Erections are a normal part of a healthy sex life. However, some men experience painful erections, which can not only be painful in the moment but can create issues in a person’s sex life. While it may seem like an embarrassing topic to bring up with your men’s health doctor, this is just the kind of issue they are skilled in treating.
In this blog, we will explain what causes painful erections and what treatment options are available, so you can return to a healthy sex life.
What Causes Painful Erections?
The most common cause of painful erections is Peyronie’s disease. People who have Peyronie’s disease experience irritation and inflammation in the penis that develops into hardened scar tissue as it heals. Because scar tissue is less elastic than normal skin tissue, it doesn’t stretch as well when an erection is achieved, which can be painful. It can cause the erect penis to be shortened or curved because the skin cannot stretch properly, which can cause pain during intercourse or erectile dysfunction (ED).
Although the exact causes of Peyronie’s disease are unknown, it could be due to scar tissue formation after repeated injuries. It can also develop due to genetics and aging. Not all cases of Peyronie’s disease require treatment, but if it is impacting your ability to have intercourse or to have an erection without pain, there are treatments available.
Treatment Options For Painful Erections
There are many treatment options available for Peyronie’s disease, so you should talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.
Traditional options include prescription drugs injections like Xiaflex, Interferon, and Verapamil, which are injected into the scarred tissue to break it down, so it can be replaced with healthy, elastic tissue as it heals. However, this can be a lengthy process and require multiple shots.
Another option is surgery to lengthen the side of the penis with the curve, venous or fascial grafts, or even prosthetic implants. While these options help restore the natural shape and length of the penis, they are invasive procedures that require a long recovery time.
There are alternatives to prescription drugs and surgery. At NIVA Men’s Health, we offer low-intensity focused acoustic shockwave therapy. This is a noninvasive therapy in which focused sound waves are pulsed through the penis to increase blood flow and encourage the breakup of plaque without injection or surgery.
Painful Erection Treatment Near Me
Overall, there are a variety of treatments for painful erections caused by Peyronie’s disease, ranging from injections to surgery to noninvasive shockwave therapy. At NIVA Men’s Health, we use acoustic shockwave therapy as our first method to treat Peyronie’s disease, and we find it is the most effective nonsurgical solution available.
To schedule an appointment with one of our caring and highly trained physicians, visit our website to see which of our locations is nearest you, or fill out our form to request an appointment. We believe sexual health is an important part of overall health and look forward to keeping you healthy in any way we can!
