.
Dr. Catherine Hood: You can have surgery. I mean that's obviously the last result, generally speaking but it can be fixed through surgery. But the best thing is to go and then let your doctor know the fact that you're getting this problem. You may not have to have anything done for a while and just -- it's a case of watch and wait and see what happens, it may not get any worse.
Emma Howard: And is it very unusual or is it quite common?
Dr. Catherine Hood: It's quite unusual; I mean your GP will be aware of it. There have been a few high-profile cases of Peyronie's, or very prominent some. American President was said to suffer from it, but it is something that is well-known and well documented. So, you can get information about it. Certainly, if you look on the net, you'll find some information about it too.
Emma Howard: And certainly, go and see your GP about it as you said first off. Thank you very much for that, Catherine. Well, if you have a similar problem, we hope, we might have given you some help. But remember, it's always best to go and see your own doctor for medical advice. Thanks for watching, we'll be back with more health questions and answers.
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