Some Medications May Cause a Bent Penis
May 22, 2018Men tend to be very proud of their penises, and why not? A good looking penis, especially when the result of careful attention to proper penis care, deserves a little applause. That’s why some men with a bent penis may feel a little self-conscious. It can seem unfair when a man’s member causes him anxiety or embarrassment. Preventing an extreme curvature from occurring can help him avoid these feelings, so it’s important to know about one possible cause of an excessively bent penis: medications. Not all medications, of course - but some fairly common ones can be at fault.
It’s important to note, of course, that there’s nothing wrong with a little curvature to the penis. Millions of penises have some curving, and millions of women find a little curve to be their cup of tea. But when the curvature is so extreme as to cause pain and/or difficulty in performing sexually, then a bent penis does become a concern.
Peyronie’s disease
Typically, a bent penis of such extreme curvature is diagnoses as Peyronie’s disease, named after the doctor credited with first describing the condition. Most of the time, Peyronie’s is caused by a genetic condition or to trauma to the penis, causing plaque to build up in an area which interferes with the penis skin’s ability to extend and stretch. When the skin on one side won’t stretch any further, it causes the penis to curve to that side during an erection.
In some instances, however, this plaque build-up appears to have a different cause - as mentioned, certain medications. At this point, there appear to be three main culprits:
- Beta blockers. Many people with high blood pressure use a class of medications known as beta blockers to stabilize and control it. Also called beta-andrenergic blocking agents, beta blockers operate by slowing down the adrenaline. But they also can cause fibrotic tissue to develop, and when that happens in the penis, a bent penis can result.
- Interferon. Many people with multiple sclerosis or who are being treated for hepatitis C use a drug called interferon. Doctors have noticed a link between multiple sclerosis and Peyronie’s disease, and many believe that the link may be interferon, rather than multiple sclerosis itself.
- Anticonvulsants. People with epilepsy use anticonvulsants to help manage their condition. Anticonvulsants may also be used to treat other conditions such as bipolar disorder and neuropathic pain. There is some evidence that one anticonvulsant, phenytoin, may contribute to Peyronie’s.
If a man experiences a severely bent penis and thinks that his medications may be at least partially responsible, he should contact his doctor. Before stopping the medication, he needs to talk with his physician and see what alternative options may be available. There may be other medications which can be tried. He may also want to explore what can be done to address the curvature. In some cases, halting medication does the trick; in others, further treatment may be advised.
A severely bent penis, whether due to medications or other causes, is not necessarily a sign of poor penis health - but sometimes paying attention to penis health can help alleviate some of the pain associated with the bending. Using a top drawer penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) is strongly advised. Take time to look for a crème that contains vitamin C. Why? Because this vitamin is a key component in collagen, which helps give penis skin tone and elasticity, which can be beneficial when excess curvature is present. The crème should also include L-carnitine, a neuroprotectiuve ingredient which can help maintain penis sensation which may diminish due to plaque build-up.
Posted by John Dugan. Posted In : Men's Health
